Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-02-20

expected today and a banquet Il
to be served in great style. Some
of the guests are just from Chic
ago. Won't they be delighted
with that rose garden so full now
of Marechal Ncils, Marie Henriet-
tas, tea, Pcrle d d'jardins and Jacque
minots in perfect blossom! All
the vases in the parlors, halls and
dining room are ladened with so
much bloom as to make us cheat
ourselves with the belief that sum
mer is here. My hostess says we
are to have oysters today served
in many ways. "Gumbo'' being
specially prepared in the Creole
style, the oysters swallowed up in
the surprisingly delicious mixture
of POWDERED sAssAFRAs called
"Filla.' Berwick bay oysters
are said to be the best in the
world. While in Morgan City,
just across the bay, last week, /
went into an oyster and fish can
merry. | saw the oyster men un-
loading their boats, then looked
on as the men employed in the
building opened the shells with
wonderful rapidity. The steam
ed oysters for the cans were being
opened by small negro boys and
girls who are paid nickel Il gal
lon. | was told that it took two
barrels and Il half of oysters in
the she'll to fill gallon with
steamed oysters out of the shell.
These little darkies had better 90
to our cotton fields for Il living
even with cotton always going
down.
You must not suppose because
| am SO fine in NY surroundings
just now, that | am always on
"tlowery beds of ease. For ten
days | have been constantly speak
ing. | am declaring the Gospel
of Temperance to people, the large
ma jority of whom have not yet
ceased to drink wine as a temper
ance drink of the scverest simplic-
ity, and beer and whisky as nat
ural sorts of beverages, good for
all the ills of life. The French
man who sat by me at the dinner
table few days ago said, go |
am getting to be a saint. | only
take two wines for dinner. If |
keep on being SO good | will get
one halo of glory round my head
sure" | have also been giving
my Bible talks to audiences made
up of folks of various creeds. |
believe that some good has been
done. | am working under the
direction of Mrs. John N. Pharr,
the most enthusiastic, untiring
white ribbon women | have ever
known. Tonight l am to speak
especially to parents, who think
nothing of not only drinking with
their children, but send even lit
tie girls to bar-rooms for beer
and wine. The little ferry boat
that crosses the bay betwce here
and Morgan City is indeed shaky
affair with the most dangerous
looking little steam apparatus,
before which a man sits to regu-
late the pressure. | was comfort
ed when l saw that he wore a
''tiny' knot of white ribbon. |
have crossed in the little ferry
several times. | felt as if | was
sitting in the hollow of the wave,
and l could not but think of the
tragic end of the three wise men
who went to sea in a bowl, and
whose ''story would have been
longer had the bowl been strong
err
Miss Frances f. Griffin, known
so lovingly to our white ribbon
hosts, is now speaking in this
same district. We both are to 90
to the Convention of the white
ribboncrs who arc to convene at
Jeanncrctte, the 22nd to 25th of
this month. l am to go home the
1st of March and hope then to do
considerable work in my own
State.
MARY MCGEE SMELL.
Berwick, La, Feb. 18th, 1894.
lsT,p xyn,, toll mo u,hat Lind of