Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-11-08
The Blue Ribbon
By SUSANNA GLENN

Mellow autumn sunlight smiled in
between the muslin curtains. Upon
the spotless yellow floor knelt Mary
Arnold. her blue eyes sparkling. her
cheeks flushed, her yellow hair
tumbIed
Have We ever had better display.
mother?" she asked the little woman
In the arm chair. "Oh, | don't see
how we can fail to take every blue
ribbon!"
Never be too sure, DEAR" answered
Mrs. Arnold cautiously
But mother, we know what all the
neighbors are going to take, and none
of them have anything to compare
with these. We have had the best
display for the past ten years, and
this surpasses them ALL
She fiecked with jealous care bit
of clay from the enormous yellow side
Of pumpkin.
I'll polish the apples and pack the
eggs, and then everything is ready
that We can do tonight. l do hope
we will get everything there safely
Indeed it was a goCdly display OF
vegetables and fruits scattered about
the big kitchen and over the porch.
In the cool pantry stood the cans OF
clearest fruits, jars of preserves and
loaves of cake and bread for which
Mrs. Arnold and her daughter were
famous. In the sitting room in pack
ages waited the quilts with their ex-
quisite stitches, the woven counter
panes, the knitted lace of the mothers
making, and the more modern prod
ucts of the daughters clever fingers.
The Potter Township Fir was nota-
BILE agricultural meeting, of which the
Arnold display was always the most
famous part.
Il love this dear old farm better
mother" cried the girl, pausing sud
denly at the door to look out over the
rolling acres.
You and father must take the
things to the fair in the morning, and
| will keep house I've made up my
mind not to go until Wednesday, when
the prizes will be awarded. | want to
see the blue ribbons all in place at
my first glance!"
We'll, you do beat all, Mary" said
Mrs. Arnold Il never knew you to
be so possessed over the fair before.
/ only hope you will not be disap-
pointed"
Didn't l tell you, mother?" whis-
pered Mary excitedly as they made the
tour of the crowded booths on Wednes-
day. There is a prize on nearly
everything we brought! Have you
been through the culinary depart.
ment?"
Here, too, Haunting blue and red
tickets marked their display. Their
cakes were the lightest, their bread
the whitest, their preserves the clear
est.
81 never saw you so possessed" re-
peated Mrs Arnold, wonderingly.
81 never was, mother" answered
Mary with low laugh. Il suppose it
is because I'm just beginning to turn
into an old maid. Let's go over to the
vegetable building"
In the center of the room on a table
rested a huge pumpkin with blue
card conspicuous against its yellow
hulk
Why" said Mary, that is not our
pumpkin" Brief search disclosed
their own, looking forIornly insignia
cant in a quiet corner.
Whose can it be?" she whispered
disconsolately.
And these are not our eggs,
mother" pausing over the prize boxes.
Their apples and small fruits held
first place as usual. but not one of the
vegetables had taken a prize
II only wish / knew who brought
them. Let's look at the stock and
poultry and go home"
why, Mary Arnold, really believe
you are selfish! We've taken more
than our share of prizes now Wait
here until I go speak to father a
minute"
Did you ever see such pumpkin ?"
said voice close by. Mary turned
to see two women whom she knew
only by sight standing near DO you
know whose 1t is? The ArnoId's, |
suppose. they always do get every
thingi"
mo, this isn't theirs. Myron
Hewitt brought 1t. and nearly all these
prize vegetables"
"Myron Hewitt" cried the woman,
surprised.
.Myron Hewitt" echoed Mary in
audibly, with an uncomfortable thump-
ing of her heart.
Yes. you never saw such change
in fellow in all your life. You know
the Hewitts have always been kind OF
shiftless and things were dreadfully
rundown when they fell to Myron.
The first year or two he worked
just as his father always had, and
whatever changed him none of US can
figure out!