Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-04-12
SINTEEN OLD MAIDS.

Boswor,h was a nice little village o
FIVE hundred inhabitants and boasted o
three churches, Congregational, Baptist
and Methodist. while q handful of Uni
ta,ians gathered Occasionally at the town
hall, and a few AdventisiS went 10 the
next village. five miles to worship. The
three trst mentioned societies were a:
distinct from each other as black is from
white. Not only were they not on visit
Ing terms with each other. but the three
stores showed that they did no; even
trade together. The oldest inhabitan'
could not remember when this was not
50. but the time had come for a revolu-
ton. and with thi, our story has to do.
Miss Betsy Bailey. an elderly maiden
lady, wss setting alone in her quiet home
when all at once she broke out with:
"WeN. do declare, Here We be a
living alone in this heatheuish way year
after wear and We consider ourselves
Chri>tiaus. Il a shame that five hun
drcd people can, live together in harmony.
when 50 many Of Us are church mem
bcrs."
The cat. which was sleeping quietly in
Bct>ey's lap, jumped down and ran 10
the further end Of the room, for Nil.
Be,>cy had ccs,icult,ci Ia ,ha; direction
In such a manner as 90 iahict quite rap
upon the coping ,abby.
"We,l, | declare. said Ms, Betsey,
..if did ro' get so eloquent tha; ! scared
the cat. th.ak must have been born
fora female orator
After this she sat back In her chair,
apparently asleep. bu, she was not; hc'
mind was busy o-or plan which she
mean: 20 pa, into imnel.lte oPer alton.
Il was very late ,ha, night when she
came 90 fusl decision. and o. course
she mus, wait tjll morning before she
could begin. - excited had she become
over thc matter that II was long past
midnight before she retired and then !;
va, uo; 20 sleep.
Early mex, morning she called on her
mos, intimate acquaintance aud neigh
Dor. Mis- sarah Jcukins.
sarah. vc got notion. and It Is 50
>,l'.m that / am ever troubled with such
a thing that | had 70 come right over
and Tell yoa before lost II. Do You
feel able TO grasp one Of the grandest,
NOODLES, and brightest ideas the world ha-
ever pondered on;
Why, Eet,oy, for lands sake don't
scare a body To death. You are not
going 20 >e, the river sfre, are YOU:
NO; quite 50 bad a. that, hope but
If We don't turn ,hi, town upside down
in three months, my name isn't Betsey.
I'VE: | hope You don't mean to ~
clude me in this grand scheme ~
But | do. You are the very one |
want for my right hand man
The idea Of an old maid Ike me lend
ing aid to the grand, noblest-'
Hold on. Sarah, don't repeat that
sentence. please; the very walls have ears,
and | would no; have a word of this get
out for the world All You have got to
DO i, 70 listen to me, and when YOU have
heard my story YOU Will agree with me
10 the letter: if you don't won't ask
You to help me bit. Just hand me
your knitting and | will knit and talk.
/ va, in such a hurry 70 get here this
morning that | forgo, my work. lcan't
talk. though, unless am doing some
thing.
Betsey then proceeded to lay the
scheme before her friend, who, when
she had concluded, not only agreed to
help her, but offered some valuable sug-
pestions which were earnestly grasped
by Betsey. SO eager were they with
their plans that the noon hour slipped
by. and three o'clock came before either
OF them thought OF dinner.
Next morning BetSey and Sarah were
again together, this time prepared for a
walk. Both these ladies were Congre
cationalis,s, and many of their neigh
bors were surprised to see them stop at
the house of Eliza Simmons, one Of the
Methodist persuation. 1t couldn't have
been over an hour before the town was
alive with the news.
The Orthodox were shocked, the
Methodists opened their eyes IN wonder,
while the Baptists stood aloof in dignltied
silence. For one whole day the people
talked Of nothing but this breach of sec
tartan etiquette. The next day they had
something else to talk about.
These three ladies. in company with
Margaret Sules, another Methodist sister,
called upon the West Sisters, Mary anc
Martha, two OF the leading ladies of The
Baptist Society. They not only called
but they stayed all the forenoon and took
dinner.
This was on Saturday. On Sunday
those SIX ladies occupied Miss Bailey
new in the Congregational Church. Th'
little fock was so astonished that they
psid but little attention to the sermon
and the minister went home feeling tina
not a dozen in the whole congregation
could tell what his text was
Bosworth was now in a state OF intense
excitement. Such thing had neve
happened before. Many of the Congre'