The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-14

Just because jar of butter was not up
to the grade that those asked to purchase
1t felt they must insist on, two loving hearts
have been rudely thrust asunder, and there
are two large chunks of woe down in the
southern part of the State. The scene of
this oieasinous tragedy is the little hamlet
of Rhine Creek, not far from Binghamton.
The principals are Harry Davis and Ellen
johnson. These two live on adjoining
farms. Some time ago Harry made the
discovery that Ellen was about the best
ever and the only one to cheer the de-
Ginning years of his life Qarry is Tin his
twenties.' as the neighbors would put iD,
and resolved that he and Ellen must wed.
About the same time Ellen woke UP to the
warm fact that Harry was 1t. When mat
ters had progressed thus far the plot began
to reveal itself.
At this point group Of villains, both
! he villains and she villains, came on to the
stage from both sides, and began to in
terfere with the smooth progress of loves
young dream by means OF jeers and
| threats. The said villains were imperson-
ated by the parents possessed respectively
! by Henry and Ellen. With much unneces-
l sary harshness and with cruel disregard of
! the tender feelings of Henry and Ellen they
| declared in chorus that this must not be,
| must not be, and that all was over between
1 them. Red fire and slow curtain on the
| tableau of Henry and Ellen roughly torn
| from each others arms by their respective
| sets of parents, Ellen weeping and Henry
| cuSsnS soto voce. SO ends the first act
| of the tragedy.
! The second act opens with Ellen under
| close parental surveillance and Henry, the
faithful lover. stealing surreptit;ous inter-
views with his sweetheart. With appropri-
ate gestures and to low, trembIy music,
the absent villains are defed and an elope-
! ment decided upon, to take place as soon
as sufficient funds can be raised to pay the
minister's fee. About this time Ellen is
nearly Frustrated with sudden thought.
1t is not the fact that she has thought.
nor yet that 1t was sudden that upset Ellen;
she had thoughts before and some OF them
have been sudden. But the briIltancy of
the present celebration almost prostrates
her. Out in the milk room there Is a jar
! of butter made by her own fair hands. 1t
is hers by every right. and they will take
it to the city, sell it. and with the proceeds
thereof start the merry marriage bells
a-ringing.
The third act opens in Binghamton.
Henry and Ellen have come to town with
their lar of butter in wagon loaded by q
sympathetic neighbor. They make the
rounds of the various grocery stores. not
! ! forgetting the delicatessen shops and the
, | fshmongers. But such a slack demand fol-
butter at anything like living-to say moth
ing Of marrying-prices was never known
before Gloom in thick layers began to de-
scend on their hitherto buoyant spirits.
But this time it IL Henry who does the
brilliant thought act. He will 30 to the
minister. tell him the Joint desire Of Eller
and himself, and tender him the jar Of but
ter in lieu Of wedding fee. The ministers
] house was soon reached and the proposition
hopefully submitted. The reverend gentle
man looked at Henry and looked at Ellen