Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1891-11-19
IN THE SMALLEY SET.
The Ambition of a Life and How
IL Was Realized


town could AVE told you. If Suddenly
questioned what were their aims in
hfe. They tried from day to day and
hour - hour 10 their duty To- husband,
children. home and the church.
But Mrs Lopez had one ambition,
clearly defined purpose. II wa t.
b. admitted % the Smailey set She
probably never put this desire into
words. even q herself, but il dominated
her life.
Vow the >malley clique dill not by
any means comprise the mos, scholarly
or refined or best bred. nor even Ia.
wealthiest people in Pot:stown. Their
ciaim 20 social distinction was based
solely upon the fact that they had
lived in Pottstown longer than their
neiWhhors Outsiders wondered why
ans body SHOULD stay in the little SMOKY
mill town who could get out of it. But
these people. simply because they had
lived Tor three generations in it, smoke
and CRIME, held themselves haughtily
aloof from later conner. whom they re-
garded very much IL the mobiles Of
saint Gvrmain did the eauai,le of Bona
Partes day.
Mr. Lopcr was i She
waS descended from n good old revolu-
t%i"nary family. Her husband was n
lawyer az ability. his e~ioqlenee haJ
gained him a reputation throughout
the state. He was u man % integrity.
of much distinction in manner and
character; h. was able tO supper his
wife in comfort. even ~iuxurv. But
Mr. Lopez. coming 10 live i'm Potts
town 4 few years after her marriage.
felt herself to be- one Il the eauaille.
Mr. >maliey did not call upon her.
There were many other women ia
The town outside of this exclusive err
clc. Nr~ Judge Pierce. the stately old
.adv IN the great housc on the hjll.
hal quietly withdrawn from t. She
io.'kel with cold dssapproval upon
Mr. >ulaliey and her fast. foolish
cpter.e The Langicus gathered a
musical. literary group about them ana
kcenv enjoyed their ~s-iai life Their.
were many carnest dev0ut people. Sr-p.
who we're wholly occupied with ehar;-
table ami religious work and never
spvut a Thought on their fashionable
ne iwhha~
Mrs. Lopez kR~ that she could and
c~uugcui=i companions among any 81
these People-in her secre, soul she
sneersi At Little M~ S~malievs ignn-
and vulgar pretensiuats-bnt she
Wa vretched ~ long a. that arhifer ~
-orietv in i'ottstown did net eau nor
invite her - her receptions
Fer, although the >maIlev set was
precautions and under bred. i wa~ a.
knowiedgei to b. the h.ssf faa 81 Potts
town II you had a card ~ Mr..
>malley receptions. you belonged te
society. II your house stood upon
the hill on which she and her fr:ensls
lived, 1t was worth several thousands
more than if it was in 4 pleasant qlar-
ter. tOf ourse It il only in P~ottStown
that this absurd condition of affairs eN-
lists in this country.
Mrs >malley apprc ciated "a the fail
the power which circumstances had
placed in her hands. Her favor was
no easily Won Years passed and shs.
bad not vet recognized Mrs L0per's
presence IN the town IN that time
Sarah Lopez, who had much strength
Of character. would havS accepted and
submitted to any other misfortune
blindness or a lame leg. for example.
She would not submit u social oStra-
eism-
I must visit in the best society or
not a. all she told her husband
>he worked her way into a ehari-
table organization in order that She
might Mr. SmalIey On the COM
mittees Next she ave up the pew
which they occupied in the Old church
and took a costly one in the new esii-
ace in which most Of the Brahmin caste
were member
Now. hs- husband protested vehe-
mently.
Il am deeply attached To old DIR
Mailing. h. said He helps NV soul
ou IL way "a Heaven. A. for this
Eighty by N the new church. I can
not hear him with patience: he i shall
low and inexperienced I will not
promise to 60 with you. Sarah
Mrs Lopez was daunted. but only
for a moment The prize was 80 great
for which she played To gain il Mr..
Lopez might submit To be bored for an
hour on Sundays surely.
She took the pew and contributed
largely 10 all church expenses When
after a month or two. some of the ex.
elusive set called upon her. her
triumph was 81 great that She scarcely
noticed that her husband remained at
home on sundays and by degrees be
came Indifferent to all church work
When they were first married they
formed b habit Of studying n chapter
in IA Bible together every morning
But Mrs L.oper's time wa 20 occupied
o With her social duties that she
pssiected it. vt first. when she saw
her husband sitting alone with his
Bible. her heart gave her a wrench OF
pain, but afteE a few weeks he. too.
gave up the habit.
II other ways their lives were
affected by her new ambition. They
had norrished high hopes for their
children. and made MANY anxious
plans 10 insure them sound health.
sane, strong minds and noble char
aeterS When Bob was but q year old
they had begun 70 examine into the
claims OF different collsye> While
Nelly was a baby on her breast Mrs.
Lopez had dreamed out her future As a
helpful Christian wife snG mother.
Her aims fur the ehl adren were
changed cow. Boo was kept away
1rCra sghCni 10 uraeraaa a uare -