Year: 1878

| "uAAlahy, 1cu ulS WIG up Go HOT 50bO OAA the stage Of course, we had made the platform lovely with Towering plants and bouquets. Then we had some long, tiresome speeches from the men, full of compliments on our energy and man. agement. I was sick of it before they stopped. For, if am not very wise, l know when anybody praises me just for the sake of what they are going to get

 We'll, finally Mrs. Lesley's turn came. She stepped forward gracefully, and stood at the front of the platform she must have looked like 0 pink between those high green leaf plants. She is not handsome, like her sister-in-law, but she has the sweetest expression

 I would give anything to be able to report her speech, word for word. But dear me I might just as we'll under take to paint sunset. I can only give you an Idea of it.

 She began: "Mr. President "-it was her husband, you know-"it now be- comes my duty to render an account of the efforts of the Ladies' Auxiliary in behalf of our common and well-beloved cause, and to deliver into your hands the substantial results of those labors. But although the pecuniary gain of this fair is unprecedented ill our town, and the sum of money am commissioned to present to you is larger than I had ever dreamed it could be, I discharge this crowning obligation of my official posi- tion with shame and distress"

 l could hardly believe my ears l glanced over to Mrs. Gray, and I never saw such look of astonishment as there was in her face.

 Mrs. Lesley went on, her voice get ting full of tears, though her eyes were as dry md bright os diamonds. She said in substance, you know, as the re- porters say-that the cause of her shame and distress was 8 conviction that our far had been positive injury to the morals of our town. She said it had trained young modest girls in bold inn portunity of men whom they had never met before it had cultivated in young men that love of games and chance which was filling our gambling saloons with the very flower of our youth. She said, too, that she was convinced that she and her co-laborers had been treat ing the regular tradespeople unfairly She had overheard one night conversa- tion between two young men who had started in the fancy goods business within the last five years. They had spoken together of the terribly hard times which had threatened them with ruin all the past months, and of how much they had depended on the holiday trade to keep their heads above water this win ter. And now, they said, these women who live in elegant leisure q whispered to John :" That don't apply to the treasurer of the society, goodness knows !''-these women, who don't know the value of money any more than chil- dren, had gotten up this grand fair. They had, the young men said, begged quantities of goods outright of all dealers, and had got quantities of more at whole sale price, and then sold their splendid and varied assortment below what any retail dealer in town could afford. "Of course," these young merchants said, bitterly, "we cannot compete with fas- cinating, brilliant women and bewitch- ing young ladies, who give their services and sell lower than we can import. The consequence of this fair is that the holi- day trade we e unted on for food and clothing for our families and for business security is gone out of sight"

 My friends" said Mrs. Leslid. [" as president of the association, and hence responsible, l beg your pardon for the injustice we have shown you. It was thoughtlessness but I am humlliated that one of mature years should be forced to plead child's excuse"

 Then she went on to say that although it would seem at first sight that no such objection should be raised against the sale of articles made by the ladies them selves, there was one similar, and nearly as strong. She said she knew two or three women whose livelihood was gained by the manufacture and sale of fancy trihes. If," she went on, Owe sold our goods for prices they could make fair profit on we should have a right to compete with them. But we beg the materials from our husbands, give our own work, and then under sell every one in the trade who does not have our immense advantages to start with"

 Then she spoke of the time and strength we women had put into this fair how some of us had injured our health, and seriously defrauded our homes of what was due from wives and mothers. My conscience smote me at that, for I couldn't help thinking how I hadn't read aloud to John for three months and had pushed Johnny one side till he was getting to be real trouble some, and to talk just like my girl. I sat there with every bone aching and every nerve trembling with weariness, and knew that I had almost, if not quite, unftted myself for my winters work for my dear ones by my labor for this fair.

 We'll, I can't tell you what she said but I never heard such an elegant speech, one so simple, and sad and truthful. Her husband never took his eyes from her face. He could see her profile from where he sat.

 Before she closed she said that all this overwork on the part of us women all this unfair competition with the regular trade all this gambling; all this un-