A SMILES SOCIAL


On the door of the parish house as well as in the post-office window
appeared a poster adorned with a big smiling face--the kind made by
drawing a circle and putting inside of it two eye dots, a nose line,
and a cheerful curve for a mouth.

Beneath it the invitation urged everybody to come to a Smiles Social,
wearing a smile and bringing an extra one in the pocket. Admission,
one smile.

The parish house parlors were decorated with all the laughing or
smiling pictures that could be found by the committee in charge. "Mona
Lisa" was there with her inscrutable smile, "The Laughing Cavalier,"
as well as less famous characters, such as smiling girls on calendars
and magazine covers. An amusing display of newspaper cartoons also
filled one portion of the wall space. Smilax was appropriately enough
used for trimming.

At the door was stationed a smiling admission collector, who insisted
on an entering smile from everyone. The extra one was not demanded at
this point.

With such a beginning and the gallery of smiles about the room to
break the ice, the social was assured of the success that followed.