A Social Error (1948)

The Lady of Fashion knew that invitations to a party should be issued with a great deal of care. It is mighty easy to ruin a perfectly nice party by inviting guests who can't get along with each other but the Lady of Fashion made the fatal mistake of inviting Ginky and Goosh to the same party. She hoped that all would turn out well for she was sorry for Ginky and Goosh and she wanted them to share the Teenie Weenie Christmas party.

Ginky is a most uncultured mouse and Goosh is a surly shrew who lives near the Teenie Weenie village. He is a nasty tempered little night prowler with a decided talent for picking fights. The Teenie Weenies have a bowing acquaintance with the shrew and the Lady of Fashion felt so sorry for the lonely Goosh she invited him to the party against the advice of the other Teenie Weenies.

"You'll have trouble," warned the General. "Shrews and mice do not get along well together."

The Teenie Weenie Christmas party was to be held in the half gallon syrup can which the little people had recently made into a town hall. The place had been decorated with cedar sprays and mountain ash berries and for days the little women and the Cook had been making thimbles full of goodies for the occasion. There would be speeches and singing and all the Teenie Weenies looked forward to a pleasant party.

A number of invitations had been sent out to the various animals in the neighborhood but Skippy the chipmunk had to refuse on account of a bad case of mumps and of course the Respectable mice couldn't come for they had just become parents to four husky mice.

On the night of the party Ginky and Goosh arrived promptly and, for a time, all went well as the Teenie Weenies cleverly kept the two apart but it wasn't long until Ginky, who has a nasty tongue, let drop a remark that enraged Goosh. Before the Teenie Weenies could interfere the shrew flew at Ginky's throat and a terrible fight started. The General quickly herded the Teenie Weenie women and children out of the hall while a number of the men, after a terrific struggle, finally separated the fighters and threw them out of the hall.

Benches were knocked over, the food table was upset and a thimble of grape juice was spilled. A great many sandwiches and doughnuts had been tramped on but the little folks managed to save enough to continue the party which, though short of food, turned out to be a happy affair.