The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-13


some professed to remember "that
lovely face" to feel sure they knew
il we'll. The professor packed away
the letters and photographs. and took
the cravats to Miss Keziah.
"Fhe college boys sent you these.
VIII they do?" he said.
"Do - cried Miss Keziah. "Why,
they are beautiful. !. couldn't dream
q nothin' more soothin' than the
Qiers. l can't believe Pm awake.
On! them good young men! May
y ey get all the first prizes and hon
PSI And as for you. leave them
"a, 50 atthe gates of the lawn and
,youNl get let in. There's a goodness
in this that / amt got no words for.
Who else would care whether poor
old maid-old enough to be his
gran'ma had nothin' or not? DON'T
yer think I'd orter go up TO say Pm
obleeged at the college ?"
"They don't admit ladies, but Pll
take your message" said the profess
sor.
That evening he enjoyed himself
greatly over the letters and the pho
tOgraphs, while old Miss Keziah,
with dove'like murrnurs of joy, de-
signed her crszy-quilt.
Everyone has some talent; Miss
Keziah's certainly was for quilts.
She concOted Of the delicate crayats
a very marvel of beauty that remind
ed one of the leaves of wild flowers
cast down together. She had the adj
vantage of perfect material; and at
last, when the exhibits were present.
ed to the committee, and when she
laid hers upon the table it looked re-
ally lovely amongst the gariSh colors
of its RIVALS.
Miss Keziah had never had a
triumph in all her life before, but
now she heard praises of her quilt in
all directions; and the professor QUE
morning brought her local paper, in
which appeared paragraph to the
following effect
1.-The most admired of all the ex-
hibits at our great fair is crazy-quiIt,
the work of Miss Keziah Prudent, IAN
old resident ia our town. 1t is GER
tain to take the prize"
Miss Kezian pasted this notice on
a card. and framed it in a little rustic
frame. No operate soprano ever re-
ioiced more utterly in her press no.
tees.
And, moreover, an offer was made
for her quilt.
"Would she sell it for 800 ?"w wrote
the committee.
"If | was rich I'd never part with
it." said poor Keziah to the professor.
"I'd keep it for remembrance of you
and them good young men,"
But the professor told her that they
would rejoice in her good luck, and
she wrote a trembling consent to the
sale, blotted with tears of happiness.
The prize was hers. When the
fair was closed she held in ner hands
Sl25, and in her heart the happiness
that little fiutter of tickled vanity
must give one unused to it.
Moreover, she had several orders
for quilts from wealthy ladies who
had desired to buy the original, and
the professors idea had really made
her life easier.
Beside, now that Miss Kezian Pru-
dent had become a. little famous. one
or two boarders came to occupy her
vacant rooms.
That crazy quilt was pivot on
which fortune turned for the mild
old woman.
The professor kept his counsel. en-
joyed mis- laugh alone, and was not
spitefuI. Nobody ever made any
confidence concerning those letters,
except young Grub. Young Grub
was plain, and not vain, and very
frnd of the professor. Before he left
college they supped together. and
afterwards sat smoking in the moon
light on balcony. 1t was romantic
moment.
professor Vernon" said young
Grub, "if l tell you something, you'll
not laugh at me ?"
"Oh! mol" said the professor.
sits foolish" said Grub. You
know I'm an awfuIly ugly fellow,
rough and all that. no hero for love
tale--but-I have one. DoyOu know
a girl has fallen in love with "'
Could anyone believe it? A hand
some girl. | never saw her. I'd
give my life to find her. I'd wor-
ship the ground she trod on. She
wrote to ask me for a cravat ] had
worn, TO treasure. Really, Pm
ashamed to tell you but If any one
writes to ask where Orlando Grut
hos oona yonjll uiva NV address