The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-06-24
MISS DILL'S DELEGATE.

Miranda Dill was doing up the last
of her ounces one November morning,
when some one raped at her kitchen
door. When she opened the door she
saw Mrs. Deacon Draper standing on
the little back porch.
''Scuse me for coming round to the
back door, Mirandy," said Mrs.
Draper, as she stepped into the
spotl'sssly clean and sweetly fragrant
little kitchen. 81 could tell from the
looks of the front of the house that you
was in back, and | thought I'd save
you the trouble of running to let me in
at the front door. My how sweet and
spicy it smells in here"
''Ive been spicing some sweet APP
pies, and now Pm doing up the last o.
my quinces," replied Miss Miranda.
"Im real partial to ounce preserves,
and think that a little ounce is nice
in apple sauce. But here, Pm keeping
you standing. Come and sit down in
this rocking chair that is if you don't
mind sitting in a kitchen"
Not if it's your kitchen, Mirandy,
for it's so clean and coy here. How
lovely your plants look
"Yes, think the Kitchens a good
place for plants! There's so much
moisture from the teakettle, and it's so
sunny in here. | have chrysan-
themum that'll be in full bloom by
Thanksgiving, or before"
''If it comes out before, You ought to
put it on the table you're to have charge
of, when the Association meets with
us the week before Thanksgiving"
at would look lovely on the table,
wouldn't it? And flowers will be real
scarce by that time. Do they expect a
good many at the Association ?"
"Oh, yes the Deacon thinks there'll
be as many as a hundred delegates
come, and that's what / run over to
see you about. You know I'm Chair
man of the Committee on Entertain
ment.n
"Yes heard it give out Sunday"
"Well, Tm round looking up en-
tertainment for the delegates, and /
knew could count on you taking at
least one you will, won't you?n
"Oh, yes, Pm willing to take one.
I'd take two if they could room to-
gether you know Pve only onespare
room. l could, on pinch, give up
my bed room, and could sleep on the
sitting-room lounge, but if l did that
it'd keep me so busy wouldn't get
out to many of the meetings"
''Oh, ones all you ought to be asked
to take, and I'll try to have some real
nice person sent TO you. Sometimes
when folks are getting free entertain
ment they're fussier and more exactine
than if they were paying board Nv,
had delegates act just So"
"Well, | don't know that / have y
replied Miss Dill. She was a kindly
s)ul who did kindly deeds and found
delight in speaking kindly words. Hel
tongue was little given to saying un
kind things about any one, and it wa:
loyalty itself TO her brothers and sis
tiers in the Baptist Church.
'The association comes the week be
fore Thanksgiving, believe" sh,
said, when Mrs. Draper had risen {,
go.
ayes, on Tuesday and Wednesday
Most of the delegates are expected oi
Monday, and they'll be likely to sta.
until Thurs ay."
"I'd just as soon have mine stay tina
long as not, if you send me. some rea
pleasant person. l just enjoyed enter
tanning the delegates had last spring
when the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union met here"
"I'll try and have some real mic
agreeable person sent to you, Mirandy.
Mrs. Draper went OH her homewar,
way and Miss Dill gave her attention
to the ounce preserves simmering in |
blue, porcelain-lined kettle on he
shining stove. She was immaculatel,
neat as to her surroundings. Her move
ments were as quick and free as thos
of girl of eighteen, while it was SAT-
| i'm the town that Miranda owned u
to forty-eight,' but it was also sai'
that whatever Miss Dill owned up tc
was the exact truth. She was know
to be absolutely honest in word and i
deed. Her life was as an open book
1t had always been a good and kind
ly life, and much of it had been spen
i'm the service of others and in promoi
ing the general good of the world. Sh
was sometimes called the backbone