Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-02-21

Zone dozen new pink-and-white
striped outing flannel babies p1nnins
blankets"
Mrs. Serena DoGd, sitting beside ner
own especial window in her nttle
room at the Torbolton Home for lndi.
gent Females, enunciated the words
joyously. She snapped OF her thread
dropped her open-topped steel Thin
BILE on the table, and spreading upon
her knees the garment in which she
had set the last stitch, caressed 1t into
shape, repeating unctuously, "One
dozen new OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
outing flannel babies pinning blank
cts! My, but that's lot OF the LORDS
little ones to keep warm!" She peered
over her spectacles at the tin clock
on the mantelpiece. Nigh on to
O'Clock! Full time some other folks
had their promises redeemed
From the low wicker chair opposite,
Mrs. Samantha Wells, knitting franti-
cally upon a cotton yarn wash-cloth,
uttered a breathless, only two more
rows, Sereny, and the binding OF, and
I'm ready, too"
Without answering, Mrs. Dodd rose
to her feet, numbered upon a pile OF
similar garments at one end of her
small white-counterpaned bed.
Then she spoke relentingly: well,
well, Samanthy, maybe | shouldn't
have been so forehanded either, If
Mrs. Waldron hadn't got so stocked up
on fiat-iron holders that | couldn't
sell her another one to raise any more
money to buy any more stuff. Any
how, there's one dozen new"
Mrs. Wells interrupted hurriendly:
'Your niece, Lyddy, from over to Holt,
is coming through the gate"
A moment later, Miss Lydia Bar
mum, slim, brisk and 30, was saying
cheerily, How do, Mrs. Wells! How
do, Aunt Serena! Here's my contribu-
tion to your clothing society" And
diving into her shopping bag, Miss
Lydia produced diminutive parcel.
II do WISH" protested Mrs. Dodd.
"that you would not call 1t my cloth
ing society, just because I'm collecting
for IT! It's yours as much has it's
mine, so longs you donate your two
new garments year. The name of 1t
is The Ye Clothed Me Society," and
it's a great organization, extending all
over the United States and Canada,
numbering thou" She halted. The
quotation from the pamphlet pub
lished annually by the society in ques-
ton was left unfinished, while she
stared blankly at the contents of the
paper. Then, with a stiff, Much
obliged, Lyddy!" she placed Miss Bar
NUNS contribution beside the pinning
blankets.
Her niece looked puzzled. Isn't
that right, Aunt Serena? You said
handkerchiefs, I know you said hand
kerchiefs!"
Il did say handkerchiefs," acknowl-
edged Mrs. Dodd, with asperity. Ger
tain sure, | said kandkerchiefs. But
| meant that for them as couldn't or
wouldn't do better than two for five,
marked down for this day only
There's always plenty of them given.
! did not" with emphasis, mean fine,
pure linen, hemstitched, two-inch bor-
der handkerchiefs, with a wreath Of
flowers In the corner, and costing 80
cents IL they cost one penny"
"Seventy-five!" murmured Miss Ly-
dia.
Worse and more Of it," comment
ed Mrs. Dodd. Now what | really said
was, 'Handkerchiefs or stockings or
underclothes. mems and boys wearing
apparel PARTICULAR But there, | amt
in the habit of peeking into gift
horsess mouths and counting their
teeth, and I'm truly glad to get any
thing! Howsomever, next time,"-
Mrs. Dodd's black eyes twinkled-"if
you can't screw up your courage to
mems and boys wearing apparel, just
you buy good pair Of single cotton
sheets. The society needs them every
year."
'T'll bear 1t In mind, Aunt Serena"
gaily rejoined Miss Lydia. Then, with
a change of tone and pointing from
the window, See! Milady Van Dusen-
berry Bills coach blocks the way Ex-
cuse mel" and she disappeared through
the doorway.
The newcomers heavy silken train
rustled richly as she crossed the
threshold, and with its billowy expan-
siveness 1t seemed to fill and overflow
the little room. Mrs. Wells shrank
back, but Mrs. Dodd stood her ground
sturdily.
"Huh!" she muttered. Guess I amt
skeered of Barb'ry Bill! Buttoned up
her back too many times whilst |
housekept for her pa 'twixt his two
wives!"
The next instant she found herself
encircled by velvet-clad arms, her nose
buried in costly furs, the ostrich
plumes of huge picture hat nodding
above her. and as she emerged from
this ardent embrace, Mrs. Vau Dus-
enberry Bills tripping accents saluted
her:
so pleased and charmed to meet
you, dear Aunt Dodd. When | awoke
this morning ard removed the slip
from the calendar, and saw the date
and perused those inspiriting lines:
"'while the poor gather round to the
end of time,
May this bright flower Of charity dis
play