Boarding Round/Chapter 7

There was a full attendance at the first meeting. Old and young were there. It was something new, for interest in the society had been waning for many months. Now all were alert in trying to devise ways and means for accomplishing something. The ladies who had held a consultation at the close of the Sunday school, were still of the opinion that working for foreign missions would create the greater interest. They urged that there is a certain fascination in studying about people in foreign lands. Also they thought that the young men would be more likely to attend their meetings, and assist them financially, if they had something to put before them that they would think worthy of their attention. The effort they were then making would prove a failure unless they could induce the young men to attend. They would meet for work in the afternoon, inviting the men for the evening. They especially wanted to have their minister and the schoolmaster present. And ​Brother Watkins they knew was deeply interested in Christian work abroad. And they believed Mr. Sears would be, too. A young man of his culture and ambition, and his high moral standards, could not help being interested in the noblest objects. He was surely a remarkable young man, and they must get the greatest good possible from his being with them through the winter.

To these views, and propositions of a similar character, the young ladies present gave closest attention. When the motion was made that they have their meetings in the evening as well as in the afternoon, they sprang up from their seats in eager approval. They affirmed that their society had been a failure, because only a few women had met in the afternoon; as a matter of course, it would be a dull affair.

So it was unanimously decided that they have their meetings both afternoon and evening. And they would have refreshments, too. It would pay to be at a little trouble, and a little expense, to make their gatherings attractive. They would have sandwiches, cake, and coffee. One and another, and another, asserted her conviction that they were then getting on to the right track.

"Yes," spoke up Miss Sophie Haggleton, a spinster of good intentions, and remarkable energy, "I tell y' ladies, victuals doos draw. We us human kind, are much like flies—​where there's somethin' sweet, they git together."

"And it's nartural too," added good old Grandma Baker, "for boys and galls to like to git together. 'Twas, 't any rate, in my day; an' I guess such things hain't changed much sence."

But now a question arose in regard to the frequency of their meetings. They had been in the habit of working for the welfare of mankind once a month, and, for some time, they had not met at all. Some said that once a month was not often enough. Some thought that once in two weeks was not too often. The younger ladies advocated frequent gatherings. It was finally decided that notice should be given from the pulpit before each meeting; their frequency would depend upon circumstances.

But now the unsettled question in regard to foreign and home missions was taken up. There were those who renewed their pleas for the great missionary enterprises abroad. They put forward among other reasons that there were so many to be helped in foreign countries. "Why, my senses!" exclaimed Sophie Haggleton, "there are more people, if they don't exaggerate, in Chiny alone than in all the State of Connecticut, a great deal. An' the poor critters is to be pitied; the men, they say, wear their hair braided down their back, and the women hain't no feet that's good ​for nothin'. Now I believe that the intelligent men among us, like Brother Watkins, Mr. Sears, and other eddycated folks like them, if we work for Chiny, will come to our meetin's, an' help us out."

"And there's another place, that I've hearn tell, where the men are all in casts—I dunno what they mean by it—and the women live in bananas. They say y' can't git at 'em, to du them any good. But I think I'd try it in some way, if I was younger." This was Aunt Rocksy Lee's mind. There was a good deal of quiet smiling when she talked, and yet the old woman was not wholly destitute of ideas. At this point, Mrs. Hale began to call attention to what she thought. Her intelligent ideas always carried much weight, and were usually adopted. She now said: "It seems to me, sisters, that there are some good reasons why we should work both for the poor people far away from us, and also for the needy ones right at our own doors. Let us take in all as well as we can. I think the men are more easily interested in things that they can see and know about than they are in work in China or India. But that is no reason why they shouldn't be interested in the heathen world. Let us try to get them to read missionary literature, and so know what is being done. I believe we can. But just now we shall be more likely to succeed, it seems to me, if we begin our work for people right ​about us. Now we want to get the men to doing something. If we are ready to carry the gospel of good deeds to some poor, that might be mentioned, in our own town, we might, I think, work them in to helping us. If we knit stockings for little barefoot children in Devil's Lane, and such places; if we can carry something good to eat, to families where all the earnings of the father goes many times for liquor, we shall be doing something that all of our men can understand."

"Yes, yes, that's right." "That's sensible." "A good idea, Sister Hale." So responsive voices came from all parts of the room. The allusion to spending one's wages for liquor, came near home to some who would not wish to receive charitable contributions themselves.

"And this occurs to me," added Mrs. Moulton,—one of the mothers whose daughters wished they had kept on going to school another year,—we might interest the men in this way. We can have committees appointed to visit the poor, and let the young men and women go together. Young people always like to be put into business in that way."

This idea was caught up with approval by the young ladies at once. Their "mammas" too, showed no lack of interest in the plan. Even Mrs. Crosby and Mrs. Sweet, who had been foremost in advocating the needs of the foreign field, were ready to let China wait a ​little. It had waited a good while. And then it was urged by Mrs. Hale, and those who were able to take her view of things, that it was very doubtful whether Mr. Sears would like to have them consider him as a candidate for the foreign field. He was young, and had not decided upon his life work yet.

"I think your proposition to appoint committees to look after the poor is sensible; if I were a voting member, I should go in for it most heartily."

Mrs. Aikin had not spoken before. She was a wealthy woman, belonging to the Congregational church; but, as she lived among the Methodist people, she came into the ladies' meetings, and often made generous contributions to aid them in their work. So, though she did not claim the right to vote, what she suggested always had its proper influence. She also had a daughter, Sophrena Jane, who now sat in one corner of the room, and had not spoken. She was not in the habit of entering largely into conversation, except as it was led by others. She had lately attended a family boarding school for young ladies, in another part of the State. She dressed in the height of fashion, and her jewelry was all real gold, and real precious stones. She had no use for glass, set in washed brass. She was her mother's only child. And her mother was a widow. Her father had inherited considerable property, but he made himself rich, largely ​through the sale of liquor in the village store. But country storekeepers then very generally sold spiritous liquors. Although he made his neighbors drunk for their money, it did not brand him with infamy. So Mrs. Aikin was not held in any disesteem because her wealth was accumulated through rum selling.

This preparatory meeting of the ladies came to a happy ending, and they went home with anticipations of much pleasure, if nothing more, in similar gatherings yet to be.