Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-02-02
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was.
Bosworth was now in a state Of intens,
excitement. Such thing had neve
happened before. Many of the Congre
gationalists called on Miss Betsey AM
on Miss Sarah, all they could find GU
was that the ladies went with them b,
special invitation.
On Thursday night the six ladies at
tended class-meeting at the Methods
vestry. Not only that, but Miss Jen
kins and Miss Martha Stiles both tool
part in the meeting.
What was to be done? Something
certainly, for this state Of things coult
not exist long. The Baptists visited tn
Misses Stiles, but all the information
they could get was that they went t,
both places by invitation, and that Mar
tina felt moved to speak at the latte
place, and did so. And the Methodist
were no wiser for having called upon til,
erring sisters.
The next Tuesday saw more mixing O
the sects, and NJ onday night there was
gathering at Miss Betsey's residence O
all the ladies engaged in the conspiracy
Sixteen ladies' were present, and-was
chance?-all were maiden ladies of 81
years and over. From this time forward
there was great intimacy between thes.
ladies. In vain they tried to induc.
others to join them; at the end of three
months their band still numbered only
sixteen.
Betsey and Sarah talked the matte,
over and concluded to open another chap
ter of their plan. They were not disap
pointed in in getting only sixteen ladies
to join them; in fact, that was nearl,
double the number they had hoped te
get in the beginning.
| A few days later notice appeared or
the door Of the Baptist store, to the eff.
feet that it had been sold to Miss Betsy
Bailey. About the same time, one ap.
peared on the Congregationalist store,
saying it had been sold to Miss Sarah
Jenkins. Both stores were closed, and
the people all had to go to the onl Y re-
naming store in town, the Methodist, il
they would buy anything.
Both the ladies next called on the
Methodist brother, and he readily agreed
to take all the goods from the other
stores, if he could thereby get the whole
trade of the town. He knew from bitter
experience that one store was all the
town could support, and he at once be-
gan to help the ladies in their scheme,
though he was not aware OF the part he
wasf taking, -looking only at the fact
that he could make more money by the
change. This plan of the ladies was a
partial success, for the inhabitants fell
right into this arrangement because they
could not help it.
Still they would not visit, nor attend
any but their own church, and three
months more passed and still only the
sixteen maidens belonged to the visiting
company. So chapter number three
was opened.
One morning the train brought to the
village a very pretty young lady and four
trunks. Such a thing was nota common
occurrence and the depot loungers soon
spread the news, stating also that Miss
Bailey was there to meet her, and that
the young lady called her Auntie. It
soon came out who she was. and it was
rumored that her stay in Bosworth
might be permanent.
She was the daughter Of Miss Bailey's
sister, who had died when Rosie was
only four years old. Miss Bailey
claimed the child then, but the father
wished her to remain with his folks, and
Miss Bailey was of course forced to give
up her claim for the child. Her father
was now dead, and she had come to live
with Aunt Betsey, whom she had always
loved as a mother.
At first she was rather lonely, but
when Monday night came, and with it
the meeting Of the sixteen unsectarian
maidens, she had enough to think of.
She was OF course admitted to the coun-
Gil, and was much amused at the state of
society. When the meeting adjourned,
she said to her aunt:
Don't the young people visit ?"
"Not outside Of the denominations to
which they belong"
" Don't a Baptist ever marry Metho-
dist, OF something Of that sort ?''
"Not within the memory of the oldest
O. l don't see how it is possible that
town can survive with such goings on"
said Miss Rose more to herself than to
her aunt
"We don't survive, we merely exist.
The town has been worse than dead ever
since l have been here, and we maiden
ladies have been trying to do something
to improve it"
81 think, auntie, you have done we'll,
but you have started at the wrong end.
Let me try and help you?"
"Certalnly you can. [ have hoped
since l got your letter, that you would
help us in some way when you came.
Do whatever you wish, and I will lend
all the aid in my power"
Rosie did not unfold her plan to her
aunt, but at once began to carrie it out.
The next Sunday saw her at the Congre-
gational church, dressed in the most be-
coming manner, and every one pro-
her the prettiest girl thew had
ever seen. After church she went to the
learning the names of
all the young ladies and gentlemen near
her own age. Next Sunday she was at
the Baptist's, attending both church and
And the next was de-
voted to the Methodist society.
Then there was a stir. Miss Rosie
Anderson was going to give a party at
her aunt's miss Bailey's, } residence and
and had sent notes of invitation to all the
young people of the town, without re-
gard to sect. The invitations we're Civ
en- out a month before the time of the
party, so that every one had chance to
talk it over, as Rosie said, and get their
minds made up.
The Sunday following the giving out
Of the invitations, the soprano at the
Baptist was sick, and the fact not being
known till nearly time for meeting, no
one could be found to sing. Rosie was
present, and when she heard Of the diff
guilty volunteered to sing for them. The
eader gladly accepted her offer, not
stopping to think what the good people |
would say when they saw Congrega-
ional;st in their choir.
When they rose to sing the opening
oiece, Rosie stood in full sight of the
congregation. The minister looked hor-
lied, while the deacons covered their
aces with their hands to think that the
Baptist should get so low az to allow a |
Congregationalist to sing in the sane
uary. But when she sang the solo
which fell to her, the hands dropped
rom the faces Of the deacons, and the.