New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-28
A QUESTION OF MORALITY.

Arain there is trouble at Shelton, Conn.
ONLY two months ago-nay, not so much, six
yeelSs-we told of the agitation in the Shelton
Ladies' Aid Society over its cookbook. which
had inadvertently been issued with receipts for
wine-sauce in it, This was promptly suppressed
and the money which had been collected for
the volumes already sold was returned to the
purchasers. This scandal had gradually queted
down, when two or three days ago worse DIS
turbance arose. We say worse because in the
former instance, though the cause OF IL could
not have been more infamous the ladies were
agreed and there was no division in their ranks !;
whereas, in this case, while the majority consider
that there Is cause for great scandal, fairsized
minority think that nothing has been done out
Of the way.
1t was decided last week TO give an ice-cream
festival in the Methodist Church building, Tor the
benefit of certain palpable heather who are re-
norted as cropping in the darkness Of q new-found
island in the South Pacific. Mrs. Wlckloe, Mrs'
Starr and Miss Dickens were detailed to make
the ice-cream Mrs. Bonner, Mrs Heradon, MIS-
Newton and number of others agreed each to
bake cake; a dozen others volunteered to sell
tickets; TO still others further details were en-
trusted until at last it was found that there was
nobody left to make the lemonade Various ways
out of this difficulty were proposed. but MIS-
Carpenters seemed to be the best. namely that
her boy Ike should make it. Ike, 1t appears
worked In a hotel down at New-Haven some time
ago, where his mother said he learned to make
excellent lemonade.
When the fatal evening arrived, eighty persons
the flower of Shelton society, assembled at the
church and were soon seated around several tables
loaded with cake. troop of young ladies wear
ru1,S+ mn in
ing parsonage with the ice-cream. The minister S
study had been given up to Ike for his lemonade
operations, and to this the young lady walters now
repaired In few minutes they returned and set
before each person large glass of most inviting
looking lemonade The buzz of conversation
stopped. Half the ladies laid down their spoons.
Mrs Starr looked anxiously at the minister Mrs.
Newton and Mrs Wicllloe pushed back slightly
from the table. in each glass Of lemonade there
were two long strawsl
For fully two minutes silence brooded over the
assembly. 1t was broken by Mrs. Starr, who
pushed back looked hard at Mrs. Carpenter, mother
of Ike, and said in metallic tones: Il don't know
what the rest think, but call it scandalousl" Il
guess we all think pretty much the same way"
said Mrs. Rogers, gloomiy, as she looked alter
nately at Mrs. Carpenter and the minister
Decent people couldn't think any other way, y
snapped Mrs. Barker The minister seemed greatly
perplexed. II hope, Sister Starr" he said, that
nothing has happened" "Of course you don't
understand" replied Mrs. Starr. 1t couldn't be
expected that you should, Brother Brown; straws
are never used In lemonade except in rumshops"
"You don't tell mel" exclaimed the good man, as
he pushed back and rose to his feet few others
followed his example, but the movement was not
general till Mrs Starr went into tho study and re-
turned with the startling intelligence that the un-
rcgenerate Ike was mixing the lemonade by putting
a tin cone over the glass, reversing the combination
and tossing it violently up and down Then two.
thirds of the people got up and started toward
the door. why didn't the young scapegrace put
red raspberry in each glass and complete his
villany?" asked Deacon Starr, in cold, sarcastic
tones But Mrs Carpenter and a number of
others stayed at the tables and actually applied
their lips to the unholy straws. The ominous
swish of Ike mixing more lemonade came from the
study THE Deacon seems to understand all
about it," said Mrs. Carpenter, in still more sar-
castle tones. 81 said all the time that he didn't
visit Boston three years ago for nothing" The
others marched stihiy out, and at o meeting Of
the Aid Society the next day there was a stormy
discussion of the whole question. Ike has left
town.
We should not like TO deliver an opinion this
question without further consideration or IL. "A
straw per Sc is not probably immoral. But when
we consider its long and dishOnorabe career, not
only with bar lemonade, but with mint juleps,
sherry cobblers and other mixed drinks, it may be
necessary to declare it highly immoral when used
in connection with any liquid TO be drunk. Nor
must we forget the tin cone and the violent shak-
ing, which was clearly not the way to make church
festival lemonade. 1t is broad and complicated
question, and not one for snap judgment We
hope to see the press and pulpit take it up generally
and discuss it in conscientious and thoughtful
spirit.