Connecticut western news., 1878-09-19
Ways and Means,

We have had fair in our town, and such tune as we had on the last eve- ming of our fair That is what am go- ing to tell you about.
 Our President was Mrs. Lesley, and she is the grandest woman ever know. Our Secretary was Mrs. Gray-she is Mrs. Lesley's husbands s sister-and they made me, Mrs. Busybody, Treasurer. We three really did the work. The rest of the executive committee said yes or no just as we told them, and helped to carry out our plans.
 And if do say it, neither of the others worked as hard as I did. For John that's my husband-isn't as rich as their husbands are, and only hire one girl and do almost all my own sewing. Of course don't have carriage to drive round in, as they do, and our streets are dreadfully muddy in bad weather. Such tramIs as took on that fair business John says shall not get over it all win ter,
 We'll, when we met to talk over the matter at first, the executive committee went to Mrs. Lesley's house. saw that our president and secretary were not likely to agree about the management of things. Although they are so closely connected by marriage they are just as unlike as it is possible for two women to be who both have sealskin sacques and camel's hair shawls. Mrs. Gray is beauty, and can be charming. She is very naughty, though brides herself on her family and position. She is very benevolent ; always gives the most to our Missionary society. But I don't be- heve she would have woman for friend who worked for a living on any account. It Is hard work for her to treat me as I want her to. But she likes to come over to my house and get me to show her about fancy work and often trim up her parlors when she has company she says do 1t better than 8 florist, and Mrs. Gray has exquisite taste. Besides, l have 8 cousin who lives in Paris, and have just the choicest patterns of any woman in Blanktown, if I am not rich. l always like to lend, and help plan dresses and all that so on the whole Mrs. Gray calls me her every dear friend, Mrs. Busybody-such valuable person" I see through her we'll enough, but l like her in spite of her selfishness she is so capable and shrewd, and can put anything through she undertakes just elegantly.
 Mrs. Lesley IS called peculiar. She does not go very much into society, al- though she entertains guests for weeks Ut her house, and any quantity of them. She picks her friends just where she chooses. Her most intimate acquaint- ance in Blanktown is the Kindergarten teacher who lives next door to me, and she even invites shop girls to tea.
 We'll, when we began to talk about the fair, the difference in these two women showed itself plainly enough. I can't stop to tell you just now. You'll see when I get to that last evening. I, you must know, stood rather between them, and things went as I turned the scales, sometimes according to the presidents wish, and sometimes according to the secretary's. The truth is, can get up the kind of enthusiasm for moral princi- ples, that Mrs. Lesley talks so much about, as quickly ns any one can and always when she is making her splendid little speeches believe every word she says. But when find, as we did Tn this fair business, that being so particular, takes off all the profits, and sometimes seems to block up the way entirely, I confess veer round little. lam quite apt in such cases to side with Mrs. Gray, who does always have common sense to rest on, and who said very forcibly, I thought, at our stormiest committee meeting that "when people were de- voting themselves to great patriotic or benevolent work they must waive some ot their personal scruples, if they wish success.
 You see the question was Should we have rallies, and guess prizes, and all that sort of thing? Mrs. Lesley said no, in her most emphatic manner. She claimed that such things were gambling. and we never should be able to urge