The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-09-19
A Melting story.

A Melting STORY.
One winter cven.n. u country store
keeper in the Green Mountain State
was about closing up for the night,
and while standing in the snow out
side. putting up the window shutters,
saw through the glass a lounging,
worthless fellow within, grab a 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 Il very
few minutes found the Green Noun
tain storckcepcr at once indulging his
appetite for fun to the fullest extent,
and paying off the thief with Il face
tious sort of torture. for which he
would have gained a premium for the
old inquisition.
81 say, Seth, said the store-kccp-
cr coming in and closing the door after
him, slappinr his hand over his shoul-
dcrs and stamping the snow off 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 cXitas
soon as possible.
II say Seth, sit down: | reckon
now on such c-ter-na! night as this,
little something warm would not
hurt Il fellow.
Seth felt very uncertain he had
the butter and was exceedingly anX-
ious to be Oft, but the temptation of
something warm sadly intcrfered with
his resolution to 60 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 manner cornered by the
boxes and barrels, that while the gro
Ger stood before him there was no pos
siblc way Of getting out, and right in
this very place sure enough the store
keeper sat down.
Seth, we II have little warm San
ia Cruz" said the Green Mountain
grocer; so he opened the stove door,
and stuffed in as many sticks as the
place would admit without it you d
freeze going home such night as
this. .
Seth already felt the butter settling
dowu closer to his hair, and he jump
ed 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 seat by his cunning tormcn-
tor
..Oh !. it's so darned hot here,
said the petty thief attempting to rise.
Sit down-dont be in such a
pla@uy hurry, rctortcd the grocer,
pushing him back into his chair.
But I've got the COWS to fodder.
and the wood to split, and 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 cool YOU appear to be lit
tie iidgctty," said the roguish grocer
with 4 wicked lecr.
The next thing WAS the production
of two smoking glasses of hot toddy:
the very sight Of which. in Seth 5
present situation, would have made
the hair stand erect upon his head had
it not been we'll oiled and kept down
by the butter.
Seth. | will give you a toast. now:
and YOU can butter it yourself. said
the grocer with an air Of such consum-
mate simplicity that poor Seth be
licvcd himself unsuspcctcd. Seth.
here s-hcrc's christmas goose,
well roasted, rll | tell you its the
greatest eating in creation. And
Seth. don you never use hog fat.
or common cooking butter. to paste 1t
with come take your buttcr-l mean
Seth. take your toddy.
Poor Seth now began to smoke as
well aS melt. and his mouth was her
mctically scaled up, as though he had
been born dumb. Streak after streak
If butter camc pouring from under his
hat. and his handkerchief was already
soaked with the greasy overflow.
Talking away. as if nothing was the
matter. the grocer kept stutfing wood
into the stovc. while poor Seth sat
upright, with his back against the
counter. and his knees touching the
red hot furnace before.
..ploruv cold niuht. this. said the