The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-07-06
ELLEN WAS TOO YOUNG.
The Tub of Butter-Well, It Wash

The Tub of Butter-Well, It Wasn't.
 Just because jar of butter was not up to the grade that those asked to pur- chase it 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 oleaginous tragedy is the little hamlet of Rhine Creek, not far from Bingham ton. The principals are Henry Davis and Ellen Johnson. These two live on adjoining farms. Some time ago Hen- " made the discovery that Ellen was about the best ever and the only one to cheer the declining years of his life (Henry is lin his twenties." as the neighbors would put it, and resolved that he and Ellen must we'd About the . same time Ellen woke up to the warm fact that Henry was It, When matters 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 interfere with the smooth progress of loves young dream by means of jeers and threats. The said villains were in- personated by the parents possessed respectively by Henry and Ellen. With much unnecessary harshness and with cruel disregard of the tender feel ings of Henry and Ellen they declared in chorus that this must not be, must not be, and that all was over between them. Red fire and slow curtain on the tableau of Henry and Ellen rough ly torn from each others arms py their respective sets of parents, Ellen weeping and Henry cussing sotto voce. So ends the first act of the tragedy.
 The second act opens with Ellen un- der close parental surveillance and Henry, the faithful lover, stealing sur reptitious interviews with his sweet heart. With appropriate gestures and to low, trembling music, the absent villains are defied and an elopement de- cided upon, to take place as soon as sufficient funds can be raised to pay the minister's fee About this time El- len is nearly prostrated with sudden thought. It is not the fact that she has a thought, nor yet that 1t was sudden that upset Ellen; she has had thoughts before and some of them have beth sud- den But the brilliancy of the present cerebration almost prostrates her. Out in the milkroom there Is jar of butter made by her own fair hands. It is hers by every right, and they will take 1t to the city, sell 1t 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 jar of butter in a wagon loaned by q sympathetic neighbor. They make the rounds of the various grocery stores. not forgetting the deli catessen shops and the hshmongers. But such a slack demand for butter at anything like living-to say nothing Of narrying-prices was never kneWs be- fore. Gloom ip thick layers began to descend on their hitherto buoyant splr- its.
 But this time it is Henry who does tne brilliant thought act. He will go to the minister, tell him the joint desire of Ellen and himself. and tender him the far of butter in lieu of wedding fee. The minister's house was soon reached and the proposition hopefully submitted The reverend gentleman looked at Henry and looked at Ellen and looked at the butter. While two hearts fluttered and palpitated the min tster tasted the butter. Then he opined that Ellen was too young to wed.
 It was sad couple that turned their backs on Binghamton and headed for Rhine Creek. Ellen has returned to her fathers house and Henry is doing the chores, as usual. And both are won dering what was the matter with the butter.-Utica Observer.