The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-05-11
~. ,.r-,
A MYSTERY SOLVED.

n sh cottage, wore wonderfully darne'
socks, although he confessed he coui'
/ not darn them himself. created a grea
disturbance In the village.
The gossip spread and grew strong
er nutil Rev Mr. Neyins himsel
heard Inc entire story and then am
there added 70 the mystery and TN
excitement b, declaring not only ina
he did not know who vas earning nj
socks hpr thst until he heard the
gossip he dd not know that they were
dsrned
To add further TO the excitement
the minister who Is considered one
OF the most desirable catches in the
village. publicly stated thai he would
4 be willing TO rake the girl who could
darn socks until ne could not tell
they were darned as his wife-pro-
yidng, OF course that she was free
white. Il years old. and unmarried
Furthermore. be declared that under
favorable conditions he would not in
! siSt on the age limit
| On the same afternoon that the min
fster made his sweeping proposal of
/ marriage the whole secret came out
| Miss Ella Ramsey, who had been Wis
| iting over in Sedalia for two weeks
wrote 10 her chum. Miss Ida Rawson
| and told the whole story
| She confessed that it was she who
| had been darnine he parsons socks
Sae lived right back OF the parsonage
snd one day noticed Mrs Kate Reilly
who does the ministers laundry work
hanging out some clothes. and she
went through the hack gate and into
tie yard behind the parsonage to
speal, 70 Mrs Reilly about having her
Gene 10 their house the following
Thursday to do some cleaning A.
size was returning through the yard
she noticed four or five pairs Of the
parsons socks hanging ON the line
and observed that every one of them
was ont either at the heel or the toes
So ptying the helpless bachelor she
had taken the socks home and darned
them. returning rhem 10 the line that
same afternoon,
Thereafter she made # part OF hei
church duty 70 take the ministers
socks off the line and darn them tall
ing care that no one saw her. She
had no idea that it was going to Gre
ata any comment
Miss Ramsey Is one OF the prettiest
girls. IN the tewn-and she meets all
the minister's requirements except
that she Is only 90 years old She Is
q brunette. small. alert. and determined,
and she is admittedly one OF the best
young housekeepers in the town.
The mystery solved. everybody took
1t for granted that Parson Nevine
would weos and win Miss Ramsey.
When the missionary society met
at Mrs Newten's house. Parson Nevins
dropped In and instantly MI the won
en- began joking him about his pro
posal
lis the offer still OPEN" asked Mrs
Young
REALLY ladies', said Mr.. Nevins
II spoke only in jest
~" ~ "Ocn 'ahrh seriously, re
marked Mrs. Hickman Half the girls
in town are practicing darning."
fYou fiatter and embarrass me
Mrs Hickman said the blushing min
lister
FWell, anyhow, you can't back ont
now.
Il have no desire TO, said the mfr |
ister And | would suggest that we
arrange the darning contest 10 be lreld |
IN the church. Then we can charge |
admission and apply the proceeds TO-
ward purchasing new carpet"
The idea met with instant approval |
!" the village. and the darning contest |
WAS arranged At first there was no |
'i7eable reluctancy among the Young |
women to enter, bit finally Miss Jane
Crave. who admits She is al least 81 |
announced that she would compete.
Lord knows, its my last chance"
she said, laughingly 1--WE got TO win
This time--or give mp all hope
After that candidates were advanced
81 adily The committee in charge Of
the atfair announced that the winEa,
should have the privilege of Ansinc
TO marry the minister. and then sev
Pal Of the shy ones agreed 10 com
pore.
While the preparations were going
forward Miss Ramsey returned from
5 dsiia, prettier than ever. and heard
L,-e news OF the contest The first
? ening that She was al home the
b mister called on her He was blush.
l. 2 and stammering lie apoloqized
p ofuseiy for his hasfy words and
thanked her warmly for her Kindness
In darnng HIS socks for him.
Aud after long explanations and
4 sologies. Rev Mr. Nevlns proposed
10 her He told her he had loved her
Tor many months and that he had IN.
tended 10 ask her TO be his wife Then
he told her how he had been tangled
into making his foolish Offer to wed
The girl who could darn his socks
best
Just what Miss Ramsey said 10 him
Is unknown. but the next morning she
announced piblicly that she intended
10 enter the contest She made the
calmly and without
b ash and she added nroudfx. .A,al