Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-06-01
The Church Fair.

| DlO never lcll yOu W udt u shhS a"u
at our church fair last winter 2" said she to
me one evening.
"No! what Of it 2"
Now amt that strange? Thought I had
told everybody about it, to be sure. La,
well, twill be news to you then You know
Nora Thorndale, Judge Thorndale's darter.
She came over to our house and said our con-
gregation were goin' to have fair in the vii
lage meetin house!
"Do tell" SUI l. Who's goin' to preach %
"Oh' says she, mighty smilin' "we amt
goiu' to have preachin' few young persons
of tue congregation, who seem to take deep
er interest in the church's welfare than the
members themselves, desire to purchase q
few indispensable articles for the meetin'
house; and we thought if all the church
wonld present us cakes, and pies, and meats,
and such things, we would appoint night to
sell them in the yestry of the church, and
take the proceeds to buy the necessary things.
The plan is we'll received, especially by the
young. You know the money is 10 be spent
for charitable purposes, and on that account
everything given US will sell for double its
value"
"Well, wouldn't have believed that there
was so much wisdom left in the world as to
have conjured up that" SUI |.
"Tis even so," said Nora. Sand what
will you give You live on farm, and farm
ers produce lots Of things that would be ac-
"Well, will give two roast turkeys and
six chickens, SUI |, thinking that would be as
much as anybody could expect those hard
tines"
.Um! Well, what else7 'Tis for the
church you give it, you know. Church men,
bels should not be less anxious for their in
terests than the world"
"You see was o church member and she
wasn't"
"Well, I'll give jar Of peach JAM" SUI l.
"That will help.along some. A few BUSH
els of apples or roast pig would be accepta-
BILE !"
"She was so ravenous began to be sorry
I'd offered her anything. Howsomever
thought I'd go the whole hog or none, so
promised the pig and apples.
"Of course you will give US cheese, and
cakes, and milk, and cream, and then think
you will have done your part at giving. By
the way, we are to have historical tableaux
and Mrs Amos Bruce wanted I should ask
you to take the part Of the Witch of Endor.
All you will have to do will be to dress to
represent that lady, and stand perfectly still
behind curtain; and people will pay some
thing to see you2"
"Wcll, I'se old and ignorant, and didn't
know what I'se about, so consented.
~ sent them the pig, and the turkeys, and
chickens and apples, and the rest of the things
wanted, up to the meetin' house the day be-
fore the fair.
"The next day husband tackled up his old
horse and chase to carry me to the fair. Our
old chase, somehow or other, don't look very
well. There's o hole in the top and sides,
and some of the spokes of the wheels are
gone. The wheels squeak powerfully, too.
Wall, we hadn't but just got into town,
when it seemed as if all the boys out of Jail
come hollerin' and hootin' arter us as if they
were possessed.
9Hurra for the witch of Endor! Her
chariot approacheth! Make way sor her ma
jesty 2" they kept squallin' at the top of their
lungs.
sDoa>k them unightly critters to be civil"
SUI to husband, my patience gone entirely.
Sat that he climbered out Of the ohaise,
and after um lick-erty split, tight as be could
leg it. And, oh ! massy sake he dropped
the rens on the ground, and the old horse
took notion TO 60 and he went. You see
be knew the way to the church, and he put
chase for it. Husband he came hollerin'
"whoa, whoam % just as I was riding up to
the meetin' house. The meetin' house yard
was full Of folks laughing and straining as if
they had no responsibility in um. got out
of the chaise and made my way through the
crowd, and when they wouldn't make room 1
elbowea them right smartly; Pm desput
thin of flesh, and my elbows awful sharp, and
AMI whe. hit u,n they gave back as if they'd
been struck with dagger.
Paid twenty cents to 60 into the church.
The table inside did look beautiful. Nora,
she explained the fxins to me. There were
trap. boxes that contained hundred things
worth one cent, and one thing worth ten,
and they paid five cents a grab, and if you
grabbed right you would get twice. your
moneys worth. Then there was ring cake
Twas divided into fifteen slices, and one
slice contained ring worth fifty cents; so
he that got the right slice, got ring. And
there were guess cakes, and ever so many
kinds of such things: too numerous to men
ton.
avail; they dressed me up to represent
the witch of Endor. never was very hand
some, and they rigged me up at such rate
that must have looked awful. stood be-
hind curtain, and people paid ninepence
to come in and see me. Some went off mad !;
nb;ldron ponarol1u conrad Some went Off
laughing as if they'd split. evidently pro-
duced a powerful impression on all that saw
me. People at last began to come to see me
faster than they could be Accommodated.
could hear um talking around the tables
about the witch O. Endor, and the witch of
Endor's pig, and turkeys, and cake; began
to feel dreadfully as though l was making a
fool of myself
81 stood there feeling desputly, and had
just made up q face to cry over my unfor-
tunate condition, when all of sudden down
came tho curtain; and there stood right out