The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-05-12

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will do nothing less than petrify the
committee, and if you don't stand by
me"
81 shall be petrified, too? had noticed
your Medusa glare" said the young min
lister in whisper before hurrying to his
place at the table.
Whatever desperate deed Juliana was
revolving in her mind, she kept it to her
self until the other ladies had made their
reports and preferred their requests. Mrs
Smither's Johnnie was in rags again; OF
course, she had never put stitch in that
last suit, though she could have made it
almost as good as new II she had
half mended it; and Mrs Gluckstein's
children were all barefoot again-fancy !!
the ak of them! though really the shoes
that had been given them we're very
nicely mended. And Polly Ferrati I!
''How long is 1t since we fitted her out
with that good pink ginghsm? hardly
worn at all. A perfect rag now!" And
so on.
''Miss Perkins," called the deaconess
from the roll in her secretsry's book.
"No report" said Juliana calmly.
The deaconess gasped; nine heads
turned solemnly in Juliana's direction
and nine pairs of eyes of various colors
glared at her as stonily as If the Medusa
act had actually been accomplished. Mr.
Simonson stroked his mustache to con.
ceal a smile.
widow Smolenski," began the dea-
coness, sis on your list, believe, Miss
Perkins. She is always wanting clothes
for one or another of her children. Has
she had nothing this month";" There
were volumes In the word "nothing."
mo, she hasn't" replied Juliana calm
| ly. "She hasn't, and neither have Patsy
Quinlan's children, nor Mary Mahoney's,
nor even the little sick wOman's in the
rear tenement-Teresa Goldoni. And ii
you'll excuse my saying so," her eyes
were fixed On the minister now, and she
seemed not to observe the bristling OF
the committee, II think the time of ten
intelligent, capable women-not to speak
of deaconess and a minister" for the
life Of her Juliana could not help ripping
over into laughter-''might be used to
better advantage than the way we use il
here, forever fitting out poor people with
old clothes, and then grumbling because
they take no care of them"
The girl suddenly became aware of the
battery of eyes; but she held on bravely
81 know l Sm the youngest member Of
the committee, and the rest of you have
years of experience to nv months
Juliana caught herself up-the tossing Of
Miss Janeway's very youthful hat warn
ed her that she had Numbered, but it wal
too late to retreat. "But it seems to mi
that we only need to put two and twC
together to prove to ourselves that WI
are pauperizing our poor people by GU
generosity in the matter of old Clothes
To this day Jaliana wonders how sh,
had been allowed to 60 on so long. Nov
a torrent of EXPLANATIONS broke forth
'The church's duty" CHARITY" ''harC
times" tout Of work." ''thoroughIy in
vestigated," "kpown to be worthy" 4
fine sneer at last cuts it's way through
the tumult; it came from under Mis-
Janeway's much befiowered hat. ''Mis
Perkins 80 little knows what it Is Il
need clothes that it is not strange SIN
cannot sympathize with the poor in thei
need"
The shiny back Of Juliana serge JACKIE
fairly burned her as the girl made he
quick reply.
i SIT is because I am the only one herr
who does know that have the right tt
speak. These poor people of ours ar,
far too poor to afford what our OLE
clothes cost them, the small notion O.
thrift and carefulness that they begal
with. Think we oaght to put all thes.
old garments into thorough repair, ans
then not give them away, but sell then
for the low price Shat such things ar,
actually worth. Give them all the he'll
! you like as to partial payments, and al
! that, but make them pay for everything
!, think have no idea of the preserva
tive effect upon pair of old shoes OF
payment OF ten cents or even nickel
The petrified faces relaxed under tn
warmth of the girl's words, and her sud
. den laugh set flowing confused muir
; muir that seemed to E,atoken perplexet
approval. Then the decisive voice OF Mr.
!, WorthingtOn Curry, the wife OF the sen
Tor warden, arose clear:
II think Miss Perkins 10 right, Ia tact