Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-01-01

This information was what Mrs. Gold
waite had talked philanthropy Ior two full
hours for, and she took her leave, feeling
that she was a heroine of the first water.
But Mrs. Berrie accompanied her caller
to the front gate in her eagerness to talk
more about the movement" 1T is to
elevate the %toilers, l understand" she
said, "and to get in touch with our poorer
I~eighbors?"
Yes" answered Mrs. Goldwaite, hest.
tating to break up her luxurious New
Years dream by humping against the in
trusive fact that washwomen and ditch
diggers occupied the same planet together
with the "frsts."
"Yes," she repeated, "and when we or.
ganize you will accept the presidency
and she got up an interested look, almost
as good as the genuine.
Certainly" was the reply. 81 thank
you for the honor" and Mrs. John Berrie
pressed the callers hand fervently.
The delegate was not very favorably in.
huenced with the young wife's enthusiasm
over the question, and the pressure Of her
hand chilled, rather than thrilled, her
festive heart.
But one consoling thought ran through
it all: they never would Organize" II
was only a subterfuge to nose out some
thing more substantial.
Mrs. Goldwaite tripped along to the
turning, where she h,lt Mrs. Wilton, who
refined in her ponies to ask breathlessly:
did you find out?"
'"To be sure; it takes me to find out
and she tossed her head in triumph
"They will have the dinner as usual. But
Mrs. Berrie, not being acquainted, could
not write the invitations alone; and Mr..
! Berrie could not help her until to-day"
90, yes!" cried Mrs. Wilton, that &C
counts for it all. Well, we are ready and
will be delighted to help turn the new
leaf this year, because of the sweet
hostess"
"She was wonderfully elated, though,
over the philanthropic work." and Mrs
Goldwaite rolled up her eyes in mock
seriousness. Both ladies giggled and
clapped their hands, immensely amused
al the adroitness of their %"feint'' and it:
! success.
The expectant %''firsts' were all agog
for a few days, looking for invitations;
but, strange to say, not one of them re,
ceived the familiar square envelope with
the Berrie coat-of-arms in the. corner,
ing the mysterious.
But everything was made exceedingly
plain, finally, by the buxom Mrs. Meigs,
washer-woman for a trio of the immacu.
late set.
"And it's me and mine who are goin'
to have a fine dinner on New Years day!'
she boosted to Mrs. Wilton on the next
Monday morning, as she ran her broad
hand through the steaming suds.
Some one going to send you a nice
basket?" q%uiered Mrs. Wilton, thinking
at once of the benevolent president to be.
NAV! yer away off" laughed the
woman of labor. We've an invitation tc
the New Years dinner at Shelly Farms;
got it in a fine cover with the Berrie army
coat blazed onto the corner OF it."
"Why Mrs. Malinda Meigs!' exclaimed
the astonished Mrs. Wilton, "you are moi
joking me?"
mo, ma'am, I'm not" giving the handle
OF the wringer an emphatic yank; 'it's
the Bible truth. And | was so tickled al
what she writ onto the ~gold-aiged card
she sent me-"
"Wha was that?" asked Mrs. Wilton
desperately, the awfulness of a philan
thropic movement gripping her heart
strings.
"Why, she writ that she and her hus
band would turn the new leaf themselves
this time and invite the worthy poor tc
dine with them on New Years day.
And now" dropping her voice to one o.
pleasant interrogative, where be yor
agoin' to dine, New Years, ma'am?"
81 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
lordirg it into their midst and make such
unheard of snubbing plans in her en-
deavor to appear peculiar, was simply
outrageous! The Shelly Farms new lea1
was perfectly abominable! Something
would have to be done to offset this dis.
gushing philanthropy.
By four o'clock that afternoon Mrs
Wilton had made the rounds of the insult.
ed elite of the countryside; and a swell