The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-09-16

the neighborhing towns, dressed in
their Sunday best. There was
plowing match worth seeing, at which
Tom Briefly himself took prize
and, to crown all, there was grand
dinner in the big tent, to which every
body walked by twos to the music
of the fife and drum from West Brier-
ly, and all the nobodies stood aside
and stared, and consoled themselves
with sarcastic remarks on the toilet
tes.in the procession, and then went
and peeped through the chinks of
the tent till their mouths watered.
Tom Briefly came in little late TO
the dinner, flushed and handsome
from his blowing, and Amanda's heart
gave a great thump when he dropped
into vacant seat beside Nell, while
she sat opposite, with nobody but
Deacon Small to do the gallantries.
II hope I'm not putting myself in
to somebody else's place" said Tom.
II guess it's all right answered
DR.. Thoroughwort There's many
who would like to put themselves in
to your shoes, l reckon"
Amanda cringed as if somebody
had struck her, and Nell blushed
becoming rose-color. Aud then fol-
lowed speeches and toasts, anu flirta-
tions and philopenaing, and Aman-
da sat through it all, shivering and
burning by turns, hearing nothing
of the pleasantries going on about
her, with no relish for cake or comft,
because Nell Eustis had taken the
first premium on butterl That had
been the result of her nights work
of exchanging cards and butter boxes
with Nelll To be sure it was Aman-
da's butter that had taken the prize,
in spite of her want of faith, but how
could she make it known With what
face could she declare it Surely
her sin had found her out.
"Seems ter me you amt got your /
usual spirits nor appetite, Miss Man
dy," said the deacon. "In love, eh ?
Wont you hev a drop of this honey,
say? It'll make your cheeks red an
your hair curli Patty Jones took the
premium on honey, did you see? The
doctor he asked her, the wag, if she
made it, or the bees. l s'pose Miss
Nell's rather set up with her rpremium
on butter, amt she? Young Briefly
is kinder sweet on her, eh?
At the other side of the table Tom
Briefly was whispering to Nell,
$50 / see your rag mat took prize.
If it was for sale / should buy it."
ooh, III give it to you if you want
it, Tom" said Nell.
'There's something else l wish
you'd give me instead, Nell. Have
you tasted these gillyaowers? What's
the matter? You look pale. Any
deadly secret in your mind? Make me
father confessor, Nell, do! I'm afraid
that, it doesn't agree with you to take
premiums. IN tell you what, Nell,
| if you'll marry me, and come up to the
Hall to live, / shall think I've
drawn the first premium in the coun-
TRY.
"Oh, Tom, - gasped Nell, under her
breath, II don't know what to dol l
must tell somebody Pm almost wild!
IL didn't take the premium for but
teri Somebody has exchanged cards
with me. You sec, ] should never
have found it out, but | stamped my
butter with a strawberry; and that
which took the premium had my card
attached to the box, but it's stamped
with-well, no matter what, it's diff
ferent, that's all. 1t isn't my butter"
as that all?" caied Tom. "You
gave me such start! / thought you
were going to tell me that your affec-
tions were engaged to the deacon, or
you'd been changed in your eradle!"
Now don't laugh at me, Tom"
ats no laughing matter, / can as
sure you, when fellow offers his
heart, and gets nothing back"
"Oh, Tom, what do you want more
than I've given you already"
you've given me therag mat, and
now l want you. Give some people
an inch, and they'll want a Nell"
i But what shall do about the but
teri"
"I'lI tell the judges there has been
a mistake made"
"And then she'll know that she has
been found out"
"And she ought to know it"
Butit1l hurt her; she'll never be
able to hold up her head again, And,
don't you see, she has been punished
already"
ayes, 1 dare say she's heartily
ashamed of herself Perhaps you
had better let it go, and give the mon
ey to the poOrl"
"But I hate to take credit that
doesn't belong to me-"
!, However, Mrs. Wheating herself
came to the rescue. She went into
the town hall to-taste the prise butter
, by means of which poor Amanda lost
her piano.
HBless nay eyes 7" said she, "that's
! my Mandy's butter, ifI was to die
for it, There isn't another lot here
stamped with a sheaf of wheat, and
, I'd take my oath that Mandy's was
though / wasn't fetched up to heel
, swearing in nv fathers house. III
/ just go and get Nell Eustis, and see
: if she'll own it." And Of course Mel
r was only too glad to resign the troub
J Ilesome honor of taking the premium
and the judges were informed, and j
i was finally rcannounced that Aman
, da was the successful competitor
and nobody dreamed how the mis-
: take had come about.
| "They alIus muddle end mix thing
. so at TEEN fairs" explained Mrs
r Wheating.
, But when Amanda hung fire; sht
/. wouldn't hear to tit cost too much
J she hadn't any gift at music-and s.
. the matter dropped. But when Mel
3 fulfilled her dream, and married Tom
, and went to live at Briefly Hall, sh'
: gave Amanda her secondhand piano
l that had cost Amanda so much.
: And, after all, Tom Briefly think