The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-09-30


me, for I'd almost soon see a sewing-machine
man a book agent coming as a lady caller this
time of day"
acknowledged leader of the tom of Millville who,
after the usual exchange of compliments, apollo
gized for her unreasonable call.
tOf course YOU have heard that we are going to
lose Mrs Wilcox" she began, land 1 told some
of our ladies that it wouldn't do to let her go
away without making her a present We have
been talking of nice water-set. What do you
think of it ?'
Mrs Waters was aghast She was expected to-
contribute toward silver water-pitcher, goblets
and salver How could she confess to her fash
ionable friend that she had not cent to give
that the little pitiful sum in her purse belonged
to another, because she OtCed II To another? For
tunately for her. Mrs. Jones did not wait. for Il
reply, but ratified glibly on.
~ have headed the list with 50; Mrs. Gross
and Mrs. Richards each gave -, and Mrs. Mar
tin, 81; but what do you think? Mrs Elgin would
only contribute a dollar IdeclaTe | wouldn't act
as small and as mean that for anything. /
didn't dream she stingy although l did
hear once that she wouldn't allow her hired help
TO eat butter. Well,n gancing over the list
which she held in her hand, "lve done pretty
well for a stormy morning. l have Sl4 already,
and II you have 50 to give it will help matters
along nicely" and she beamed a gracious smile
| on Mrs. Waters
Poor Mrs Waters To have turned away an
importunate book agent or troublesome peddler,
with the confession that she had no money or
couldn't afford it,n was an easy task, but To
] dcknOWlct9S 70 MIS-. Judge Jones, ABOVE ali
persons, that she was too poor to aid in making
this present, required an amount of moral courage
of which she was not capable. Confused thoughts
of Clara's shabby tippet, contrasted with visions
of the bright new scarf she had been promised
the new gloves she herself needed; the childs
magazine 10 which, for weeks past, Kitty had
been begging her 10 subscribe; the recollection of
the TWENTY-FIVE cents she had reluctantly furnished
last week for little Ralph To give To the fund got
ten up to make his Sabbath-school teacher IA
Christmas gift; the dime given 10 Clara the week
before for the same purpose; the remembrance of
her own remark AT the time, that il nothing
but give, give all you had and the conscious
ness that here sat Mrs. Jones, who never had
known in all her life what il TO want for
money, asking sweetly for - though il We're
the merest trifle-all these thoughts and "a host
of others fitted rapidly through her brain i'm a
jumbled-up mass as she sat gazing at her visitor.
1--WE are all to meet at Colonel WilcOX's to pre-
sent the gift the night before they leave for Flor
ida' pursued the lady, adjusting her damp ruf1ies
she spoke ''and we will have to get the
water-set from the city, we must order il rs soon
a. am sure of all the money; and ! believe you
haven't yet told me what you will give-only,
please, dear Mrs. Waters, don't follow Mrs. FL
gins example," and she laughed heartily.
Mrs. Waters hand nervously went into her
dress pocket. .'She will 20 away and say uglier
things about me than she has about Mrs. Elgin,
If ! refuse,n was her mental comment 1T would
look mean, too, dare say, when I've always pro-
fessed such friendship for Mrs WicOX-thOugh,
dear knows Mrs. Wilcox could make me pres
ent Of fifydolar gift better than can afford to
give fifty cents toward getting her one.' Then,
mastering up smile, she said aloud:
'Tm somewhat short of money to-day. Where
there children there many calls on ones
purse, YOU know and she smiled again ii 10
make her visitor fully understand that her contri-
| button was matter of course. But here are
/ two dollars-al that / happen To have just now
\ if you choose to accept 50 small an amount -
Accept it? Certainly, with thanks re-
/ sponded Mrs Jones gaily, taking the proffered
silver and dropping II into her own piethorc
/ pocket-book. "And now must be off,
Mrs. Waters bowed adeu 10 the Judges wife
with smile or her lips, but a feeling at her heart
/ akin to guilt.
''What coward am" she said, sinking into
/ the nearest chair and covering her face with her
/ hands "HOw can ] ever face poor Mrs Weeks
/ and tell her again that she must waltz And
] them i'm a more energetic tone: at seems to me
that the Milville people are running the giving
business entirely into the ground lately. If a man
moves out of town. his entire circle of acquaint-
ances feel bound forthwith to buy him a gold
headed cane, with all the donors names inscribed
on it, and have "A big presentation speech, and
/ have il reported in all the newspapers; if a
schOol-ma'am gets married, a Sabbath-schOol
teacher happens to have birthday, or a married
couple celebrate wedding anniversary, heaven
and earth must be moved to raise money to get
/ them sllver-plated gimcrack of some sort! Even
/ the children are infected with the mania; Clara
and Kitty each must have quarter at the end of
every school term, TO help buy the teacher brass
napkin ring or cheap pickle castor. And to think
/ of Mrs. Jones asking me for five dollars ! won
der if that woman thinks Pm made of gold?
ought just to have been Independent and told her
! frankly that | couldn't give her anything and let
! her think what she pleased; and if the facts were
/ known, pll warrant that, with the exception of
Mrs. Richards, not one Of those ladies on that list
but gave her money reluctantly. Pm ashamed to
tell John about it. But men have just such trials
rs well as women, for I've heard John say a score O
times that he is often forced to contribute TO Ob-
iects that he knows he cannot without defraudna
himself or his creditors and that he has to do il
or be considered mean-spirited. Dear me, if the
secret history of many of the gold-watch and
silver tea-set presentations that sound so impos-
ing in the papers were written up too TIM think
ing that the background of how the money was
raised would tarnish good deal of their lustre >
'Mothers eyes as red as if she'd been cry
ing" whispered Kitty to Clara that evening al
supper while little Ralph, in childish pity, feel
ing that something was wrong, slipped his hanC
caressngly into that of Mrs. Waters and said