The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-10-22
THE SHELVING OF
| MISS BECKY.
oo,,r,.,, ,m ~ y. srAos rors.

afternoon. The Pimlico Sewing So
ciety had a reputation for promptness,
and the Thanksgiving box of clothing
for the deserving poor" was not ready.
Mrs. Parkinson was the president of
the Pimlico Sewing society. Mrs. Par
hnson had always been its president.
She was woman of the Napoleonic
order, to whom kindly fate had as
yet brought no Waterloo. In all So
cial affairs the village had tacitly ac-
cepted her dictatorship since the day
her first husband, Rev. Joshua Higgins,
installed her as mistress of the old
red brick manse among the elms. Rev.
Joshua had succumbed TO heart disease
a few months after his advent in the
village, and, although Mr.. Parkinson
was only a grocer In n small way, the
good lady had ever exacted full need
of honors due her former exalted posi-
ton.
At first the conversation was desui-
tory in character. But like the prelim-
mary skirmishing that ushers in the
real battle, IL but preluded the discus
sion of matters pertaining 10 the gen.
cral welfare of Pimlico and its inhab-
itants. 4t fE
Mrs. Parkinson had something of i'm
portance to communicate. Sundry lit
tie hints and the bobbing OF her
head, and the pursuing of her thin lips
evidenced the fact. Even the decided
snip OF Mrs. Parldnson's scissors car
ried its note of warning.
mn ne q
society did not seize an opportunity to
address her sister workers; like her IL
lustrious prototype, she created oppor-
tunities.
MRS. Blythe isn't coming to-day, not
bein' very well. I've had no word from
Miss Becky, so I suppose she'll be here.
Before Miss Becky comes" here she
lowered her voice impressively-"Tve
word / just want to say TO the ladies
here. haven't a thing to say against
Miss Becky, except just this: Miss
Becky is a-gettin' along in years, and
It makes me down sick 10 see woman
of her age a-goin' on so. Why, she's 30
II she's day, and she's a-goin' out TO
parties an havin' young men company
like she wasn't more than 10. L
feel like a woman o. her age ought to
have more sense than to be wearin'
hats with all kinds o. flowers an feath-
ers on 'em. But IL she hasn't, why
some one just ought TO tell her. That's
what think"
Mrs. Parkinson had grown excited.
Her low, mysterious utterances had
risen 10 full oratorical crescendo. She
wiped her glasses deliberately, put
them on and looked around.
Mrs. Morrow's scissors had ceased
cutting. She possessed only one pair
and they always squeaked.
"Mis' Parkinson. ye hev jest give ut
t'rence to what I've been a-thinkin' this
four years back. Beckyll be 81 mex
spring, cause know she wuz born
the very day old Deak'n Toutelotte's
calves died, fer remember ez though
'twuz yest'day how the deakn-"
Mrs. Morrow had reputation. Some
one considerably rescued the meeting
from the intricate mazes OF one OF her
reminiscent tales.
"My mother wasn't married till she
wuz 80, but lai she hadn't wore posies
in her bunnet for so long fore tibet
time she felt ez though everyone In
the meetin' house wuz eyein' her when
she wore her weddin' bunnet with a
bunch o. white flowers on IT,"
"I'ye been keerful about sayin'
anything tibet might cause trouble by
comm TO the years o Mis- Blythe an
Becky" Mrs. Rigge remarked, but /
hev been thinlin' fer some time tibet
fer woman clost TO 30, all that dress
i'm mn could scarcely be favorable In
the eyes o. the Lord. But | said moth
in about it,"
"Nenr soiv old Mrs. Tracy exclaimed,
with some scorn; "Becky'l never see
30 again. She's one age to my joe an
he's been married goin' on nine years
now. Why, Becky an Jane Thompson
air the same age, an James been wear
in, notliin but gray an brown fer
years; an she's gettin to look real ola,
too"
But. mother" young Mrs. Tracy
eaid. "surely you do not think Miss
Becky looks old?"
mo; must say Becky does not show
her age; but she's a-gettin' along ali
the same. An las summer, after saw
them red flowers, jest made up my
mind TO speak 10 Becky, an says i;
Don't We think red is jest little gay
fer ye?' SAYS /, an she LATED. Why,
I'm not grandmother, We know says
she. A grandmother An she not even
keepin' steady company ez fur ez l
know. But it's the way she has young
men a-comin' to see her thet don't
like. There wuz Seth Adams n-settin'
up regular with her all las winter, an
ev'ryone thought they'd be married,
an notbin' ever come Of IL. An Mis-
Clarks nephew. he took to goin' there
fer another spell. an nothin' come o
tibet, either"
Then Miss Flint-no one seemed 20
remember the time when this good old
woman was young-spitefully bit OF
a. IL - bor thraad and peered