The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-16

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my verdict, like the idea very much.
OF course people will talk, but IL un-
derstand Alright, we none of us care for
that, as the community is waiting to be
astonished. We settled all about peo-
pie in general, and Miss Namely in par
ticular, some time ago ! give my vote
in favor of the club. We all intend to
set the river on fire that is If grass ever
grows in it, and | don't know why we
should not have a distinctive society
with taking name. We can reform the
world in altogether better style if the
gentlemen don't bother u.s." she laugh.
ingly added.
The result of this conference was that
the club was formed then and there.
And such gossip as followed! The
young ladies, all of them of high social
distinction, who had taken up the cross,
as the Daily Advocate put it, were the
observed of all observers. But the club
prospered for all that. For five years
they kept together, and the members
made fame and money, all but poor
Miss Beck, who plodded on nursing her
numerous ailments.
For five years, l said, then like a
thunder-clap came the announcement
but l will not anticipate.
The club had met one night in the
early summer of 1SS-, at Mother Bon
ner's. Mother Bonner prided herself
on having been the first white settler in
Missouri She was a pretty old lady,
with red and white complexion, which
long years of hard labor had not spoiled,
and blue eyes as bright and frank as
those of baby. What Mother Bonner
did not know about her adopted
state and the country round about, was
not worth knowing. She was always to
be depended on by the neighbors In
times of trouble, and often declared
that she had lain out more corpses''
than any other woman in the place.
Frontier stories with her were always
in order. She pointed with pride to an
old battered gun that had been used
more than once in defense of their
wilderness home. The marks of Indian
bullets scared the timbers of the little
log cabin at the back of Squire Bonner S
pretentious new house. The cabin was
used now as store and lumber room,
and, as Mrs. Bonner often said, was
''chuck full of Stories"
Miss Beck had grown thinner and
homelier than ever. The doctor had ex-
hausted all her skill over this refrac-
tory patient, who obstinately persisted
in being sick. While busyswith her
school duties, Miss Beck often averred
she felt middling we'll, but nights and
mornings she was at full liberty To
I'll 4, Il
tors could do her no good
Pearl Davenport had written two
charming books, and Herewith earned
herself a home. Nelly West had be-
come famous as an artist all through
the State, and her pictures were in de-
mand. Florence Benson, the origin
ator of the club, had been practicing
law to good advantage in neigh boring
city, and was now home for her vaca-
tion.
A merry party they were, in spite of
Miss Beck and her gloomy forebodipgs.
They had just arisen from bountifully
spread table, when Squire Bonner came
y and handed his wife letter.
"Deary mel" said the old lady, in
pitying accents, after reading the first
page; ''if that poor, dear Hetty Sands
hasn't got on the war-path again. It's
only my way of saying that Hettys
goin' to break up and travel, my dears,"
she continued, addressing the society.
''It's sort of protegy of mine, is Hctty,"
she added, looking over her spectacles.
THE poor thing has moved twelve
times in as many years, always trying to
run away from that cough of hers. Now
she wants to try Missouri, where she
started from, and ! s'pose Glenn Sands
IL bring her on. He's always humored
her. No sooner does she say go than
he up stakes and goes. If she told him
to take her to Heaven, it's my opinion
he'd Jest try his best to do it. But bless
me!' she added, after another inspec-
ton of the written page, $50 much
movin' makes people kind o. shiftless,
too, an there's eight children, all girls,
but the boys; there's two of them, be-
lieve."
Eight childrenw cried the club, sim
ultaneously.
"Yes, and every blessed one of them
as handsome as u picter, too, like their
mother" said Mrs. Bonner.
They're poor, of COURSE" said Miss
Beck, after swallowing a powder sup
posed to aid digestion.
Poor as a pipe without bowl" said
Mother Bonner How can they help
it? Some of their furniture has to be
sold every time they move, and they
are coming here with the barest neces-
sites, She writes-two beds, stove,
kitchen-table and three trunks. Now,
as to the trunks, they can't hold sofys
and chairs in them, you know, so
s'pose I've got to help them. Well, I'm
thankful | can. There's some old fur
niter in the cabin that don't do me any
good, but bless me, eight children!
and II sick woman, and father that's
had all the sperit took out of him,
movin' about so much! They'll want
considable looliin' after, that's fact"
~ should think she'd rather stay
there and die" said Miss Beck. "Tm
sure l should; often do, any way,
when / think how sick and useless /
am"
'You useless!" and Doctor Ada shook
her wise head at her, half savagely.
"You have done better work, perhaps, |
than any of us, in teaching the young
idea how to shoot. How can you tell |
what big guns may be the consequence?
For all you know, you may he training |
the to-be President of the United |
States"
81 hope he'll remember it," said Miss
II u.