The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-02-29

the place to have 1t, plenty OF 0naars,
tables and dishes, also gas stove and
two coffee boilers. Come right along
the more the merrier". I went back
to the store and picked out lot OF
penny post cards and sent out invi'
tations to the ladies to come and
i;ring their husbands and babies AZ
all would be welcome. I caused IT
to be announced in church on tho
previous Sunday that the men would
| sew for prizes as seven prizes were
to be offered and awarded to the men
FOR mend'ng, darning, button setting
and patching. All the men sat up
and took notice; then home they went
and started to practice for the Grand
Contest and the honors and prizes
offered by Mrs. CosgTove.
Right here I wish to remark that
our men are Of a fine class and have
never been opposed to the Ladies'
Md in particular, but had their opin
ion of US just the same and especial
ly so when they were not along. But
this scheme worked like magic.
Every man was there on time all
dressed up in the finest afternoon
suits imaginable. Young men and
old men, single men and boys were
all lined up on the north side Of the
church ready for work at the tap OF
the bell. The classes were quickly
, formed in darning, mending, patch
ing and button setting, VIII some OF
the more skilled workmen contested
in several classes. There was a
lamge basket of wooden socks to be
darned, mems underclothes to be
mended and even some good flannel
sheets that had been moth eaten
were in the pile to be mended. Sew
eral new garments were on hand Tor
button setting and in a few moments
everyone was busy. The ladies' ON
the south side Of the church with
their babies or their fancy work, Wis
ting pleasantly Now and then each
loving, tender hearted wife would
glance over to the north side OF the
church to see if her particular hus-
. band was getting along famously and
would win a prize. The ladies we're
completely overjoyed to think that
their dear husbands were really
there sewing for prizes in pleasant
u and orderly class and not waiting at
home for general kickup in the
evening and a bread and water sup
per. which of course, every poor man
. has to live on while his wife IS away
at the Aid, feasting and goss1p1ng'
. Now I want You all to have a gooc
laugh; because, really this is nearly
always the way the man feels when
Is he is jealous, because he wasn't n
a the Aid too.
~ The sight was one long to be re
u membered. There sat the men II
Is body, all busy and in earnest, not
e word out Of them, but stitch and darn
- darn, for fully two hours. Snap
- shots would have sold we'll and re
greet very much that didn't have al
artist there to take a picture of thu
whole scene, especially the men a
work.
Finally line was stretched in on
end of the church and the work place.
on exhibition Three ladies wer
then appointed to inspect the worl
and act as judges in awarding tn
nriZes. All this time the sever
dainty prizes we're standing N full
view of the workers, all worked wit
cards and blue ribbons in regular ba
zaar style on a. small table n the cen
ter of the room. To be sure tn
prizes were not expensive, only 10
a piece and bought at the DC stor
in Minot. However the little trin
kets looked very attractive and on
might suppose that some Of then
had cost soc. At last the lunch wa
served by a dozen Of ladies who has
fixed the plates all ready to pass an
we're only waiting for the men to pr
on the last patches. One man sat i:
behind the organ while he deity an
neatly patched suit Of underwea
which, of course carried off prize
The line filled with samples Of wor
done by the men was a great SUI
rrise to us ALL Mending and darr
ing was done there that would be
credit to any class in domesti
ience In fact, all the work wa
good and fit to take home for actus
use Just as it was.
The prize winners were as follows
Mat Brown I, Mr.. Bemis !, job
Olson 1,John Fennel /, Frank Chene