St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-08-07

replied another. The president beamed.
AT six O'Clock the ladies left. Two of
them drove off to the branch post office
in the neighborhood to deposit the ap-
peals safely, and the president was left
alone with the great task accomplished.
That night Mrs. Mason had not been
in bed ten minutes before a terrible
thought struck chill to her veins. 'It
can't be possible!" she exclaimed, vet
rose instantly, donned her wrapper and
went to the parlor in order to make
sure. There she lit the gas and seized
one of the pamphlets. Turning the
pages rapidly to the treasurer's report.
she eagerly glanced down the columns
OF figures and was turned to stone
Some dreadful mistake of the printer
| (this tinf she did not accuse the proof
| reader) mad placed sum of $21, 900 in
| the wrong column, and instead of show
ing deficit of that amount had made
1t appear as if the society had $21 900
more than was needed for current ex-
penses.
What could be done? All that money
spent in vain; all that time wasted; all
that cloquence! 1t was cruel. And.
more serious even than all that. an in
stitution on the verge 81 bankruptcy
was bringing itself to the attention Of
everybody as successful, well-sllp-
ported enterprise of philanthropy. OF
course it was hopeless now to expect a
single answer to the appeal. No one
was going to waste dollar on society
with $4,000 more in the treasury than
it needed. The distracted president
paced up and down in agony. Oh, how
could he? How could he? Had she not
explained SO elaborately and copied it
all SO carefully, that this $21 900 was
only loan and had been paid back,
every penny, last year? Oh, dear! It
was ridiculous to expect anyone to
study it all out and add and subtract in
order to find out the exact situation.
No, there was no help forit; it would go
abroad that the West Side Exchange
was in excellent fnan-
c1al condition, and not helping hand |
would be stretched out to them-not |
one. She had heard people speak OF |
printers devils; well, they were right. |
ly named. Oh, wouldn't she go down |
the next morning! wouldn't she! But |
what could she do? No amount of |
scolding would ever change the dismal
situation. The mischief was done. Not
a penny would come to them from the |
beloved appeals. There was only one
honorable course to pursue She must
put her hand into her pocket and paw
for the expense of printing. That would
be $50. And then there was the post
stamps because they had thought first.
class matter was more dignifed That
would be $40. Fifty dollars in all, from
L widows slender purse.
Poor Mrs. Mason went back to her
ped, but not to sleep. AS long as the
light was, it was not long enough, for
he dread grew upon her of being
obliged to face her colleagues after the
lfeadful error should be known.
She remained at home all the morn.
ng, waiting for ring of the door bell
hat never came. AT noon the postman's
whistle aroused her, and she went to
he door herself to take the mail from
lin. There were three letters, which
he tore open in nervous haste.
The first was from Mrs. Bemas Burns.
Il am so delighted to read" it ran,
of your great success. see you have
$1,000 surplus money in the treasury. !.
sn't it delightful? l have long put off
ecoming member. You may put me J
lown now as a patron at $25 year,
RI hr.r,e T.. -
eally feel that l owe you the inclosed :