The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-10-04

THE DILLEY BENEFIT.


the orphans lived, the opinion was
quickly formed that the Dilley chill
dren should by all means be sent to
their Uncle John, and he was highly
commended for his generosity in being
willing to take "the whole tribe OF
them" But how to get them to him
was the next question. The entire
household possessions of the Dilleys,
with the family jewelry and photo
graph albums included, would not
have sold for $40.
1t was Thomas Jefferson Briggs who
conceived the idea of the Dilley bene-
fit Thomas possessed great fertility
of ideas, although he was but twelve
years old; and as his grandmother,
with whom he lived, said, he was
"small for his size" Some boys in
Melville Of ten years were larger than
Thomas, but none were more ready
with expedients. One day, when the
discussion about the Dilleys was at
full tide, Thomas said to Miss Jane
Crane, who was talking about the mat
ter to his grandmother:
"S'pose we get up a benefit for
, them?o.
J "a beneht?' said Miss Jane.
eyes" replied Thomas. you know
they got up q benefit for the brass
band last spring, and made most S10O.
Maybe they could make Gs much for
! the Dilleys"
1.-THE very thingp' exclaimed Miss
Jane, clapping her small, thin hands
together. How lovely Of you to think
of it, Thomas, dear"
1t annoyed Thomas to have Miss
Jane call him dear" and he had
boys honest contempt for anything
savoring Of gush.
"a benefit entertainment for the
Dllleys will be simply charming! said
Miss Jane "We haven't had any kind
of an entertainment in town for ages!
And every one viii be so ready to vol
unteer for such a good cause that we
can get up lovely program! 1 have
two new songs would be willing to
sing, and l could recite something.
And perhaps we could get up a little
play"
"Oh, don't go to have any play-act-
ing, or lots of us church people won't
patronize the benefit" said old Mrs
Briggs, who had very decided convic-
tons regarding such matters, and who
was opposed to anything savoring OF
the theatrical
Perhaps it would be best not to at
tempt a play" said Miss Jane, "for
we shall want to have the entertain
ment free from anything the most con-
scientious wouldn't feel free to patron
ize. But we simply must carry out
Thomas Jefferson's lovely idea. l
k1ow that it win take everywhere"
In fact, the suggestion Of a benefit
for the Dilleys in the town hall of Mel
vile met with general hearty approval.
Thomas Jefferson himself was not
in the least averse to taking part in
the proposed benefit. Indeed his Will
ingness and even eagerness to appear
in public gave his grandmother no 1T
, tie concern, for she thought that she
saw in it tendency toward "play-act-
, ing" and she frequently declared that
she would rather have him become q
garbage gatherer than to have him the
, biggest play-actor on earth" Thomas
, did not share these views, but he said
r little about them to his grandmother
] He was, however, a wilful boy, anL
not easily moved when he had made
r up his mind to do a thing.
He had visited some cousins in the
e large town Of Kingston a short time
Q before he proposed the benefit for the
s Dilleys. While in Kingston he had at
t tended an amateur minstrel show, an(
Y had come home eager to initiate some
/. Of the performances he had seen
: From the moment the Dilley benef
e was planned Thomas was determined
t to daze the little town Of Melville. H
was fond of dramatic effect, and b.
e was determined to keep every one il
v ignorance of the exact nature of hi
n contribution to the program.
It "Ill tell you what you do" he sal,
t to Miss Jane Crane, when she askeu
n him if he would not speak a piece Xix
# The Polish Boy" or "Bingen on tn
e Rhine" Il tell you what you do. Yo
just put on the program, 'Surpris
d Number and don't say who it's goin
h to be by or what It is going to be, an
e thatll give them something to wonde
II about"
e "Oh, how nicer said Miss Jan,
IL and 1 know that we can depend o
10 you to give US something perfect
lovely. You are a dear anyhow
- 80 Z. oaa iassk ma