The log cabin Democrat., 1916-02-21
UNCLE j0ES PRIZE
BY JANE OSBORN.

the big city for day or two to re-
visit the old home town Of Hardys
Corners, he always made tracks for
the one-room headquarters of the
Hardys Corners Weekly Gazette,
where his Uncle Joe Brown, with the
aid of single Office boy, performed
the entire operation of getting out the
local news sheet, all the way from cir
culation boosting to running the press.
We'll, now" began his uncle in his
characteristic drawl, IF you really
want to help out a mite, you might
hitch up the old nag and take a turn
out the pike to see the girl I've picked
for the winner of the beauty contest.
You see, it's this way: Subscriptions
have been kind Of falling off since the
rural free delivery brought the city
papers around every day, and for
some years I've been thinking I'd got
to do something to help give things a
boost So hit on the idea of having
some contests of interest to the wom-
en- folks. I've got a due bill on the
dry goods emporium here for some
advertisements they have owed for
going on two years, and I'll have the
winners take out their prizes that
way.
We'll, the contest is coming along
fine-especially the beauty one-and
I've got drawer packed full of pic
lures of pretty girls from all around
here-only all of them aren't so pretty.
I've about decided on the winner.
/ stopped around to get good look
at her after she'd sent i her photo
and, honest, you couldn't see a finer
looking girl If you spent a lifetime
looking She's regular old-fashioned
kind-beautiful eyes and-oh, well,
you've got to see her to know. Now,
what | want you to do is this: I've
picked her, and in the next number
of the Gazette that comes out on Sat
urday, I'm going to announce her win
ming, with a picture Of the girl, and
the same afternoon we're going to
have the girl and some of her friend,
come down and blow them off to a
course dinner at the hotel, and then
take them on a Joy ride.
Now, suppose you go out this morn
ing and see the girl, and tell her she
has got the prize, and take the due
bill on the emporium with you, and,
If you could, you might take her to
the emporium and have her pick out a
pretty dress and hat and other fixings
for the prize. Be sure to get some
thing pretty and kind Of SNOWY, so
when folks see them they will sort of
give the Gazette a boost.
You'll have to stop at the house
when you go to get the horse, and
you'll find the name of the girl on an
envelope. with the due bill. Let's see
you'll find them in the family Bible,
in the sitting room.
And, say, take tip from me-" add
ed Uncle Joe, there isn't much better
kind of girl going when it comes to
picking a wife than regular old-fash-
Toned. bright-eyed, pink-cheeked coun-
try girls. If | wasn't so old, ! might
be sparkling around this beauty win
ner myself Now don't let the grass
grow under your feet"
Sally Bunn-that was the name on
the envelope-came to the door her
self when Dave Brown called at the
farmhouse on the pike. Sally Bum
came straight from the kitchen, and
her hands and plump arms were COW
cred with flour and her face was
flushed with the heat of the oven.
But somehow at that first glance it
never occurred to Dave to think that
this really could be Sally Bum. True,
che was a nice little girl, bright-eyed
and clear skinned, but not at all the
type of girl he had in mind when he
listened to his uncle's eulogy. Some
how, Dave had felt convinced that the
girl his uncle would select as the
cream variety of blonde-a veritable
Marguerite, with braids of molasses-
candy hair.
And, besides, Sally Bum, though
she was much impressed by Dave
Browns city clothes and city manners,
was also mistaken. Sne look MN IOT
a book agent, and had all but shut the
door in his face when he said that he
had come from the Gazette to see
Miss Sally Bum.
I'm Sally Bum she said, and
Dave tried to cover his surprise.
Fine. I've come to tell you that
you have won the prize in the con-
test" he said. MY uncle, who owns
the paper, asked me to come and tell
you. And now | am going to ask you
to let me take you to town to select
the pretty dress and hat and things
that you have won.
How perfectly wonderful, cried
the girl, clapping her tloury hands.
"May l pick out just what | want ?
How wonderful" And, bubbling over
with delight, she led the way to the
best room.
Dave suggested that Sally should
take her mother or sister or some one
AS chaperon on the expedition, but