Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-04
Societies of Patriotic women.

Not long ago several societies OF patriotic
women held a meeting over in Brooklyn, re-
lates the Sun. OF course, being in Brooklyn,
the meeting was in church, That goes
without saying. The committee on ar ange-
ments had visited the edifce in advance anl
had selected certain conspicuous pews to be
occupied by the presidents OF the various
societies. At the risk OF causing twinge OF
Jealousy the committee ordered the ushers to
reserve the most commanding pew for the
use of the president of the Colonial Danes.
No lesser light must be allowed to beam from
that particular pew
The day OF the meeting came, but for some
reason or other the illustrious president of
the Colonial Danes did not. One after an
other the less favored presidents arrived and
were seated. The house gradually filled.
Ever SO many women made for the reserved
pew, but they were caught enroute, magic
sentence was whispered to them, and. with
respectful "Oh! they retired into the
shadows under the balcony. The ushers
faithfully shunted various persons of high
and of low degree Off into other seats. The
house was full. In the rush Of the last few
moments the members of the committee were
unmindful of the door, A solitary usher
guarded the entrance
At this Interesting juncture little old
lady ente ed. She were a rusty black dress
an old-fashoned bonnet and ill-ftting gloves
She had general air of decayed gentility
eurvey through her steel-bowed spectacles
she had located the fine empty pew in the
front of the church, and in the twinkling Of
an eye she had started down the aisle. The
usher tried to intercept her, but in vain.
Another one came to the rescue.
May we show you a seat, madam? That
pew is for the president of the Colonial
Danes"
She waved them aside and proceeded on her
way. A third usher made the same remark
In pl1 lad hut pl,ca fnl f,,rsl !,
notice Of it. and the puzzled ushers concluded
that the new arrival must know what she
was about; that she was, in short. the ex-
pected president herself. Without further
molestation, therefore, the little old lady
installed herself in solitary grandeur in the
conspicuous pew.
OF course everybody knew for whom that
| empty pew had been waiting and there was
| much craning of necks and many whispered
comments when at last it was occupied.
Those who did not personally know the high
and mighty president Of the Colonial Danes
wondered not little over the rusty old lady,
| but they finally concluded that it must have
been by means of her family tree that the
| newcomer had attained her exalted position.
| In the meantime those who knew that the
! old lady was not the one they had waited
| for held a whispered consultation and con-
cluded that the real president was not COM
| ing and that they might as well proceed to
business. The prediction proved correct
The expected president did not arrive.
The old lady sat through the meeting with
an apparently somnoent enjoyment. She
dozed fittully; occasionally she manifested
some wonder and puzzled curiosity, but on
| the whole, she took it calmly. When the
affair over she shook out her rusty
gown, picked up her shopping bag and pre-
pared to depart but she was intercepted be-
| fore she was fairly in the aisle.
"You are the president OF the Colonial
| Dames?" said one of the patriotic women by
/ Of q
whats that?" said the old lady, putting
| her hand to her ear. I'm q little hard OF
hearing" she explained, apologetically.
| The patriotic woman repeated her ques-
| tion.
"You are the president OF the Colonial
| Danes, say" she said.
"I?" said the old lady still somewhat un-
certain. "Oh, no! I'm a Methodist