Connecticut western news., 1874-05-15

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 } "Who ever heard of taste in ra mat ?" laughed Amanda, peevishly "Do let's talk about the fair. I've go butter on the brain"
 A fatty degeneracy of the brain eh ?" insinuated Tom.
 "Now don't laugh: if you had pre- mlum to take, you wouldn't feel s' easy;v .,,.
 "Do you send your butter to thu town-hall, Nell, in your butter box just as if it was going to market P"
 rags-'sthis bit of orange wouldn't gt in badly there ?-yes, with my name or
 Would you mind lending me you stamp-the sheaf of wheat after you'v, done using it?" r "t-t7@ea 3s<
 "Not the least in the world"
 T broke mine last churning."
 "Ill send it over." And that was how it happened that Nell stamped hel own butter with strawberry instead oi sheaf of wheat.
 | DO Tar Amanda had been as honest as the sun. Mother D hadn't so much as touched the churn-dasher, and il was not till the evening before fair-day that the father of lies, or original sIn, made suggestion to her naturally not in accordance with "honor bright" The butter, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and fancy-work were all displayed in the town-hall, ready for the morrow's judgment, Nell's and Amanda's among the rest and it had unfortunately fall en to MT. Wheating's part-he being one of the judges on fruits and vegeta. bles, and the nearest neighbor-to lock up the hall and take the key home, in order to make sure that the products oi the county were not molested. Aman- da saw him come in and hang the key behind the keeping-room door.
 "What's that, father ?" she asked.
 "It's the key to the town-hall, that's all."
 And then her evil genius "said his say," and she wrestled with him till all the house was asleep, and was woxsted. She threw a shawl over her shoulders just as the clock struck eleven, and took down the key stealthily, looking over her shoulder the while. "I must have the piano, at all odds," her thoughts ran, "and as for the premium, I'll make it up to Nell some day." The moon light was so bright she had no need of lantern. She hurried across the fields into the highway, brushing the dew as she went straight to the town-hau and let herself in. The moon, playing fantastic pranks among the strange assemblage there, startled her at first. A mammoth cabbage seemed to be shaking it's head at her the eyes in the potatoes winked at her knowingly; the air was rank with the odor of fruit. She knew exactly where her butter box had been placed, and Nell's too she re- membered that the boxes were counter parts of each other, both small and un- painted. All she did in the world was to put her own box in the place o1 NelI's, and exchange cards with her. Then she slipped out again, and the great door groaned on it's hinges, and the groan echoed through the silent hall and before she was fairly out of it's shadow, somebody passed by on the other side, whistling, "The rose that all are praising." She drew the shawl over her head for it was Tom Brierly, who paused and looked after her re- | treating figure. Where had Tom been at this hour? At Nell's, perhaps, look. | ing at the piano. She had seen it ar. 1 rive that night with her own eyes, and had not plucked up heart enough to go in and praise it. It seemed too bad that | Nell should have the piano and the pre- mium both for the foolish girl hadn't doubt but Nell's butter would be the best it had taken the premium once, and people weren't apt to retrograde in the matter of making butter. But then if Tom should find her out, how he would despise her and at that thought though she was hurrying away from hel m1sdeed, she would gladly have re turned and made it all honor bright again, but for fear of meeting Tom and being detected. ....-
 The next day the roads were gay, and alive with folks focking in from the the neighboring towns, dressed in thei1 Sunday best. There was blowing. match worth seeing, at which Tom Sri erly himself took prize and, to crowr all, there was the grand dinner in the big tent, to which every body walked by twos to the music of the fife and drum from West Brierly, and all the no bodies stood aside and stared, and con | on the toilettes in the procession, ano then went and peeped through the chinks of the tent till their mouths wa tered.
 Tom Brierly came in little late tt 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 sa opposite with nobody but Deacon Smal to do the gallantries.
 "I hope I'm not putting myself into somebody else's place." sad Tom.
 "I guess it's all right" answered Dr Thoroughwort. "There's many who'd like to put themselves into your shoes l reckon. -f-l@
 And Amanda cringed as if somebod, had struck her, and Nell blushed be coming rose-color. And then followed speeches and toasts, and fiirtations ant philopenaing, and Amanda sat througl it all, shivering and burning by turns hearing nothing of the pleasantries go ing on about her, with no relish for cat or comfit, because Nell Eustis hat taken the first premium on butterl Ina had been the result of her nights wor] of exchanging cards and butter boxe with Nell! To be sure it was Amanda butter that had taken the prize, in spit of her want of faith, but how could sh ; make it known? With what face coul' : she declare it? Surely her sin ha , found her out. "Seems ter me you ain't got you , usual sperits nor appetite, Mis | Mandy" said the deacon. "In love eh? Won't you hev drop of thi honey, say? It I'll make your cheek t red an your hair curl. Patty Jone 3 took the premium on honey, did 70 5 see? The doctor he asked her, th 3 wag, if she made it, or the bees. l s'pose Miss Nell's rather set up wit ) her premium on butter, ain't she r Young Brierly is kinder. sweet on he