Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-06-13
The Head Woman"

| never lived in town vet which
hadn't ''head woman We've got
one in our town, and what she can't do
no one else need think of doing.
Daring the last four years she has
built a church. hired the minister, ap-
pointed committees, elected deacOns,
run all festivals, picnies, societies, and
conventions connected Herewith, be-
sides attending to her own and hus-
bands business. feeding all the poor
and converting all the heathen.
shes brick the boys say with a
wink as they skedaddle around the
corner; and the men sit on the boxes at
the corner grocery and talk theology,
well assured that their work Will all be
: done by this one woman.
She knows every ones business better
than they know it themselves, is well
acquainted with every ones character
and ability, and can prescribe their line
of duty to them with the utmost exact
ness.
''Such head as that woman has" the
people remark as the walks down the
street with her when I-tell-a- child-to-
do-a-thiug they-do-it," sort of an air.
Nobody ever says anything about
her heart, but s'pose she has a ma
chine somewhere that keeps time.
The especial delight of this "head
woman" of our town is being to the
poor committee. Oh, she does love TO
visit the poor on Thanksgiving and
Christmas days with great basket full
of old boots and shoes done up in brown
paper on her arm. OF course people
who see her don't know but what she
has groceries and goodies in the papers
and she always makes the poor twice
glad. They're glad when she comes
and gladder when she goes away.
She evidently believes that food for
the mind is better than food for the
body" and always carries the poor a
good deal of advice and very little pro-
visions.
One day not long ago she visited a
dying widow, who is unfortunately de-
pendent upon charity for subsistence
. for the few remaining days of her life.
AS she hustled in and settled herself in
an easy chair by the the bedside she
exclaimed: There Everybody said
you were going to die, but you amt
dead yet, are your I've brought you a
couple of pounds of sugar and some
butter, but you must be saving You
know"
The widow sighed, closed her eyes
and her lips moved as if in prayer.
Then the head woman readjusted the
folds of her dress. folded her hands
with sense of duty done, and, giving
the room critical survey, went on:
Dear me. what dirty place, Be-
cause any ones poor and sick that's no
sign they needn't be clean. I've done
my own work a great many times when
wasn't able to be off o. my bed rather'n
have hired girl.n
And you ought to have taught your
boys to be neat and not lay up apple
cores and such things on the window
sill.n
.'NOw, when | was first married
liv ed in a small house, but tell you it
was always clean; my husband never
dared leave his things around or come
in with soiled boots"
All, no wonder her meek little hus-
ba nd always goes with his head down,
as though afraid of being cuffed, and
tip toes along the sidewalk as though
1t had just been mOpped.
The "head woman felt relieved, and
she leaned back In her chair and famed
herself vigorously for while. Then,
catching sight of the widows two
handsome, spirited boys wrestling out
on the grass, she began again:
81 s'pose you don't know what's to
become of your boys when you're dead.
think you'd better have them sent to
the Reform School. They've never
been properly governed and they need
a strong hand. I'd just like to get hold
of them"
The widow shuddered involuntarily,
but just then the new minister entered
a nd the "head woman arose and with
sweet affability took her leave.-D Detroit
Free Press.