Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1910-02-02
ca,ler unbounded astonishment and

0o 22IIiC ISols #eH-e
4Yes, I'll do IT, she gasped, 4but
my voice will shake awfully, and how
will Irene dare? I should be so
scared I'd faint right away. She
must be brave. No, I'll not open my
mouth about it, and she departed,
smiling.
A few days later Mrs. Mclean ran
across the road after a bag Of sugar.
and to her Miss Mehitable presented
a paper the contents of which caused
her customer to scowl.
"A present for Mrs. Cox! OF all
things! No, I don't. want to give
toward it, but I suppose l must.
Whoever started such a thing?" Mrs.
Mclean u%ngraciously added her name
to the list already on the paper.
Miss Mehitable smiled and evaded
the question.
On the. first Tuesday in August
there assembled in Mrs. Cox's parlcr
an unusually large number of ladies'.
Mrs. Cramer changed her mind and
vas there, led IN by an unbelievable
report which had been whispered
about. That same report had drawn
half a iozen of the old members back,
among them the two who had been
l. the postofdce the morning Of July
5th.
Miss Mehitable was there, calm as
usual, but little Mrs. Boltwood looked
unaccountably frightened. Irene
Hazlitt came late. and on the spare
bed where the hats were laid, she
placed a large, heavy bundle.
Mrs. Cox iey- round a hot kitchen,
her face expressing WEAKNESS and
patient %martyrdom. She made q spe-
cial point of not sitting down once
during the afternoon until she sank
into a chair in the parlor after tea
and called the meeting to order-and
also made a special point of letting
every one present know how long she
had been on her feet.
There were two important matters
Of business to come before the meet
ing, the arrangements for the Harvest
Home supper in September and the
election of officers.
The latter, accorSing to Mrs. Cox,
was of more Importance, especially
the choice of a president. She drew
down the corners of her mouth and
fguratively donned her halo of mar
tyrdom. sits an Office beset with
difficulties and work." she said, SOL
emily, sand 1 trust that during the
ensuing year you will have a presi-
dent able to do more and act more
wisely and be more efficient than
your president of this year."
1t was her usual speech for election
occasions, but it did not meet the
usual response. Before she had
ceased to speak, Irene Hazlitt was on
her feet. Mrs. Cox acknowledged her
coldly, Irene being still in disgrace.
"This year. Irene began, pleasant
ly. at seems to me only fair that we
put aside the question of efficiency,
and consider only the express wishes
of one who has served this society as
its president so many years. I feel
that it is u duty to respect the firm
decision which Mrs. Cox announced at
cur last meeting, and which she has
been repeating to individuals ever
since. AS she has just said, the Office
she now holds is beset with difficulties
and work. That we know, and we
know also that Mrs. Cox has borne
these burdens for ten years"
Irene stopped, reached behind her
chair, and raising a beautiful silver.
pitcher, addressed the stupefed Mrs.
Cox directly: aAnd now as you re-
tire from Office to enjoy the period of
rest for which you have so often ex-
pressed a longing, the ladies of the
aid society beg you to accept this
pitcher as a token Of their apprecia-
ton for your long service"
Stepping forward, Mrs. Hazlitt laid
the pitcher in Mrs. Cox's lap, adding
quietly, II nominate Miss Mehitable
Winthrop for president during the
ensuing year."
Mrs. Boltwood looked at the blank
face of Mrs. Cox and raised her voice
fearfully, but promptly: 81 second
the nomination"
Then followed q deep silence, dur
ing which Mrs. Cox sought in vain to
overtake her scattered senses. She
grasped her pitcher and looked at
Miss Mehitaole. Miss Mehitable did
not withdraw her name. Mrs. Cox
moistened her lips and looked round
the room. There were no further
nominations, because Irene's tactful
speech had made Mrs. Cox's long
meditated retirement a certainty.
Mrs. Cox rose, trembling. She tried
to thank the ladies, but emotion UNI
connected with the silver pitcher
oYercame her. She haltingly put Miss
Mehitable's name to vote. She shook
as she forsook the chair. With her
senses still in confusion, she beheld
Mehitable presiding as ably as she
could do. She listened to the ar
rangements for the Harvest, Home
supper, in which the old members
took a new interest. She heard Mrs.
,Cramer asked to take charge of the
decoration of the supper room. She
listened to Mrs. McLean's lively &C.
ceptance of the sandwich making.
She noted that Mehitable offered to
make the coffee, at the same time as
surfing the ladies that she intended to
do nothing else.
Finally, the new precedent turned