The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-12-26
"She was wonderfully elated,

mensely amused at the adroitness ol
their "feint' and its success.
The expectant ''firsts" were all
agog for few days, looking for in
vitations; but, strange to say, moi
one of them received the familiar
square envelope with the Berries coat
of-arms in the corner, and things
were once more fast assuming the
mysterious.
But everything was made exceed
ingly plain, finally, by the buxom
Mrs. Meigs, washer-woman for trio
of the immaculate set.
"And it's me and mine who are
goin' to have fine dinner on New
Years dayp !" she boasted to Mrs.
Wilton on the next Monday morn
ing, as she ran her broad fingers
though the steaming suds.
"Some one going to send you a
nice basket % quiered Mrs. Wilton,
thinking at once of the benevolent
president to be.
Nav yer away off r. laughed
the woman of labor. "We've an in
vitation to the New Years dinner at
Shelly Farms got it in fine cover
with the Berrie army coat blazed onto
the corner of it."
why, Mrs. Malinda Meigs p ex-
claimed the astonished Mrs. Wilton,
"vou are iOkinp me2',
No, ma'am, I'm not, giving the
handle of the wringer an emphatic
yank "it's the Bible truth. And l
was so tickled at what she writ onto
the gold-aidged card, she sent me-"
"What was that" asked Mrs.
Wilton, desperately, the awfulness of
a philanthropic movement" grip
ping her heart-strings.
why, she writ that she and her
husband would turn the new leaf
themselves this time and invite the
worthy poor to dine with them on
New Years day. And now," drop
ping her voice to one of pleasant in
terrogative, "where be you agoin' to
dine, New Years, ma am?
II hardly know yet," answered
Mrs. Wilton, truthfully; then she
fed to the closet and studied the fine,
new dinner dress, with conflicting
thoughts.
For a young chit from college to
come lording it into their midst and
make such unheard of snubbing plans
in her endeavor to appear peculiar,
was simply outrageous The Shelly
Farms new leaf was perfectly abom-
Unable Something would have to
be done to Offset his disgusting
philanthropy.
By four O'Clock that afternoon Mrs.
Wilton had made the rounds OF the
insulted elite of the countryside; and
a dinnersparty had been arranged for
at Mrs. Goldwaite's, for three solid
reasons. First, to air their new toll
cites; second, to soothe one another
in their common grievance, and third,
the Goldwaite cottage was so situated
that they could easily see the coarse
tide of the second" and possibly
the "thirds" flow to the farms.
Punctually at the appointed time
the outraged upper current gathered
at the appointed place to see the out
rageous under current set toward the
philanthropic president.
By three O'Clock all the INDECENT
but respectable people of the neigh
borhood had gone by in their Sunday
best.
"Onions and sauerkraut p drawl-
ed Mrs. Wilton, as a German family
passed on foot.
"Our white necktie brigage," COM
mented another first" as the pastor
of poor church, a mile away, and
the superintendent of its Sunday
school, together with dozen scholars,
went by in a double sleigh. And the
"frsts" rustled their silks and smiled
in aristocratic contempt.
Before the Goldwaite party broke
up, however, a messenger from the
Farms bowed himself into their midst
and out again, leaving the hostess
looking supiciously at message in
her hand, with "the army coat blazed
onto the corner" as Mrs. Meigs
would have said. She glanced timid
ly around the expectant circle and
finally drew forth daintily perfum-
ed note and read:
"a very happy New Year to all
1t has occurred to us, dear people,
that you may not have comprehended
our motive in bidding Our guests for
the day. AS we all are interested in
philanthropic work, we will be under
stood when we say, the new leaf we
turned is very timely and beautiful,
and has made many hearts happy.
Husband and / turned the leaf sug-
gested by Luke, the beloved physi
clan. We knew you were all we'll
able to return the compliment, and so
we bade those who could not recon-
pense us.
I'VE extend greetings and desire
that you all rejoice with us. Mr.. and
Mrs. John Berrie, Shelly Farms"
The "frsts'' looked soberly at each
other; the spirit of the note touched
the good in them and the new dinner
dresses were, for the time, forgotten.
stVec - thew coid ttfhe xuho1a
neighborhood has enjoyed a Happy
New Year today. Surely it is pleas
ant new leaf /" But the philanthrop-
ic society has never been organized,
although the prospective president is
ready and waiting.-By Mandy L.
C0cker.
THAT woMAN's boss of the ward
II - , -zsI A.. Ct