The Florence daily tribune., 1899-01-10
,,;'Es,y,.ksSstIsISssk
THE SHELVING OF
MISS BECKY.
sv -. saAos eo~s.

CCISSORS, needles, thimbles and
tongues were unusually busy that
afternoon. The Pimlieo 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 Pimlieo Sewing society. Mrs. Par
kinson 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 &C
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 suecumbed TO heart disease
few months after his advent in the
village. aud. although Mr.. Parkinson
was only "a grocer in a small way, the
good lady had ever eNacted a full need
CT honors due her former exalted posi-
tion.
AT first the conversation was desul-
tory in character. But like the prelim-
mary skirmishing that ushers in the
real battle. il bat preluded the discus
sion of matters pertaining TO the gen
,ral welfare of Pimlico and its inhab-
itanis,
Mrs. Parkinson had something OF i'm
portance to communicate. Sundry lit
tie hints and the bobbing of her
head, and the pursing Of her thin lips
evidenced the fact. Even the decided
snip of Mrs. Parkinson's scissors car
ried it's note of warning.
The president of the Pimlico Sewing
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 | suppose she'll be here.
Before Miss Becky comes here she
lowered her voice impressiyely-"Ive a
word l just want to say to the ladies
here. 1 haven't thing TO say against
Miss Becky. except Just this: Miss
Becky is a-gettin' along in years, and
il makes me down sick to see a woman
of her age a-goin on so. Why, she's 80
if she's day and she's a-goin' out to
parties an havin' young men company
feel like a woman o. her age ought TO
have more sense than 70 be wearin'
hats with all kinds o. flowers an feath.
ers on 'em. But. If 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 to 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. We hev jest give ut
t'rence to what I've been a-thinkin' this
four years back Becky'll be 81 mex
spring, cause ! know she wuz born
the very day old Deak'n Toutelottes
calves died. fer | remember ez though
'twuz yest'day how the deak'n-"
Mrs. Morrow had a 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 30. but la! she hadn't wore posies
in her buunet for so long fore thet
time she felt ez though ev'ryone In
the meetin' house wuz eyein' her when
she wore her weddin' bunnet with
bunch o. white flowers on it,"
i've been keerful about sayin'
anything thet might cause trouble by
comm to the years O. Mis- Blythe an
Becky" Mrs. Rigge remarked. but
hey been thinkin' fer some time thet
fer a woman closi to 30, all that dress
in up could scarcely be favorable in
the eyes o. the Lord. But / said moth
in about it,
Near 30!'' old, Mrs. Tracy exclaimed.
with some scorn; "Becky'n never see
80 again. She's one age to my Joe, an
he's been married goin' on nine years
now. Why, Becky an Jane Thompson
-sir,the same age, an James been wear
in nothin' but gray an brown fer
years; a,,' she's gettin to look real old,
too
But. mother" young Mrs. Tracy
said ''surely you do not think Miss
Becky looks old?"
No; must say Becky does not show
her age; but shes a-gettin' along all
the same. An'las' summer, after l saw
them red flowers. | jest made up my
mind TO speak to Becky. an says I:
Don't We think red is jest little gay
fer YEP says I. an she .laffed. .Why,
I'm not grandmother, ye know, says
she. y grandmother! An she not even
keepin' steady company ez fur ez l
know. But it's The way she has young
Il ..
like. There wuz Seth Adams a-settin'
up regular with her all las winter. an
.ev'ryone thought they'd be married.
an nothin' ever come of it. An Mis-
Ciark's nephew, he took to goin' there
Ter another spell, an nothin' come o.
tbet. either"
Then Miss Flint-no one seemed to
member the time when this good old