Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-12


went over to the other table, where were
seated number of our party, among
them Mrs. l thought 1 had best
be the first to tell of the terrible mis-
take 1 had made. So I did. You know
every cloud has it's silver lining My
friends of the incident every one laughed
heartily, but one good lady said: Never
mind, sir, Mrs. did the same thing
at this table,. was satisfied
This other epistle is from a woman,
who in the fullness of natural despair,
wrote of her distress to sister, whose
tender heart pulsated with sympathy and
love for, apparently, the crank of the
family:
FRANKLIN, Tenn, Sept. Is. SO.
my Dear Sister; What a day I've
had! You are cognizant of the fact that
1 have a propensity for scrapes, genius
for excitements, to put 1t mildly, but l
am confident that none of you well-regu-
lated members of the family have ever
anticipated such series of misfortunes
as have fallen to my lot in this pictur-
esque old town.
II wonder after my recent experiences,
that 1 still cherish any affection for the
place, but, with such community, made
up, as 1T is, of many of the best people
in the world, l feel a profound attach
ment for it, Notwithstanding that my
ltous circumstances. Among other MI
nor happenings, / have been mistaken by
a man for his wife in one of the public
stores of the city, as l stood with my
back to the door and conversed with the
clerk in conscious rectitude. There
was, with no thought of impending evil,
simply talking of books and papers-in
a news stand it WaS-when L felt an arm
across my shouders-an affectionate,
clinging arm, that told the story OF the
owners heart without the use of words.
And, knowing there was but one man In
all the wide world who had a right to
tell me this story, l quietly received the
embrace from, as / supposed, this one
NANNY husband-and turned to greet
him with corresponding warmth, When,
lo there stood before only an acquaint-
ance who measured 6 feet in height
and weighed, at least 200 pounds! l do
not know which one of us was the most
dumbfounded and horror stricken by
this marital blunder, but do know that
some facetious newspaper reporter nearu
of it and wrote stupid paragraph-atter
the manner of newspaper folkS-which
other people enjoyed. But that unfor-
tunate mistake, my dear sister, was as
the summer zephyr to the north wind,
compared with what occurred To-Day.
Now, confidentially, I have frequently
wondered why l have such I'M
failing tendencies towards church going.
to encourage my ecclesiastical procliv-
tiles. but still they cling to me, and ever
will, / suppose, If what occurs this
morning at the Baptist church does les
sen my interest in spiritual matters. so
of course as it was Sunday, l, with my
unfailing propensity to go to other peo-
pies churches, went to hear the good
Baptist preacher this morning. The mu-
sic rose and fell in waves of melody
through the vaulted arches OF the old
church; 1t throbbed in the dim recesses
of the transepts and nave; over pews
and aisles 1t rested like benediction.
The eloquent preacher told the simple
story of the Gospel and the congrega-
ton received 1t with the beautiful faith
of childhood. For weeks, as you are
aware / have been absent in the noun
tains of Virginia, and l have returned
with body and soul renewed. L nave
also returned with the remains of salts
factory trousseau prepared for the Vir-
ginia trip. So this morning l attired
myself In my SWEETEST gown, hat, gloves,
etc. and was comfortable in the salts
faction of being as well dressed as any
other woman in church. At the thresh-
old | was met by an exemplary but cor
pulent deacon, who, in his anxiety to be
courteous, crowded me high up In the
sanctuary-under the "drippings," as 1t
were There | sat in conscious dignity,
while the music soothed me, the preacher
spoke words of wisdom and the men nod
ded in refreshing comfort. But the dox-
ology was sung the benediction was
pronounced and the large congregation
turned towards the doors, with many
friendly greeting, one to another. But
alasi ere | reached the door, ere L
crossed the sacred threshold, my doom
was sealed and the brightness Of the sun
shine was gone. 1 felt gentle toucn,
and looking down l spied the little
daughter of my deacon friend (who had
ushered me into the church,, looking up
wistfully into my face. | greeted her
with kiss yet still she fingered in an
unsatisfied way Her hesitating man
ner aroused my curiosity, and looking
further I saw she held a bundle in her
little arms and was trying to conceal 1t
from prying eyes My unconsciousness
of impending evil gave her confidence
and she softly said: MRS. Wannamaker,
papa told me to give you this; you
dropped it when you came into
church. Imagine. II you can
but Of course no well regulated woman
can-my unutterable horror when l
beheld my hustle! There 1t was, in all Its
hideous proportions; not stylish AFFAIR
of wire or haircloth-not an aesthetic
creat ion of the manufacturers art-but
an ugly, ungainly. homemade hustle,
which had been added to according to the
increasing demands of a growing fashion
sometimes with one material, ana
sometimes with another. This awful in
strument of torture, like unto those of
Inquistorial days, had fallen-not by the
wayside-but in the aisle of a fashiona-
BILE church, as I entered In all the bra
very of my autumn finery. There 1t had
Ian. during all the services a reproach-
full heap, until kicked under sheltering
seat by the foot of the deacon friend,
who had 1t restored to me after the bene-
diction. I returned to my home more
a n,
and I told my tale of woe to a Disguised
household.
In conclusion, may add that my spirit
ual thermometer was greatly depressed
for several weeks Afectonately, etc,
DOROTHY WANNAMAkER.
The value of cut glass depends upon
th. a mnllnf of La hnr bestowed ON the cut