Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-05-01
HIS Deep SCHEME
Peters Philanthropy Proved to
Be Rather Two Sided
Affair.
BY JANE OSBORNE.

three years In society. took up settle
ment work and gave up her Saturday
mornings at the country club for the
sake Of teaching the little mothers"
Of the tenements the art OF sewing,
a decided damper was cast on coun.
try club activity. Half a dozen young
men who had shared the honors OF
Marion's companionship on the links,
and on the courts, tried in various
ways to dissuade her from her phil
anthropic activities. She would catch
something, get some terrible germ
from one Of her children-that was
the first argumet. She would be un-
able to teach them anything they
didn't know; she would make a pub
lie spectacle Of herself, get her name
In the papers, have to associate with
"a lot of freak philanthropists."
None Of these arguments had the
slightest effect IN Marion.
The strange thing about 1t was that
the young man who had hitherto e
joyed of Marion's society than
his less favored rivals, the most ar
dent lover Of Saturday morning
sports, Peter Meeker. made no effort
to dissuade Marion. The fact is
Peter had deeper schemes.
Two weeks after Marion had begun
the settlement game" as Peter and
his friends referred to her activities,
Peter also discovered a set of long
dormant humanitarian motives some
where in his make up, and decided
to go into settlement work, too. So
while Marion taught the art of sew
ing with the view of making mere
useful mothers and wives of the little
girls In her class, Peter was teaching
their none too tractable brothers the
art Of basketball with the aim of MAX
ing more useful citizens out of them.
Peter taught his boys on Friday eve
nings and Marion taught her girls on
Saturday mornings, SO they seldom
saw each other at the settlement
house. Meantime, Peter became
friendly with all the authorities on
settlement work he could manage to
meet, informed himself on the intri-
cacies Of teaching basketball and USE
full citizenship and, on all occasions,
spread the story of Marion's wonder
full success as a settlement worker.
"She began two weeks ago with
only ten little girls" he would tell
their mutual friends, "and since then
her class has grown to twenty" He
didn't add that the reason for this in
crease In membership was an ice
cream feast served on his order.
Marion is a wonder at that sort Of
work." he would go on, and I have
no doubt that she will make 1t her
life work"
News of the ice cream party spread
through the neighborhood with won
derful effect and in another week the
twenty had increased to thrifty. Mar
ion was glad they appreciated the.
treat, she told them. It had been
given to them by a friend of theirs"
and she wanted the secretary OF the
little club to write a letter of thanks
to this friend" This Marion did In
order to instil habits Of politeness
and gratitude in her small charges.
But, teacher" said one of the class
to Marion, "you ought to thank the
friend-cause the friend must have
done 1t for you. The friend has never
seen us. and people don't give parties
to people they haven't seem"
This was sound logic. certainly, but
Marion met It.
But this friend has heard a great
deal about you. Now I am sure our
little secretary can write a nice let.
ter"
The bright-eyed little secretary was
pensive for a few minutes. Then she
raised her hand and asked:
Teacher. what must I call the
friend?"
oh" said Marion. with a blush
that did not escape the keen eyes Of
her little secretary. 81 think you
won't need to use the friends name.
I will deliver the letter for you"
The secretary chewed the end Of
her pencil in thought. "Yes, but,
teacher" she finally asked. "Is It a
lady friend or. a gentleman friend
-caus on account of the Dear Sir
or the Dear Madam at the top. The
teacher at school said we should be-
gin letters that way. . Before long the
letter was written. Dear Sir" It
began, I'VE thank you for the grand
Ice cream you gave us. Our mothers
and fathers say, What a nice teacher
WI must have to have such a rich
friend to give us such a treat We
hope you will come to see us sew
sometime"
Marion read the letter and, though,
It was not quite what she had expect
ed. she put It in her handbag, and
that night posted It to Peter without
comment.
Thus encouraged, Peter ordered an.
other ice cream treat for the follow.
Ing week, but this time the roll OF the
class had reached forty. and as news
Of this second treat went the rounds
of the neighborhood. the class reach
ed sixty. It was really a marvellous
success. Never since the settlement
L-