to it that Sally Ann gits app'inted to help judge the caliker
quilts.' And bless your soul, Abram got me and Sally Ann both
app'inted. The other judge was Mis' Doctor Brigham, one o' the town
ladies. We told her all about what we wanted to do, and she jest
laughed and says, 'Well, if that ain't the kindest, nicest thing! Of
course we'll do it.'

"Seein' that I had a quilt there, I hadn't a bit o' business bein' a
judge; but the first thing I did was to fold my quilt up and hide it
under Maria Petty's big worsted quilt, and then we pinned the blue
ribbon on Sarah Jane's and the red on Milly's. I'd fixed it all up
with Milly, and she was jest as willin' as I was for Sarah Jane to
have the premium. There was jest one thing I was afraid of: Milly was
a good-hearted woman, but she never had much control over her tongue.
And I says to her, says I: 'Milly, it's mighty good of you to give up
your chance for the premium, but if Sarah Jane ever finds it out,
that'll spoil everything. For,' says I, 'there ain't any kindness in
doin' a person a favor and then tellin' everybody about it.' And Milly
laughed, and says she: 'I know what you mean, Aunt Jane. It's mighty
hard for me to keep from tellin' everything I know and some things I
don't know, but,' says she, 'I'm never goin' to tell this, even to
Sam.' And she kept her word, too. Every once in a while she'd come up
to me and whisper, 'I ain't told it yet, Aunt Jane,' jest to see me
laugh.

"As soon as the doors was open, after we'd all got through judgin'
and puttin' on the ribbons, Milly went and hunted Sarah Jane up and
told her that her quilt had the blue ribbon. They said the pore thing
like to 'a' fainted for joy. She turned right white, and had to lean
up against the post for a while before she could git to the Floral
Hall. I never shall forgit her face. It was worth a dozen premiums to
me, and Milly, too. She jest stood lookin' at that quilt and the blue
ribbon on it, and her eyes was full o' tears and her lips quiverin',
and then she started off and brought the children in to look at
'Mammy's quilt.' She met Sam on the way out, and says she: 'Sam, what
do you reckon? My quilt took the premium.' And I believe in my soul
Sam was as much pleased as Sarah Jane. He came saunterin' up, tryin'
to look unconcerned, but anybody could see he was mighty well
satisfied. It does a husband and wife a heap o' good to be proud of
each other, and I reckon that was the first time Sam eve