Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-01-08
[For the New York Observer
THE "BESOM" BOX.
By MRS. ANNIE A. PRESTON.

By MRS. ANNIE \. PkEslON.
want to recommend to all churches
that are contemplating having more fairs
and festivals the plan adopted by the
lsdies OF the Federal street Society In
Winter sci. When the subjec, came up
about buying new organ it was sug-
gested by the young people that the sew
lug circle, which had been disbanded at
the time of the Childs and Bliss scandal.
more than year before, should be reor-
ganized in or.er TO prepare tor great
fair and breakfast to be- held in the Sun
day school room and the church parlors
on the first day OF May.
at will never Do" Ssid Mrs. Maiioy'
the minister's wife Some ether ui-tb-
cd must be thought OF; = sewing Sociel'
Is such a motor aud promoter OF gossip,
and there are so many hard feelings eu-
genderod therein. Even should there be
a law iorbidIiug the taikln. Of scandal.
aud it should be rlgidly enforced, there
would be supposed sights and thousand
or less Misunderstanding talked over
after every gathering. And then, some
OF the m Numbers would tattle, and. .uukind
remarks would be made.
Then, at fair or rather before L.,
among those who get il up. there is a.
ways so much trouble. People are 80
sensitive. and so ready to take offence,
that before it is over with. there is per-
feet snarl OF misunderstanding 70
straighten out. and weeks and months 20
by before the parish returns into its
wonted state OF placdily."
IL have been thinking" said Mrs. Vim
ton, the old deacon's wife, in Il trembling
voice, THAT the unpleasant feelings al
such gatherings are almost always caused
oy an uprising OF temper, aud that 1t we
could arrange in some way SO that every
such manifestation should help the cause
in Which we are engaged; our success
would be assured from the start.
Lot us have box placed in the little
entry between The church Kitchen and
pantry. /. is rather a dark passage, as
you all know, and is so nsrrow that only
one person al time can pass through II.
Let every one OF Us. when We ieel our
6eSom rising. contribute this box-any-
where from penny 10 3. dime. IT we
suffer ourselves TO besonly slightly an
noyed penny will be a sufficient fine; II
a good deal ruliled, 1--WE mus, put in more.
Each one must judge Tor himself or her.
self. II is matter OF conscience, OF
course, and it would be impossible Tor
one person to Judge for another in the
premises. Al hard feelings must toe
buried in that box, ano not spoken of Ia
any body. After the fair we will ge to-
gether, open the box and count up the
accumu ated fnes paid as penalties ior
our bad tempers. All who are 10 iavor
of mylproposition will please raise 'noir
hands"
There was much good-nstured !sugc-
ter over the queer suggestion. ga. ever
hand went up. and there was not one de-
seniient voice. "Wna, sBai. ~e have iof
a 'besom' box?" asked merry lite Jaiia
Clapp. at the first regular meeting.
A lozenge-box Wa proposed O' some
one. "On dear, no." exclaimed IA" oid
lady, Mrs Vintou; "how very amisole
you must believe Us All 10 be. have
asked my son for one of the empty soap
boxes at his store. and it will be brought
in this evening with the lid nailed on aud
q long narrow slit cut into it through
which the pennies are 10 be slipped"
The sewing society meetings went on
admirably and spiritedly all through the
winter and spring Never had there
been so little trouble and dissatisfaction
in the Federal street church. Beside
the regular monthly gatherings during
the progress OF the preparations tor the
fair, many other ways for raising money
for the making and purchasing OF articles
were devised 1t was argued that the
young people of the village would Sc
somewhere for amusement, and that il
would be better for them to como to the
church parlors, where no charge was
made except for supper. than to 60 where
they might be under bad influences.
A famous farmers dinner" was gol
up Oh Washing gton's birthday. The sew
ing society had "barbecued pig" on 81
Valentines day. Weekly maple sugar
parties relieved the monotony Of March
and April, and various other fetes and
parties were made to contribute to the
preparations making for the great May
breakfast.
The affair had been well aud judicious.
IL advertised. Then, May breakfast
was u novelty in that locality. The day
was as lovely as poets dream. People
of leisure drove the ten miles from the
neighboring city, and with sppetite'
sharpened by the fresh sweet air, declared
that they had never tasted such coffee
cakes, roast turkey and crisp fried po