Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-12-16
REBELLION OF
LUCINDA BOWERS.
BY JOHN WALKER HARRINGTON.
copyright, 1871
T lucinda BOWERS looked at the
1 little invitation card and rebellion
Copyright, 1871

Il little invitation card, and rebellion
arose in her heart.
Il don't care" she said, "Im going"
All the Ohio village of Valley City
knew that afternoon that Lucinda
Bowers was buying a new dress. Mar
garet Elton had seen her purchasing
the organdie at Dorchester's that morn
ing. Ben Sturgis met Ruth Ames, on
his way home to dinner, and told her
just what kind of paper pattern he had
sold to Lucinda.
Mrs. Benson, who had issued cards
for a lawn party on the following
Thursday, could hardly have been ex-
pected to know who composed $50
ciety" in Valley. City, and who was
beyond the pale-though several well
disposed persons, when they heard that
old Sam Bowers daughter had been
invited, would have put in a word in
the right direction had the list been
submitted to them.
Mrs. Benson means WE'LL" remarked
Widow Simpllins, ''but she judges
more by pretty face and lively
tongue than by family"
81 should be very grateful" said
Young Mrs. Benson to Lucinda, eff you
would help me with the ice cream and
cake at the party next week."
Wherever Lucinda went, it was ex-
pected that she should look after the
comestibles which Valley City called
Refreshments" She dispensed the
slayer" cake at the strawberry and ice
cream socable; she filled the candy
bags at Christmas time; and attended
to the commissary arrangements at the
annual Sunday school picnics. Indeed,
Lucinda Bowers had been e burden
bearer from her childhood. She paid
the rent and clothed her brothers and
sisters from the wages which she
earned as school teacher. She led the
Christian Endeavor meetings when no
body else would do so. She famed the
faint spark which still remained in the
Women's Missionary society, and kept
the sewing circle from disintegration.
1t seemed as though Lucinda Bowers
had always been old. AS matter of
fact, she was hardly 25. She might
have been pretty if she had given more
time to sleep and less to care and worry.
While the whole town was busy dis
cussing the addition to Lucinda's ward
robe, the young woman was busy at
work upon her first new dress in two
years. The organdie was slipped over
an old skirt of blue silk which had be-
longed to her grandmother. A few bits
of lace, few lines of tucks, girdle
~ ell ,.;h Iracc
done.
81 suppose" remarked Lucinda on
the evening of the party, as she looked
at herself critically in the cracked mir
TOR of the old walnut bureau, "that it's
wicked for me to spend this money on
dress when Johnny may need new
pair of shoes before long. l wish /
wasn't so rebellious, but I can't help
it,
The Benson lawn party is still ia
nous in the social history of Valley
City. The ambitious young matron who
gave the cntertainmentwas not content
with the grass plot which surrounded
her own pink cottage. She took the
lawn belonging to her neighbor as well.
Showers of wild flowers hung from the
old cherry tree in the center of the
lawn, Chinese lanterns shone from the
fir tree, and a genuine "Rebecca's Well'
gave forth the most wonderful lemon
ade-lemonade fortified with the flavor
OF pineapples and oranges.
'Yes," said Mrs. Benson in reply to
the gentle inquiry of Widow Simpkins,
81 got the receipt at my home in the
east. 1t is very popular there"
She did not think it necessary to say
that this marvellous sherbet was COM
pounded by Lucinda Bowers. Neither
did she consider it of any use to tell