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Show 16 Oh, well, I care nothing for him.' These were some of my thoughts...6 Ellis reported that the holidays (probably the Christmas season) were some of the saddest days of her life and that she could not understand why she failed to enjoy merely being with her brothers and sisters but instead indulged in "vain regrets." A couple of months later something happened which not only pointed up in considerable detail the social customs of the time with regard to missionaries, but wove another thread into the Milford Shipp tapestry: About the middle of February we heard that Brother G. A. Smith and several others were expected at Mt. Pleasant to preach to the people. My cousin Susan was visiting me. The missionaries had arrived and would hold a two days' meeting. We were constant attendants at those meetings. Milford Shipp was with them. The first day after church he called in to see us, chatted a while and invited me to go to a party with him to be given in their honor the following evening. I, of course, accepted the invitation. Susan and I had been invited before by the managers to attend as the partners of the missionaries, but as he was one of them, I thought it made no difference. All of the especially invited young ladies were requested to come up on the stage where a very nice place was arranged for them. Brother Candland was floor manager and the one to introduce the gentlemen to their partners. He started out with Brother Franklin Richards. I thought it was known that I was Brother Shipp's partner but what was my surprise when he stopped and politely introduced Brother Richards to Miss Reynolds. He bowed and requested me to dance. What should I do! All eyes were upon us and I could not say "no." I had not the self possession to frame a suitable excuse, and I thought of an instance where I had refused to dance with a man in authority because I had not danced with my partner, and he told me he would always excuse me in such a case. So I replied "Yes, if Mr. Shipp will excuse me." He replied with the most bitter irony "Certainly." I went on, but oh, how I felt! I knew that I had committed a great error, one that was both rude and unladylike. Brother Shipp was very angry indeed but he consoled himself by taking Susan and I was obliged to retain the one I had chosen, greatly to my disappointment for I had |
