Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-03-15

rangements IN the private nome ina,
had been kindly offered for the even
ing, had instructed the house servants
and privately-posted one or two friends
in her secret how to keep the ball
rolling and was herself in the kitchen
with her hand on the pulse of the
party, although the party knew it not
Then Chairman Mary, full of unseltish
enthusiasm, told the girls all about it
while they were congratulating her on
her success, and Elsic's debut could
not have been more auspicious.
She had asked five dollars for her
services over and above the cost Of
her materials, aud she pal her rent
and coal bills with more real satisfac-
ton than she had ever felt before in
her'life. Then, to her surprise and
delight-for she had been incredulous
orders began to come. Many of
them were small, for very few of the
college girls were rich; but every lit
tie helped, and her father and mother,
sympathizing with her brave efforts
to help herself, managed to Pay her
tuition for the second half year.
Then one OF the professors wives
engaged her help for series of after
noon receptions, and one OF two others
did the same, for Elsie had been a
great favorite, and the girls generously
trumpeted her fame in season and out
of season. By and by she found her.
self the fashion and was as busy and
happy and important as could be.
She began to enlarge her scale of
work, arranged decorations and SOU
venirs, hired extra dishes and in short
troubled the hostess for nothing but
the number of her guests. Mrs. Banks
gave her the use of her summer
kitchen and gas stove and shared FL
sizes prosperity, for she made delicious
cake and through Elsie's influence
received many an order for it. And
when Elsie engaged her little girl to
run on errands and assist her gener-
ally, the good woman's Joy over the
addition to her scanty income was
complete.
After commencement was over and
the books were balanced Elsie found
that she paid for her board. books, the
dreaded "sundries" and few clothes
and had needed to ask for very little
help from home. Her class standing
was not so high as it would otherwise
have been, but she had gained ten
pounds in weight, beside IN incalcu.
liable amount of experience and O
priceless pointer on her province, u
as she elegantly put it, when, the night
before they all parted, she entertained
in her grandest style the girls who
had taken counsel together in the
Sparrow's Nest.
Mary, as the happy originator of the
plan, sat in the place of honor, and
when Katie Banks, gorgeous to be.
hold in cap and apron, had brought
the coffee and finally disappeared, Ell,
sic made her maiden speech.
ST can never thank you enough,
girls" she said. 'T couldn't have
done IL except lor your nelp, DOln IL
starting it and in supporting it, and
now I want to tell you what it has led
to, which is nothing more or less thar
IN entire change OF my plans for next
year and the future. Mrs. Howard,
who gave me my first catering outside
of the class work, has been talking tc
me and says I have special gift fol
this sort of thing and I ought to cul
tivate it. and the small voice within
me says she is right. Ny mind al,
ways misgave me about teaching, and
I do feel myself absolute mistress o.
'vittles,' as Ellen snys. Only i
seemed so common I never thought o!
it before as my talent.
"But I am going to throw conven
tionality to the winds and follow Mrs.