The Newtown bee., 1908-03-20

ing such a good beginning that their
 example has been followed ever since.
 They made shirts at 10 and II cents
 apiece, realizing Sl9.23 from them the
 ilrst year. We find that in one year
 from 1859 to 1860 they made 26S shirts.
 A reeeipted bill dated November l,
 lS4s, shows that the society purchased Tn New York communion service of SIX pieces made of Britannia metal ware. At this time they also pur- chased q desk Bible. In 1858 the socie- ty furnished the church with a heater. costing $64. At this time the society numbered 23 lady members and about the same number of gentlemen. The receipts for this year were s73.75. In 1859, the society paid the parsonage rent with interest on the same and they also paid the interest on the church debt. In 1862 we find the so ciety making knapsacks. In this year the refreshments served at the meet ings were limited to bread, butter and tea. In June, 1863, festival was held netting the society $l5l and in a sub- sequent year Sl3S. They paid a note amounting to Sl4S in 1864 and the bal ance in the treasury, $lO4, went toward the liquidation of the debt. Another festival was held in 1865 for which tickets were forbidden to be sold. The society still continued the making of shirts in 1866, though later giving that up because of the low prices paid for the work. Carpet was also woven. A fair and strawberry festival raised $l92. The society held several social meetings at which refreshments were served and a penny collection taken. There are many records of the parson- age being repaired and furnished from time to time. A sale of chickens in 1868 brought S46.3S.
 In 1871 the society paid for parson- age fence and furnished poor family with clothing. All sociable moneys re- ceived during the year were applied on the parsonage debt. The meetings were held once month at which sup per was provided, ladies paying 10c for supper and gentlemen 25c. The next year $93 on expenses was paid out. During this syear the society is called the "Ladles' Sociable," in the min- utes; SS5 was realized from the month ly suppers.
 In 1875 twenty-five meetings were held, meeting once in every two weeks. Later on, P. T. Barnum gave gratui- tous lecture from which S62 was real ized. This money paid for new roof on the church. In 1881 the church was at the expense of the soci- ety, the name of the society being changed at this time to the Ladies Aid society of the Methodist Episcopal church in Nichols. The next year the society greatly aided in renovating and furnishing the church when it was re- modelled, and they also renovated the Ladies parlor and lecture room in 1890, at an expense of $50. In 1899 the fair receipts were S195. No sociables were held in 1902. In 1904, S227 was real ized at the fair. That year the society deposited $422 in the Bridgeport Sav- ings bank. We find the record climb ing higher until in 1905 when the re- ceipts for the year were 5000, there having been some gifts to the society. In 1906 the fair brought in $500, a feature of this fair being an album quilt, with 56O names and 14OO pieces, the quilt being pieced by Mrs Horace P. Nichols and Mrs E. R. Bennett. This was the fifth album quilt made by the ladies. The quilt alone raised S60. The new church was dedicated in July,
 1905, and since then the society has contributed over $40OO on the debt. Among the money making sociables we find mention made of fish ponds, sales of ice cream and oysters, neck tie and apron social, glove social, sash and rosette social, a Lady Washington tea party, peach festivals, lawn par ties. tableaux, the Jubilee singers, readings, magic lantern, sun flower concert, graphophone concerts, soap bubble social, donkey social, candy pull, blue tea party, Mrs Jarley's wax works, grid1le cake supper, an orange tea. a mysterious tea, lectures and plays, convention of old maids, and last but not least, a leap year so- cial. The faces of many members have passed and are gone, many changes have taken place in the society's life of 63 years. so, ever remembering that we too, must sometime lay down our work, let us do our best, pressing on- ward and upward. As Tiny Tim said, "God bless us, every one. "- Frank B. Couch.