Ml
VOL. XV.
NEW BLOOMFIELD, 1JA.., TUISSIDA-Y, MA.HOI1 22, 1881.
NO12.'
THE TIMES.
An Independent Family Newspaper,
It rUBUSHlDBTHT TUESDAY BY
F. MORTIMER & (JO.
TEltMH t
INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
f 1.59 PEIl If FA It, POSTAflE I'HttK.
80 ITS. ron a MONTHS.
To si-.bserlner resldln In this county, where
we have ne post agn to pay. a discount of 2S cents
from the abore terms will be made If payment Is
made la ad ranee.
AdrertUlnji rates furnished uponappllca
tlou.
Sixteen Old Maids.
BOSWORTH was a nice little village
of some Ave hundred inhabitants,
and boasted of three churches, the Con
gregational, Baptist and Methodist,
while a handful of Unitarians gathered
occasionally at the town hall, and a few
Adventists went to the next village,
five miles distant, to worship. The
three first mentioned societies were as dis
tinct from each other as black is from
white. Not only were they not on
visiting terms with each other, but the
the three stores showed that tbey did
not even trade together. The oldest in
habitant could not remember when this
was not so ; but the time had come for a
revolution, and with this our story has
to do.
Mlqs Betsey Bailey, an elderly maiden
lady, was sitting alone in her quiet
home, when all at once she broke out
with :
" Well I do declare. Here we be liv
ing alone in this heathenish way year
after year, and we consider ourselves
Christians. It's a shame that five hun
dred people can't live in harmony, when
so many of us are church members."
The cat, which was sleeping quietly on
Miss Betsey's lap, jumped down, for Miss
Betsey had gesticulated in that direc
tion in such a manner as to inflict quite
a rap on the sleeping tabby.
" Well, I declare," said Miss . Betsey,
" If I didn't get so eloquent as to scare
the cat. I think I must have been born
for a female orator."
After this she sank back in her chair,
apparently asleep, but was not ; her mind
was busy over a plan wtlch she meant
to put into Immediate operation. It was
very late that night when she arrived at
a final conclusion, and of course she must
wait until morning before Bhe could be
gin. So excited had she become that it
waB long past midnight before she retir
ed, and then it was not to sleep.
Early next morning she called on her
most intimate acquaintance and neigh
bor, Miss Sarah Jenkins.
" Sarah, I've got a notion, and it's so
seldom that I'm ever troubled with such
a thing that I bad to come right over and
tell you before I lost it. Do you feel able
this morning to take hold poue of the
the grandest, noblest and brightest ideas
the world has ever pondered on ?"
" Why, Betsey for land Bakes don't
scare a body to death. You are not go
ing to set the river afire, are you V"
" Not so bad as that, I hope; but if we
don't turn this town upside down Inside
of three months, then my name isn't
Betsey."
" We V I hope you dou't mean to in
clude me in this grand scheme."
" But I do. You are the very one I
want for my right-hand man."
" The idea of an old maid like me
lending aid to the grandest and
noblest" .
"Hold on, Sarah, don't repeat that
sentence, please;' the very walls have
ears, and I would not have a word of
this get out for the world. All you've
got to do is to listen to me, and when
you've heard my story you'll agree with
me to the letter. If you don't, I won't
ask you to help me a bit. Just hand
me your knitting and I'll knit and talk ;
I was in suoh a hurry to get "here this
morning that I forgot my work. I can't
talk though, unless I'm doing some
thing." Betsey then proceeded to lay the
scheme before her friend, who, when
she had concluded, not only agreed to
help her, but offered some very valuable
suggestions. So eager-were they with
plans that the noon hour slipped by and
three o'clock came before either of them
thought of dinner.
Next morning Sarah and Betsey were
again together, this tlmo prepared for a
walk. Both these ladles were Congre
gatlonallsts, and many of their neigh
bors were surprised to see them stop at
the house of Eliza Simmons, one of the
stauncliest sisters of the Methodist per
suasion. ' It couldn't have been over an
hour before the town was alive with the
news.
The orthodox were shocked, the Meth
odists opened their eyes in wonder,
while the Baptists stood aloof in dignifi
ed silence. For one whole day the people
talked of nothing else but this breach of
sectarian etiquette. The next day they
had something else to talk about.
These three ladies, in company with
Margaret Stiles, another Methodist
sister, called upon the West sisters,
Mary and Martha, two of the leading
'ladles of the Baptist society. They not
only called, but they stayed all the fore
noon and took dinner.
This was on Saturday. On Sunday
those six ladles occupied Miss Bailey's
pew in the Congregational church. The
little flock was so astonished that they
paid little attention to the sermon, and
the minister went home with the feeling
that not a dozen persons ill the whole
congregation could tell-what the text
was.
Bosworth was now in a state of in
tense excitement. Such a thing had
never happened before. Many of the
Congregatlonallsts called on Miss Betsey
and on Miss Sarah, but all they could
learn was that the ladles went with
them by a special invitation.
On Thursday night the bIx ladies at
tended class at the Methodist vestry.
Not only that, but Miss Jenkins and
Miss Marth Stiles both took part in the
meeting.
What was to be done? Something,
certainly, for this things could not exist
long. The Baptists visited the Misses'
Stiles, but all the infomatlon to be gain
ed was that they went to both places by
invitation, and that Martha felt moved
to speak and did so. And the Method
ists were no wiser for having called upon
the erring sisters.
The next Sunday saw more mixing
of the sects, and Monday night there
was a gathering at Miss Betsey's resi
dence of all the ladles engaged in the
conspiracy. Sixteen ladies were present
and was it chance V all were maiden
ladies of fifty years and over. From
this time forward there was a great inti
macy between these ladles. In vain
they tried4o induce others to join tbem;
at the end of three months their band
still only numbered sixteen persons.
Betsey and Sarah talked the mutter
over, and concluded to open another
chapter of their plan. They were not
disappointed in getting only sixteen
ladies to join them ; In fact that was
nearly double the number they bad
hoped to get in the beginning.
A few days later a notice appeared on
the door of the Baptist store to the effect
that it had been sold to Miss Betsey
Bailey. About the same time one ap
peared on the CongregationalUt store
saying it bad been sold to Miss Sarah
Jenkins. Both stores were closed, and
the people had to go to the only
other store in town, the MethodiBt, if
they would buy anything.
Both the ladies next called on the
Methodist brother, and he readily agreed
to take all the goods from the other
two stores if he could thereby get the
whole trade of the town. He knew
from bitter experience that one store
was all that the town could support,
and he at once began to help the ladles
in their scheme, though he was totally
unaware of the part he was taking,look
ing only at the fact that he could make
more money by the change. This plan
of the ladies was a partial success, for
the inhabitants fell right into this ar
rangement because they could not help
It. -
Still they would not visit nor attend
any but their own church; and' three
months more passed and still only the
sixteen maiden sisters belonged to the
vl3lting company. Now chapter number
three was opened.
One morning the train brought to the
village a very pretty young lady and
three large trunks. Such a thing was
not a common occurrence, and the
depot loungers soon spread the news,
stating, too, that Miss Bailey was also
there to meet her, and that the young
lady called her auntie. It soon came out
who she was and it was rumored that
her stay In Bosworth might be perma
nent. She was the daughter of Miss Bailey's
sister, who had died when Rosle was
only four years old. Miss Bailey claim
ed tbe child then, but her father wished
ber to remain with his folks, and Miss
Bailey was forced to give up her claim
for the child. Her father was now dead
and she had come to live with Aunt
Betsey, whom slle had always loved as
mother. At first she was rather lonely,
but when Monday night came and with
it the sixteen unsectarian maidens, she
had enough to think of. She was of
course admitted to the council, and was
much amused at the state of society.
When the meetlDg adjourned, she eald
to her aunt:
" Don't the young people visit V"
" Not outside of the denomination to
which they belong."
" Don't a Baptist ever marry a Metho
dist, or anything of that sort V
" Not within the memory of the oldest
inhabitant.
" I don't see how it is possible for a
town to survive with such goings on,"
said Miss Rosie, more to herself than
her aunt.
" We don't survive we merely exist;
the town has been worse than dead ever
since I've been here, and we maiden
ladies have been trying to do something
to improve it."
"I think auntie, you have done well,
but you have started at the wrong end ;
let me help you."
"Certainly you can. I have hoped
ever since I got your letter that you
would help us in some way when y6u
came. Do whatever you wish, and I
will lend all the aid In my power."
Rosle did not unfold her plan to her
aunt, but at once began to carry it out.
The next Sunday saw her at the Congre
gational church, dressed in the most
becoming manner, and every one pro
nounced her the prettiest girl they had
ever seen. After church she went to
the Sunday school, learning the names
of all the young gentlemen and ladles
near her own age. Next Sunday she
was at the Baptist church, attending
both church and Sunday school. And
the next was devoted to the Methodist
society.
Then there was a stir. Miss Bosie
Anderson was going to give a party at
her aunt's residence, and had sent notes
of invitation to all the young people of
the town, without regard to sect. The
invitations were given out a month
before tbe time of the party, so that
everyone had a chance to talk it over, as
Rosle said, and have their minds made
up about it.
The Sunday following tbe giving out
of the invitations, the soprano of tbe
Baptist church was sick, and the fact
not being known until nearly time for
meeting, no one could be found to sing.
Rosle was present, and when she heard
of the difficulty, volunteered to sing for
them. The leader gladly accepted her
offer, not stopping to think what tbe
good people would say when they saw a
Congregatlonallst in their choir.
When they rose to sing the opening
piece, Bosie stood up in full view of the
congregation. The minister looked hor
rified, while the deacons covered their
faces to think that the Baptists should
get so low and sinful as to allow a Con
gregatlonallst to sing in the sanctuary.
But when she sang the solo that fell to
her, the hands dropped from the faces of
the deacons, and the expression of the
minister's face changed to one of ex
treme pleasure. Bosie was a beautiful
singer, and her voice rang out clear and
soft, the organist forgot, to play, so
enrapt was she in the singer, and Rosle
carried her part through without the
aid of tho organ. Never before had any
of them heard such a voice, and they
could hardly wait for the time to come
when she would sing again that day,
but when she came down from the
gallery the minister took her by the
hand and said :
"Miss Anderson, you have contribut
ed much to the good of the services this
afternoon, and I'm very much obllged
to you for it."
" You are entirely welcome, Mr. Bush.
I think when one has talents they
should be used for the benefit of all who
may need them."
" My Idea of it exactly," said the min
ister, and the two walked out of the
church and down the street together.
Meeting Miss Bailey near her residence,
Mr. Bush was introduced to her, and
complimented her on having such an
accomplished and pleasant young lady in
her family ; he hoped that he might
have the pleasure of seeing both tbe
young ladies present at his church oc
casionally. Rosie sang again at the Baptist church
the next Sunday, as the regular singer
was not well enough to attend. When
she rose in her seat she hod tbe satis
faction of seeing many Methodists and
Congregatlonallsts in the audience, and
although she felt a certain pride in
thinking that they came to hear her
sing, she felt happier at the thought
that she was to be the means of assist
ing to carry out her aunt's scheme.
That evening the Methodists had a
Sunday school concert, and Rosie played
their organ. She was now on the best
of terms with all the young people of
the village, and had no doubt that her
party would be a success.
And it was. More than fifty were in
attendance, which Included every young
lady and gentleman in town. Aunt
Betsey outdid herself in preparing the
supper. Everything was perfect, even
the ice cream from the city, which was
quite a luxury to the villagers.
At 12 o'clock the party broke up, and
Rosle, by her managing, sent several
Methodist maidens home with Baptist
beaux, and otherwise mixed up the sects
and sexes at ber will.
A few days after the party, Miss Bailey
was surprised to . receive a visit from
Mrs. Bush, wife of the Baptist minister.
They spent a very pleasant hour togeth
er, when they were interrupted by Mrs.
Deacon Wilson,of the Methodist church,
and both ladies remained to tea. The
ice was now broken, and calling between
the different sects was as common as
though it was not a new thing at Bos
worth. Everything now working to Rosie's
satisfaction, she had time to think of
her own troubles. When she came to
Bosworth, she was by no means a
happy girl.. Her father was a very
strict man, and a young gentleman to
whom she was quite partial, had not
found favor in his eyes, much to the
mutual grief of the young people. Her
father's sickness was quite long, and so
close was her seclusion till the time of
his death that she had not seen Edward
Bently, nordid she see him before she
came to Bosworth. She had written to
her acquaintances, but they only knew
that he had graduated from college and
gone away.
About this time Mr. Bush's health
falling, he asked for a year's vacation,
agreeing to fill the pulpit during bis
absence. This leave was, of course
granted, and the congregation were
awaiting anxiously for the new minis
ter. All they knew was that be was a
young man and came from a church in
the city of Alllston, where he was the
colleague of the Rev. Dr. Howland, one
of tbe most eminent preachers of the
Baptist persuasion . Of course they ex
pected something more than ordinary
ability, nor were they disappointed.
But with tbe sermon they bad noth
ing to do. They wished to make a good
impression upon the minister, so Rosie
was sought out and invited to sing for
them, with ber usual good nature she
accepted. Her position was such that
she could not see tbe minister from
where she sat, but when the choir rose
to sing she found herself face to face
with Edward Bently.
To say she was surprised would not
balf express ber feelings. She turned
first white, then red, and finally sank
back in her seat utterly powerless to
sing a note.
The minister of course knew nothing
of this little affair of the gallery, for the
singers went on with the anthem after
a moment's hesitation, and by the time
they came to the solo, which Rosie was
to sing, she was ready to go on with ber
part. As her voice rang out clear and
soft, a look of startled surprise wag
noticed on the minister's face, and a few
at least, of the congregation were aware
that something extraordinary bad bap.
pened. Rosie now quite calm, sang ber
solo sweetly to the end, but when tbe
minister arose to read the opening exer
cises some thought they observed a
slight tremor in his voice. Only one In .
the congregation knew why there- was
such an earnestness in the- prayer that
was offered for the bringing, together of
friends long separated, most of - them
thinking he had reference to the long,
separation of the churches of the town.
When the services were, ended, he
hurried from tbe pulpit, and. met Rosle
as she came down from, the gallery.
There was a greeting that rather sur
prised those of the congregation who
saw It, but a few words of explanation
from the pastor set their minds right,
and before night the whole town knew
that Rosle was the affianced wife of
Edward Bently, the new Baptist minis
ter, and that It was a love afialr of long
standing. f
Everybody went to- the wedding,
which was in tbe Congregational church ,
and everybody went to the reception at
Miss Bailey's, which was the grandest ,
affair Bosworth had ever known.
At the end of the year Rosle bade fare-.
well to the little town to go to ber. city?
home. But even sbe, so far distant
from the little village, will ever have
pleasant memories of the assistance she
gave in the religious revolution, of
Bosworth through tbe enterprise of six-,
teen old maids.
How Ladies Dress In Persia.
She wore a bright red skirt, richly ein-.
broldered with gold lace; It was very
full and short, barely reaching to ber
knees; a loose jacket of blue velvet, also
much trimmed this time with silver
lace; the sleeves were made of cashmere
shawls, buttoned by about twenty small
buttons. She wore several neeklaces,
most of them very massive, studded
with fine turquoises. On her head she
wore a white shawl, with a band of jew
els round ber forehead, and at one side
a large pearl star. She had on both
arms at least a dozen bracelets some
handsome ones, some only bands of
colored glass. Her feet were covered
with coarse white socks; her shoes
were green leather with scarlet heels.
Some of the ladies wore bright red trous
ers, reaching to the ankle ; but this was
quite the exception. They wear a long,
veil reaching from head to foot, general-,
ly made of some small print 01 muslin..
I ought to mention that every lady wore
a small leather case around her neck,
containing some earth from. Mecca and.
verses from Koran. The faces of my
hostess and friends were much decorat
ed, the eyebrows broadened and carried
quite across the nose. Some had small
designs tattoed on tbe cheeks. Tbe
hair is very long and thick, generally
dyed red ; it is worn plaited in many
thin tails, twisted with gold thread.
The bands are well shaped, but naila
and palms are stained a dark red.
Who Mixed Those Bottles Up ?
A gentleman returning borne from
the Gilroy hot springs by coach was
asked to exchange seats with a lady who
found riding inside disagreed with ber.
As be was making bis way to the inside
berth, she bade blm take especial care of
two bottles of Gilroy water, which she
was carrying to her husband. As it
happened, the lady had contrived to
make herself very disagreeable to her
fellow-visltors at the springs, and the
passenger the bad ousted from bis seat
determined to have his revenge. Open
ing each of the bottles, be poured out
half tbe contents, and filled np with
whisky. Before many days elapsed tbe
proprietors of the Gilroy springs receiv
ed the following elegant epistle, dated
San Francisco, Aug. 80, 1879 : " Sirs
You are a precious lot of scamps, you
are ! Mr wife paid a visit to your con
founded place, and brought back some
spring water. I drank about a bottle of
the miserable stuff, and went to tbe
Good Templers, and bud not been in the
ball more than fifteen minutes before I
was as drunk as any man you ever saw ;
disgraced myself and the lodge, and this
morning I am on a sick-bed. My im
pression is that any set of men who will
run an institution of this sort ought to
be soused into hot-water springs until
life is extinct.
Cf Sin always begins with pleasure
and ends with bitterness. It is like tbe .
colt, which the little boy said was very
tame in front and very wild behind..