The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-09-18

lofty bills, and in the splendors of the
dying foliage, she declared to herself
that she must begin at once.
She planned grand fair, to which
the whole country should contribute.
At times this seemed to her to
be most monstrous undertaking.
Perhaps three hundred people knew
her by sight, but no more. She knew
that she was considered unfortunate in
being 50 small, 50 homely, and so OBJ
scure; that she and her affairs entered |
but rarely into other peoples caloula-
tions; chat her present weight and iu-
auence were diminutive.
Still, it was these attributes that gave
dignity to her task. Therefore she
began it.
She went to work with system.
First it was necessary to gain the ear
OF group Of well-to'do people. She
selected those who had the best repu.
tatlon for charitable inolinations, and
wrapping herse'fin her warmest shawl,
she sought them out. The brother
stared on percaiviug this new energy,
but as the sister had become silent in
proportion a. she had become active, he
had nothing to do but to ruminate. !
To her astonishment, Marth. was re.
oeived with open arms. The venerable
maids and gentlemen to whom she ad.
dressed herself encouraged her with
ardor. They were startled by this sud-
den outcropping Of virtue from sterile
ground, and they felt abashed that 80
trifing and so unfamed q creature
should thus direct them where TO turn
their gifts.
They indorsed her. They listened
with eager ears to her recital of the
woes which overhuug the poor, and
they heartily promised to aid the en-.
terprise in all ways, by money aud by
countenance.
Then Martha began to write letters
to the county newspapers, to the Sc.
lectmen of the various towns, and to
the pastors of all the religious societies.
Before the week was out, she had be-
come noted. In two weeks they began
to apply pet eplthets to her, and to
compare her to Elizabeth Fry. The
ministers publicly eulogized her, aDd
people began to make p,lerimages to
her little cottage, and they were a ao-
customed to wonder that such an i'm
maculate kernel should be found at
home in suoh . husk. The jealous
and rapaolous brother, in the mean
time, while loungiug amid his pelts
and snares in the rear yard, tried hard
to fancy how some benefit might accrue
to him out Of all this stir and uproar.
| Martha had six weeks to originate,
develop, and advertise her undertak.
ing. 1t was very short time, but
herein were zeal and energy declared.
Money must be got before the actual
bitterness of winter began, and there
was asluggish community to get it from
She pushed matters. Personally she
Travelled to and fro, over hill and dale,
With a borrowed horse, and infused
her ardor into every house. Her quick
figure, With its straight back, nervous
head, and bright eyes, generated bus
tie wherever it went. Fru,t-rooms
were opened, ovens began to roar,
ancient costumes descended from the
garrets, needles flew, lmaginations gen.
, Grated thousand expedients for artful
money-getting, and the six towns were
all agog. Martha may be said to have
serated tho county. She developed a
, good head for organizing, and her tai.
D ent for preserving concord was extra.
ordinary.
All through the prolonged ordeal Of
! preparation did the mistress preserve
her full dignity and power. She was
= in the midst Of constant puzzles and
iucipient disoords but she remained
3 completely triumphant People rejoic
ed in her. She was never tardy, Of
I lax, or st fault. They consulted with
her, praised her, obeyed her. When
, they reflected, they declared that it
was a marvel that so much purity and
t strength had been hidden so long
! The mean surroundings, the wretched
t cottage, the villainous brother, the
peverty-all served as contrasting
shade against which the brig ght exam
pie Of the woman appeared in all its
, fac proportions.
u As the time finally approached when
l her labors were to produce their result
f Martha was pre.eminent. She was al
0 the front and head, and she had at
!, tracted to herself an enthusiastic re.
!, gard. AS she had once been forgot.
9 ten aud neglected, so she was beloved
= and reverenoed now. Events had cx.
: tracted her from the mire, or, perhaps
? We should say, she arose from the mire
t and people remembered this just long
enough to enable them to consider he1
D Z woman past al comparison. Tht
= small and homely spinster of thirty.fv
had become a power in the land; bu
|, all in calico gown.
u Late in the evening on the frs
b night Of tho fair there REQUIRED to Mar
. tha's mind, as she was sitting in he
}. evergreen Office, At the head of tn
9 immense and crowded hall, what sh