Ellsinore, MO - More than half a century removed from her heyday as the town mattress, Beatrice Wofford says she has no regrets for allowing more than the occasional travelling salesman, migrant farm-worker or railroad employee to “take a ride on the Bea-Train”. As she slowly tilts her head back and closes her eyes, she can still picture the condescending glances and hear the murmured whispers as she would go into town as a young woman, but they pale in comparison to her pride about the fact that her yard was always mowed, her car tuned, her house painted, and many other luxuries that the typical single woman in Ellsinore couldn’t have enjoyed while making the average wage at the local sewing factory.

   Long since retired from her seamstress job and living a quiet life at the David O’Conner Senior Citizen’s Home, Beatrice still hears the occasional whisper from her fellow female bingo players. Then with a sly grin, she also notes that “I have enough snack room coupons to buy this place.”

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