SHORT STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13286, 19 September 1906, Page 10

SHORT STORY.

THE LOST PRIZES

Jabez Redfkbx had courted Mrs. Bowers ever since her husband had died of a chill. caught at the rejoicing of the late Queen's first Jubilee. Ephraira had assisted at the lighting of the beacon on Milton Edge, and. overcome with heavy draughts of home: brewed, had spent the night amongst the heather. One day ho. was a lusty middle aged man, the next, a rlmimatical, sneezing dotterel. The duties of parish clerk and sexton devolved for a while upon his wife — unaided she dug three graves in the churchyard then, as his-illness became serious, a successor filled the posts. Ephraim Bowers lingered for only throe weeks. Milton folks are great exhibitors at Darrand Show, and for many years the sexton had always won the first prize for potatoes. His garden was sandy; and he had the secret of a marvellous top-dressing, which, according to his enemies, was made of ground human bones. This secret in his last hours he revealed to his wife, who received it under a premise to tell nobody else: and that same year she strove against the grief of her loneliness, and achieved as great a success as he had ever known. After that, every summer, more magnificent potatoes lay in honour on a side-table of the vegetable-marquee, and the widow became famous as a specialist in their culture. She was exceedingly proud of her success; as proud, indeed, as her neighbour, Jabez Redfern, was of his delicate strain of -Sebright Bantams, which had been so carefully inbred that, at the last only a young cockerel and a pullet survived chickenhcod. This race of bantams (inherited by Jabez from his father) had always won an excellent award at Darrand Show. They were dainty little redspotted birds, with haughtily-carried heads, and tails perked upward till they almost touched the combs. Mrs. Bowers affected contempt—the bantams' egg (when there were any) were no bigger than marbles, and incalculable mischief was wrought by their scratching amongst the gaffer's vegetables. It was because of his dread lest they might uproot something in her garden that he fixed wire-net-ting around his own; and the good woman, in her more kindly moments, poked dainties, such as dead beetles and crickets, through the .mesh. Every evening he spent an hour in her company, talking of old and recent times. Each had a little property in the Nether End of the village, and their chief stories concerned the tenants ' past and present. Jabez attended in person to the repairs, accepting no return from Mrs. Bowers, rave her heartily expressed thanks, and since Iter husband's death she had not expended one penny on labour. She used to go down sometimes to watch him mending the roofs or painting the windows and doors; when the job was done, she would share with him a quart of small beer, and with his feet rest-

ing on her fender lie would quaver old tongs about love in spring-time. He was timorous by nature—year by year lie deferred putting the momentous question. She used many womanly arts to stimulate him', and sometimes, after he ha'd retired, she would weep bitter tears because of her failure. At last, however, she determined to arouse his jealousy, and began to decoy to her house a younger man, lOlias AVilks, of the Newburgh Arms, upon whom her blandishments had a very successful effect. After the first meeting of the rivals, in her house-place, the widow grew sprucer in hor attire, and took to wearing in the evenings mi old lavende. silk gown and a lace cap. As time passed on, Elias visited her as fre<|iiently. as Jaboz, and the two men smoked in silence, whilst she, dismissing all mention of her property, told them of the love successes of hei girlhood. And so it went on till a short lime before this year's Darrund Show, for which Mrs. Bowers, excelling all hei past successes, grew a red potato as large as a middle-sized vegetable marrow, and Jabez reared flic daintiest pair of bantams that he had ever seen. Certain signs of late had shown him that the widow was turning towards EliaS; and at last, in the exultation aroused by the knowledge that they were to win a great triumph, he made up his mind to' relinquish his bachelorhood. Ho one evening he donned his Sunday clothes, and stuck a pink aster in his- button-hole, before paying his customary visit. -Somewhat to his chagrin Elias had arrived first, and the widow was giggling very merrily as he entered. " Coome an' sit yo' down, .Jabez," ; she -aid. "Mooter Wilks has just been praisin' the 'tater. See, 'tis here on the tabic—i' all my life T ne'er dreamed such a. one ! An' wi' a skin red an' soft as a new-born babby's, hce-liee!"

Ho examined the wonderful tuber. "Seems to mo as the prize should bo doubled,'' ho said. "Lord! Sarah, 'tis grand to look upon ! ' She eyed him rather wistfully. "An' yor banties are just. loovely," she said. "Nay, yo've gotten 'em to perfection this year! They're so vnlly'ble (bein' the last o' the kind i' the.coontry) as I'm surprised yo'll let em go to the show." "Ay," he replied, " I'm a bit nervous— the breed's dyin' out at last; but the ruby spots ha' coon:e as true as guineas i' this pair. They've, been a lot o' trouble; but I flunna begrudge it. None as the prize is worth much—'tis the honour o' ha in' the only Scbrights o' the kind i' all the land." Mrs. Bowers nodded absently, and resumed her conversation concerning the prize vegetable with Elias. Jabez sat glowering; but did not speak until tho clock struck ten and the landlord rose to depart. Good-night to both o' yo'," said Mrs. Bowers. "I reckon we'll meet again tomorrow'/"

Jabez did not move from his chair. "I've gotten a question to nek yo', when yo've aloane," ho said bravely. "It concerns us an' nob'dy else, so I'll wait till Mester Wilks fakes his leave."

The widow accompanied Elias to the gardeii: Jabez coloured as he heard their muffled laughter. When she returned, she carried the potato into the pantry, where she placed it very carefully in a blue willowpattern howl on the window-rill. The old man watched her through the open doorway. .She tripped hack 10 the house-place, and going on her knee:- before the tire, began to stir the tinders from the grate. "I said as I'd gotten summat to ask yo'. Sarah." he said; "but yo've a wav <>' collin' me off." •Mrs.' Cower- yawned ostentatiously. "Well," she .-aid. '■' I've a notion what ten 'tis: hut f may as- well stop yo' makin' a fool <>' yorsen. Yo' should ha" asked that question years an' years agone, 'stead <>' lettin' smoother' chap do it. Mester Wilks. lie put it to me, an' we're to be wedded i' a month. The Newburgh Arm- wants a ooman, ami a ooman wants to be at Newburgh Arms." Jabez rose from his chair and stood trembling in the midst of the hearth-rug. "Then yo' mean to tell me. when I've coortccl yo' for so loner, as I'm to be chucked ower?"lie cried. "Chucked ower for that, filthy owd spindle-legs!" " No names!" she exclaimed angrily. "No names! I'll put up wi' no nonsense.' I ne'er promised yo'. Mester Wilks' a comeIter man nor yo' weere i' yor prime! Be off an' leave me aloane—l've gotten nowfc to say to yo'

Fie marched to the door; but turned there with clenched fists. " Tis a dirty trick, Sarah." he said sullenly. "A dirty trick: hut mind yo' arena paid out. Spit i" the air, said my feyther, an' 'twill fall on Tor own yead!"

-Mrs. Bowers muttered a sour retort, which he did not wait to acknowledge: hut left the house very hastily, and scon was .seated before his own fire, hatching a suitable penalty for Iter offence. He did not go to rest that night, and before dawn crept out across his garden, and took his bantams from their coop. Then he passed in silence to the window of Mrs. Bowers' pantry, and opening it placed the birds gently on the inner sill. In another minute both were pecking lustily at the prize potato, marring its comeliness and scattering fragments all over the stone. All would have gone well had not the cock crowed joyously at the sight of the damage they had done. And Jabez whistled for them to return; hut before they had time to obey the summons, a stout, night-capped and -grey-gowned figure appeared at the door, and a wild cry resounded through the mornine: air, then a strong band forced down the zinc window, and Jabez saw no more, but. terror-striken, flew back to inown home.

It was the most miserable day of his life. Not until night-time dared be venture again out, of doors. He had sat through the long hours bo-ide the dead fire, his face covered with his hands. At last, at hi- usual hour of visiting Mrs. Bowers, he summoned up his courage and trotted to her cottage. She met him at the door: there was no resentment in her countenance—nought but a comfortable satisfaction. He caught sight of the landlord, smoking a meerschaum pipe that had belonged to the sexton : but even this did not excite him to anger. "Sarah." he groaned, "1 beg vo' to forgie me—l weere mad—l acted lik« a fool! Let me ha' my poor banties again?" "Ay," she replied, calmly. "I've no objections.. I got 'em ready just a while back. Good bnnties, yor.-."

I She wei>t to the mantelpiece. A deadly .fear woke in his heart. She came bail; anil dropped two tiny merrythoughts into"' his outstretched hand, and'then shut the door in Lis face.—Weekly Telegraph. , '