Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-05-01
The Jar of Ounce Preserve.

room, JeSdlllOe TldIuy lOOh uO"H io'
glass candy-jar OF ounce preserve, held
it against the light, and regarded lovingly
the perfect half-spheres floating in red
gold sirup. She was as sure now that it
was without peer in the country as she
had been that August afternoon six weeks
before, when she had stood in her lattice
porch and ladIed the preserve from the
shining copper kettle.
She was in the act of replacing the jar
on its shelf, when thought came to her
that stopped her round young arms in
mid-air. In the spicy gloom ofthe store
room the girls soft cheeks bloomed scar-
LET with excitement.
"Pm going to send il to the fair, she
said aloud. "Today's the day for enter
ing. It's sure to win the blue ribbon"
A shadow crossed her face. Richards
mother will take it hard, after having won
first ribbon for so many years" The
pretty mouth Strengthened decisively.
"Well, piece ofhumble-pie will be good
for her."
IeSamine reviewed the two years since
her marriage, from The day when Richard,
taking her from behind the ribbon coun-
ter OF a department store, had brought
her to this quiet village, where the cut OF
a gown made no difference whatever in a
PERSONS standing, but where heavy
bread was cardinal sin, and muddy pre-
serve evidence OF unspeakable depravity.
II had been hard struggle for her, but
now at last she felt that her kitchen was
no longer an exacting taSk-mistress, but
willing handmaid. Richards mother
had made the discipline cruel. II she
had ever praised-but she had not. She
had always smiled that smile Of hers, cold
and hard like everything about her, and
said, "You ought to do better than that,
JeSamine."
ADgered by Mrs. Hardy's everlasting
chilling smile, her daughter-in-law had
set her teeth and conquered. Now, she
felt, the sweets of conquest could oe hers.
She'll take it hard" Jesamine thought
again, as she carried her ounce preserve
to the kitcheh, "but lve earned the blue
ribbon fairly. Besides, why didn't she
ever praise instead OF finding fault ?"
In the kitchen JeSamine polished the
candy jar until it had attained the trans
parency OF ether; then she packed the jar
in a basket and SET out for the fairgrounds.
The woman's building was in turmoil.
lane Hoover had crocheted bedSpread
tucked under her arm; Vitula Ware was
carefully holding wax flowers under a
glass bell i; Amanda Bennett had her un-
conquerable golden globe of clover but
ter: all were talking at once. Luella
Hardy, with her hard smile, was entering
her jar OF ounce preserve, and saying to
her neighbor in the line, eyes, always
take the blue. My mother did before
me-"
Jesamine's pretty red lips tightened.
at will hurt her pride" the girl thought,
"but she needs the lesson. She's as cold
and hard as if she had been starched stiff
and then frozen p When her turn at The
window Came, Jesamine entered her own
Jar in the "beSt specimen Of ounce pre-
serve" class.
The rest Of the morning Jesamine went
about her work hugging her anticipated
triumph to her bosom. When Richard
came home to dinner lie found his wife
with brilliant eyes and poppy-red spot
high on each cheek.
"Why, girlie," he said, "you look as if
you had just Inherited the earth !"
Jesamine opened her mouth to speak,
but did not; she realized that Dick would
not enjoy triumph won at his mothers
expense, and suddenly the prospect OF
triumph that her husband could not share
began 10 lose its brightness.
While she Sewed in her little e-clad
porch, after dinner. it became duller and
duller. AT the end OF two hours, she
sighed plaintively, 81 can't doit can't
hurt Dick I'll have to withdraw my en-
try and give up the blue ribbon. sup
pose must 60 on giving up, all the rest
OF her life"
Walking TO the fairgrounds, she soon
had the jar OF preserve once more in her
own possession. On her way home,
she stopped for spool OF thread at the
store. II was so crowded with country
people who had come to town for the
opening Of the fair that she had TO wait
a quarter OF an hour before Dick could
give the thread TO her. He looked tired
and worn with the stress OF the day, and
Jesamine said under her breath, 'Pm so
glad didn't hurt Dick, even if his mother
does need piece OF hnmble-pie ~
At last Richard was free. 'Jesamine,
he said, 81 shall not be home for supper;
the stores got TO be kept open on account
oil the fair crowds. And thought-Tlayte
you'd like to ask mother to tea with
you. She'll be alone, too, for Uncle
Stephen will have to stay al the drug
store until late" Richard Spoke in the
wiStful tone Of man who, loyal 10 his
mother and adoriug his wife, and yet
aware that there is no sympathy between
the two, knows he treads on uncertain
ground in asking either 10 do favor for
the other.
Jesamine managed TO smile in asserting
to the plan, but she was human. When
she reached home the perfection of the
candy-jar's contents tempted her anew.
"IIl put some of it on the tea-table," she
said aloud. "Of course she'll never
admit it, but she can't help seeing how
good It's"
A little before dusk, when Jesanline