She had a wide porch and a big lawn which she decorated for the occasion with strings of pink, yellow and green Japanese lanterns with electric bulbs inside. Settees and wicker chairs were scattered in cosy groups through the shrubbery, and there was a faint odor of burning incense.
For entertainment there was dancing on the porch to the tune of a phonograph and a program of Japanese music, including some selections from "Butterfly" and "The Mikado."
A clever reader gave one of the Hashimura Togo stories, and also the hostess had arranged some artistic tableaux in Japanese fashion.
When it was refreshment time, cunning little girl friends of the hostess appeared in Japanese kimonos, hair done high and stuck full of tiny fans or flowers. They bore Japanese lacquer trays with tiny sandwiches (filled with preserved ginger), cherry ice and rice wafers. A wee Japanese flag was stuck in each portion of cherry ice.
The favors were wee Japanese doilies which the guests were bidden to hunt for under a certain group of trees. While doing so, a sudden surprise shower of seeming cherry blossoms covered them with pink and white petals. These were really confetti petals obligingly scattered by the nimble little waitresses perched in the branches above.
Instead of giving the usual banquet and reception to the seniors, the juniors in a small school might well plan an outdoor picnic and supper. It has the possibility of being jollier than the regulation affair, and is certainly less expensive.
Individual invitations may be sent out to the senior class--quite unusual and mysterious invitations--for each one may consist of a colored feather quill with a message written on a slip of paper wrapped about the end. This reads:
_Greetings from the Tribe of Twenteequas To the Tribe of Nyneteenwas: Will the Tribe of Nyneteenwas Smoke the pipe of friendship Round the camp-fire of the Twenteequas On the sixteenth day of the Moon of Roses One hour before waysawi (sunset)? One of the Twenteequas will act as your guide_.
As soon as the two classes have gathered at the picnic ground, the juniors, already decked in head bands of ribbon in their own class colors, may present the seniors with similar ribbons. The boys may have feathers stuck in theirs--if they don't object to head bands.