The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-04-24

Ware, the n1neteen-year-Old son OF the
president Of the Agricultural Society,
was in charge of the entry. books in
the administration building. The sec
rotary who usually attended to the
matter, was busy experimenting the
erection Of new bandstand, the old
one having at the last moment unex-
pectedly collapsed.
There were seven books open, upon
the long counter in front Of Gilbert.
Near them stack of entrytage waited
to receive the exhibitors numbers, the
names Of their exhibits and the class
es to which they belonged. Each en-
try book contained long list of ar
tic1es for which premiums were Of
fered, with blank spaces for the ex-
hibitorS' names. 1t was really very
simple arrangement, and for the first
hour, when the exhibits arrived slowly,
Gilbert had no trouble. But ten
o'clock found his table piled high with
cucumber pickles, crocheted bed-sllp-
pers, cut flowers, dressed dolls, fruit,
works of art, cabbages, and canary
birds in cages.
A score of impatient exhibitors were
demanding exhibition tickets, calling
attention to the merits Of their es-
pecia1 brand Of potatoes, and insisting
upon being attended to at once. Some
OF the men were making pathetic at
tempts to give names to the articles
of fancy work entrusted to them by
their womankind
''One at a timep' pleaded Gilbert
pressing his hands to his head. Its
this mans turn. Your name, please?'
"O1af Oleson." Number two hundred
and twenty-five. What have you?'' ask
ed Gilbert, writing the name. "Apples,
winter cabbage, some yelly and yam for
my vonans, some sewlng-Work, some
- "Ho1d on! Let's tend to the apples
first. What kind-Duchess of Olden-
burg?" 'Yaw" ''They look like Bald
wins objected bystander They're
Baldwins, aren't they? "Yaw," as
scented the Swede. mo, they're Red
Astrachans," said a second objecter.
eve got some just like EN- % ''We1l,
fix It up with the head Of that de-
partment. I've entered 'em plain ap-
pies What's this cloth thing?" Sew
ing work. My vomans, She" Yes,
yes! But what's its name? Is it knit
ted, embroidered or hemstiched? Is
it a table-cloth, a rug, or a sofa pill
low" "Yaw," replied the man oblig-
ingly. 81 must have help!' cried Gil
bert, springing up and making for the
door. 'I'll be back presently
He looked up and down the road,
but the prospect was not promising
The working force was inadequate
the heads Of the departments were
already overburdened, and the fair
grounds were three miles from town.
There were people enough, to be sure,
streaming in at the gates with more
exhibits for Gilbert to enter, but he
saw none who were likely to make
valuable assistants Suddenly, how
ever, he caught sight Of a girl who
was flying up the road on a bicycle,
with small parcel dangling from her
handlebars. He recognized in her a
classmate, and one of the brightest
girls in the high school.
20 Virginia" he shouted, swait a
minute!" "Did you call me?' asked
the girl, sPringing to the ground.
eyes. Could you help fellow that's
ters Moreover, she was sklllful with
to go home, do you? I brought lunch
enough for two. Mrs. Bailey is going
to make coffee over the popcorn mans
fire, and we're all to have lunch in her
building | need you awfully to help
me with the entry books. [ can't see
how woman can work for a year on
a piece Of sewing and then not know
what to call it when it's finished"
ginia, with the prospect Of one Of