The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-02-03
Her Real MARYYRDoM.
81 ALICE LOUISE LEE.

OF course, Mrs. Cox. I'll make the
cofee." Mrs. Boltwood finally found
her voice. "Ill do my best"
Thank you" Mrs. Cox spoke i'm
pressfvely, but did not look up. II
Will very gladly help you" She made
another note. and added, ST will also
prepare the chicken and make the
gravy and mash the potatoes" She
still spoke with averted eyes, the
martyrdom of her position bearing In
with oppressive heaviness on every
one present. "My brother and his
five children will be visiting us at
the time, but 7 car manage somehow,
I suppose always have managed"
At the close of the meeting Mrs.
Cox looked round the circle, her eyes
coldly skipping the flushed Mrs. Haz-
lit, and made an announcement:
As every seems too busy to
entertain the aid in July, it will meet
with me-for the third time this
year" No one else had entertained
it more than once. "I expect to have
five boarders at that time, but" pa
tiently, 81 car manage it somehow,
because it is too important a meeting
to miss" Here she fixed her eyes
again on her hands, and drew down
the corners of her mouth.
you will all remember, of course,
that it is the election of officers. I
don't forget it, because it means a re-
lease for me I have done what little
1 could for the past few years in the
position I have held, and now I look
forward to some one else more able
than I taking up the burden-some
n whom you will all approve and
support"
Mrs. Cox's manners Away; gave
point to her words; therefore Irene
Hazlitt bit her lips, and the rest
except Mehitable-weakly protested.
Mehitable smiled, remembering that
Mrs. Cox had said substantially the
same thing at the June meeting for
years and years-and was promptly
reelected at the July meeting, just as
she expected to be.
The Fourth of July dinner was a
success, and after it the usual re-
marks about it began to roll in on
Miss Mehitable-the postofice being
a convenient place for making re-
marks.
That poor dear Mrs. Coz is i'll
this morning, 1 hear" one Of the sum
mer people informed Mehitable the
morning of the 5th. "She over
worked yesterday. Why, it seems
she had everything to attenL to, and
so much to do. She told ne herself
that she, had to make owe half the
Sandwiches. OF course, she said, she
was perfectly willing. but it was very
wearing"
at must have been" responded the
postmistress, dryly.
Mrs. Cox had appointed Mrs
Cramer, the slowest worker in thu
society, On the sandwich committee
whereas Mrs. Mclean could nav
made the sandwiches quickly. As i
was, Mrs. Mclean was committee OIL
decorations, a position in which sh,
vas a signal failure.
What sacrifices that Mrs. Cox doe
make!" remarked another lady, en-
| Enthusiastically. why, 1 understand
that she donated fully half the fooC
| furnished for yesterdays dinner"
YES" returned Mehitable, am
biguously. Il don't doubt that 20,
| received that impression"
MRS. Cox told me yesterday" men
! toned a third boarder, that her terri
, as president of your aid society ex
pires in August, and that she will s
gladly lay down the burdens of Office
. She says that she has served so lon
4 that she hopes the ladies will see f
to give her a complete rest. But, q
q course" added the boarder, "yo
couldn't get along without her,
j which was also Mrs. Cox's opinion o
; the subject.
= Behind the speaker stood tw
! ladies who had long ago been men
bers of the aid society. They raise
their eyebrows at each other, hay
ing heard Mrs. Cox make these n
> marks for years, but at Mehitable
confident reply they fell back aston
ished.
- "Yes, she goes out Of Office at OF
: next meeting. She certainly hs
worked hard and has earned a res
:. and it's time she took It."
~ The two former members departe
= speedily, and called ON other forms
members.
- Later in the. day Mrs. Crane
= swept into the postofice, fndignatio
: written on every feature. "I won
stand it any longer!" she storme
a Il worked at those sandwiches wit
all my might. and now hear Mr.
= Cox is supposed to have done 'em al
I eve could make sandwiches fas
9 but 1 could decorate the tables bea,
. tifully If ever I got a chance! T.
- not going to an aid society again"
Irene Haz1itt, who had been talkir
/ in low tones to Miss Mehitable, O
N fered no remonstrances as she d
"a parted, but the postmlstress laught
"a easily, merely responding, oh, you
better attend our next meeting!"
"a Whether or not there was to be
special attraction at the next meetil
= Mehitable did not state to MI
Cramer, but to little Mrs. BoltwoI
later in the day the postmistress ma,
ID sundry statements which caused h
ed z &C