, 1872-11-14
A Melting Story.

~ fiSiIiilS SIOfy.
One Winter evening a. country store
keeper in the Green Mountain State was
about closing mp for the night, and while
standing in the snow outside, putting
up the window shutters, saw through
the glass lounging, worthless fellow
within. grab pound of fresh butter
from the shelf, and conceal it in his hat.
The act was no sooner detected than
the revenge was hit upon, and a very
few minutes fonnd the Green Mountain
storekeeper at once induiging his appe-
tite for fun to the fullest extent, and pay
ing off the thief with facetious sort of
torture, for which he would have gained
a premium from the old In4uisition.
81 say, Seth said the storekeeper,
coming in and closing the doora him,
slapplng his hand over bis shoulders and
stamping the snow of his feet.
Seth had his hand on the door, his
hat on his head, and the roll of butter
in his hat, anxious to make his exit as
soon as possible.
81 say, Set sit down; I reckon. now,
on such a cold night as this little some
thing warm would not hurt fellow"
Seth felt very uncertain; he had the
butter, and was exceedingly anxious to
be eff; but the temptation Of something
warm sadly interfered with his resolu-
tor to CO. This hesitation, however,
was soon settled by the right owner of
the butter taking Seth by the shoulders
and planting him in seat close to the
stove, where he was in such q manner
cornered in by the boxes and barrels
that, while the grocer stood before him,
there was no possibility of getting out,
and right in this very place sure enough
the storekeeper sat down. (
"Seth, We'll have little warm SAG
Cruz" said the Green Mountain groces;
so he opened the stove door and stuffed
in as many sticks as the place would al
nit; without it you'd freeze going
home such night as this
Seth already felt the butter settling
down closer to his hair, and he jumped
up, declaring he must go.
Not till you have something warm,
Seth; Seth, come, I've got a story to tell
you," and Seth was again rushed into
his seal by his cunning tormentor.
'Oh it's so hot here" said the petty
thief, attempting to rise.
"Sit down don't be in such hurry"
retorted the grocer, pushing him back
into his chair.
But I've got the COWS to fodder, and
the wood to split, and 1 must be going,
said the prosecuted chap.
"But you mustn't tear yourself away,
Seth, in this manner. Sit down, let the
cows take care of themselves, and keep
yourself cool; you appear to be q little
said the rogueish grocer with
q wicked leer.
The next thing was the pro duction of
two smoking glasses of hot toddy, the
very sight of which, in Seth's present
situation, would have made the hair
stand erect upon his head had il, not
been we'll oileda and kept down by the
butter.
!" Seth. I will give you toast, now,
and you can .butterik yourself, said the
grocer, with an air Of such consummate
simplicity, that poor Seth believed him
self unsupported. "Geth, here's-here's
a Christmas goose, well roasted, eh ?
1 tell you its the greatest eating in Gea-
ton. And Seth, don't ycu never use
hogs fat, or common cooking butter, to
baste it with; come, take your butter-I
mean, Seth, take your toddy."
Poor Seth now began to smoke, as
well as melt and his mouth was hernati-
'cally sealed up. as though he had been
born dumb. Streak after streak of the
butter came pouring from under his hat,
and his handkerchief was already soaked
with the greasy overflow. Talking away,
as if nothing was the matter, the fun
loving grocer kep. stufing wood into
the stove, while poor Seth sat upright.
with his back against the counter. and
ms knees touching the red hot furnace
before. .Ss5a5ii5
"coid night, this" said the grocer.
why Seth, you seem to perspire as if
you were warm ? Why don't you take
your hat of ? Here, let me put your
hat away?"