The Tupelo journal., 1903-07-10
| SUNNYSIDE COTTAGE.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BY Willamette A. Preston.
a burning shame."

o
i What do you mean, Miss Ben
son? The supper or the picnic we
r planning for next week? Those
r the only subjects we have dis
cussed for the last ten minutes
laughed EsteIe Hilton.
Il must have been thinking aloud
as l have a bad habit of doing" re-
piled Dorothy Benson laughing at her
pre-occupation.
"A church social is not a good place
to indulge in ~soliloquies unless you
are willing to share your thoughts
with US remarked Horace Manning.
What has Briarly done or failed to
do that calls forth such condem-
nation?'
Il may as well explain. / was over
to the poor farm with Aunt Harriet
this afternoon and found there, whom
do you think? Six of the dearest old
ladies, living there by themselves in
that out of the way place. 1 coveted
every II of them, they were sc
patient and sweet. Why don't they
go to the Old Ladies' Home, if they
nave no relatives to are for them?'
For the very reason hat we
haven't one" replied Ned Rosscomb
"Then there should be one, the first
thing we do" replied Dorothy. How
would you like your grandmother
out there?"
when Dorothy gets started there
is no stopping her." laughed her
cousin, Ethel Rawlston. Now, Dot,
what could we do about it if we tried?
l just wish you could see her at
home! She is president of more clubs
and on more committees than you
could shake a stick at. L knew she'd
find something for us to do"
well, fire away, Miss Dorothy.
Wen spare you any more prelimi-
naries by agreeing with you and
promising to second your wishes,
whatever they may be-" said Clarence
Stirling.
THANK you, l will hold you to that
promise. Now can either of you tell
me how much it costs to support
these old ladies in such luxury as they
r now enjoying?"
81 can," said Bette Adham. MY
father is overseer. He don't live
there, of course, but he has charge
of the money matters. He says it
costs the town a dollar and a half a
week apiece and he has to pay the
family who live there. OF course part
of it ZONES back from the farm"
Sand If fhn old In1.ac 1rora ~of
there. he would not need to have a
family on the placer"
mo, he could rent the place on
shares"
$50 far, so good. Now, cousin mine,
didn't you say that you young people
were just pining for something to
do?"
81 mean play, not work." laughed
Ethel, looking around the group of
young people who had gathered in
a orner of the large dining room
after the church supper. She had
seen Dorothy so often in her city
home where she vas a recognized
leader that she was sure she could
not be long in Briarly without find
ing work of her favorite kind to do
There was no doubt but all would
willingly follow her lead.
"We are not pining now with you to
wake lis up"
Thanks, Mr.. Manning. What
was about to propose was that the
authorities allow us the spending OF
the money they annually devote to the
maintenance of the poor farm and
that we It say we, for l trust you
will allow me some share in the good
work, as I am to be here several
weeks), that we rent that little cot.
tage that stands vacant on the brow
of the hill, furnish it, and bring those
old ladies out here to the village
where they can see people passing
and get out to church and feel as il
they were in the world once, more
They are far from being helpless
Each could do her share toward keep
the little house in order"
That's a bright idea. I wonder
nobody has thought of it BEFORE
exclaimed Estelle Hilton. Lets &c
right about it. Bette, isn't youl
father here to-night?"
"Yes, and Squire Critic, too; he's
first selectman," added Bette. "Yor
go ask them, Clare, if they'll let u.s.
Clarence explained the matter te
the two men. They made a few OBJ
jections, but were easily persuaded
to come over and meet Miss Benson
The fact that she came from Boston
gave her added Importance in the
eyes of these farmers who had never
been to the city.
$50 you think you could pay rent
and take care of those old women in
better shape than the town does and
for the same money!" asked Squire
Critic.