Middletown transcript., 1909-01-02
TURNING a lEA
AZ MANpA !. CRoc ER

Z
anlv few short month; but long
ono.,eb. o,,s after all, for every one
IS tbe neighborhood 70 have N
opinion Of John Berries sec0n'
wife. e.st
She dressed finer than bis tifs'
wife did--most second wives do
she spent more hours ct sne
1i.s ,,;sno ana seemed several de-
grees more ar.stocratic than 'he
first Mrs. Berrie.
Ii was an honored custom
reaching back 70 the sto01ef
branches Of the ancestral tree
far the owner Of the Farms %
Give . New ! ears dinner 70 the
countryside; and each guest was
invited to come and "turn 2 new
leaf for yearly luck. !" ),
OF course, it was the "tirsts' !
and hot the ''seconds" or "thirds
IS the shippers say, who enjoyed
these annual feasts and, usually
thew began several weeks before a',':
to plan "what to wear. ~
wear i seemed a necessity to Oe
. little more particular about the
cut Of gowns and width Of trim. trim,
mings, for the new Mrs. befrle
moe ! ladv Of means in her own
right, and dressed elahoraislE.
We must make an impression,
said Mrs. Wilton, decisively, and
she must feel that our presence
i an honor to the Farms. : ln'
tend to have q new silk; a regular
dinner party dress.
And 50 the first" !" planned .
surpass all former efforts for 'n'
sake Of profound impression
therefore, by the middle o. De
cember a score Of lovely neV
gowns were the pride Of as many
ambitious feminine owners.
The mistress Of Shelly FARM
was affabIe and gracious to al
and the tony "frsts" we're Jus
dying to display their rlch cos
tunes in her honor. But 70
some unaccountable reason ID
Invitations we're tardy.
Could it be possible that tn
second wife was one OF tnos
new women, who would at on
fell swoop, eliminate the annua
dinner And would John Berrl
stand that?
In sheer desperation vi sas
pense, Mrs. GoldUaite was dele
gated to call at the Farms, osten
sibly to speak Of q philanthroP'
movement, but really to seen
the New Year festivities an
overdue cards.
Mrs. Berrie received her Vls
itor very courteously and pleas
4
antly, and supported the phliar
thropic idea enthnsiastlcaliS
even graciously accepting %
presidency Of the society whe
should organize. But Whe
the conversation drifted into ho
iday news the caller could no.
by any tact, draw out the bride
plans concerning New Year 5 da,
Fxasperated, Mrs.GoldWaite SUE
denly let go skirmishing an
asked her, point blank, # q
Farms would give annual dime
this year?
o. certainly, answered The ne
wife, her face lighting up VII
pleasure, husband and ! hay
been planning for that sometlm
The invitations are late, but IA
Berrie could not help me uni
to-day, and, Of course, ! am n
well enough acquainted TO 9
the names alone. We shall ser
them this week, however, and
shall enjoy the new leaf tuFninI
with nay neighbors exceedingl
This information was what Mr.
Goldwaite had talked phiia
thropy for two full hours for,ar
she took her leave, feeling th
she was a heroine of tho fir
water. But Mrs. Berrie accoi
panied her caller to the fro
gate in her eagerness O "a
more about the movement.
is to elevate the toilers, ! nnde
stand, she said, and TO get
touch with our poorer neighbor
Yes, answered Mrs. Col
waite, hesitating to break up p
luxurious New Years dream
humping against the intrusl
fact that the washwomen 81
y ditch diggers occupied the sar
planet together with the "trsts
Yes, she repeated, and wh
We organize you will accept Y
presidency? and she got up
interested look, as good IS !
genuine.
Certainly, was the reply
thank you for the honor, q