The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-11-17

enough now that shall never see her agen
But as for Jessie and me. we'd had n
thought o. marriage atween us for this las
three months" He paused gloomily.
"What ibid Jessie break 1t off after a
these years ~
mo, 'twern't Jessie" he burst forth.
"She wern't never such ----- fool."' 4.
"Gentiy, Dilworth, please. Those stron
words don's do any good" ~
! beg pardon, ina'ap," said the poor fel
low. sutdued and quiet again in moment
| II know it's specially before
lady. But I'm that mad with myself
don't know what say" t -. 1,
81 know you. are. Never mind. Go on
and tell me how it al fell out wrongly abou
this business Of yours that looked 81
smooth" ~ - .,
"WeIl, MN, I wouldn't like to seem t.
complain of my mother, for she's been 8
good mother to me, as ! was sayin' just now
and to- Jessie too, And, she's fendel for US
bravely many . year, when my fathes
weren't doin' nothin' except making poor
mothers heart ache and wasting the farm
and the little bit O. money we had. But
still she was desperate oyer-particular, and
she sat her face that harshly agen Dick Hall
that took fire at it."
"Dick Hall was particular friend OF
yours ?''
"Yes, ln'm, he was my mate at work and
a good-hearted chap to. But he was bad
friend after al! to me. and I don't say but
what mother wasn't in the right of it about
him if she'd not ha' been so sharp on it.
And Dick, he made the worst of It'll do
think as how he offended her o. purpose
sometimes. And how he worked round
me to make me think mother harder than
should ha' thought her il he'd not jawed SO
aboIt il. But Dick was one Of those fel:
lows that have nothin' in 'em but la-king."
"Not a good style of man. Dilvorth," !"
said I. "a little larking il an very good
and natural in young people Of either sex.
But when either man or girl has got moth
ing in them but iarking. they are not good
for much. Such man will generally have
very little feeling, and much principle
Even your mothers great strictness and
gravity isbetter, though | quite grant that
it may be overdone on that side too"
81 see that, MN, now the mischiers
done" said Diworth. "Hall got me into
trouble before I'd done with him. He got
me into a prtcious bad lot. We got gamb.
ling and drinking, and doing things not fit
for your ears, MN. And they heard of it
at last at home. And then mother scolded
in her awful gloomy way. And thought
Jessie did not stick up for me as she ought
to 'ha done. And Hall kept talking at me
all the while-'how could / put up with be-
ing ruled by two women at my time of life?'
He paused. and then finished up burriedly,
in tone which was suIle1 with shame and
sadness. $50. / went off and took up with
another girl out o. spite--a Haunting thing
thatI didn't care for a Bit And so I've
lost Jessie forever and day, and shall
never see her nor my mother more, the two
best women God Almighty ever made, and
I haven't even got the other girl, for she's
off with me, now my legs gone She'd
not come snd sec one legged cripple r she
sent me word.'
"Was that she who came to see you the
6rst visiting day you were here - asked,
remembering to haye seen decidedly
Haunting, young woman on that occasion
standing by Dilworth's bed.
"No. MN, not she. She'd not come anjgh
the place. Twas her sister come with her
message that I told you OF"
There was little pause in our talk. Then
| asked him whether, as it was just foolish
bit Of misled pride rnd temper that had made
him fly of from Jessie, he would not be
glad il bvgones could be bygones, and
would not be thankful to make her steady,
good husband, supposing she would forgive
him. q s.n,v lf
"Pd give anything m to have it all un-
done. Iseem to have been a dreaming all
the while that Hall was with me all day long.
But that's just whereit is.' Mother. nor Yet
Jessie-no6ody can't forgive me. No, she'll
not have me now.ng ca b.
"Oh, you've her p
F"NOp he emphatcaiiy said, "Im not the
brazen fellow to do that after all that's come
and gone. But know she'd not have me.
No girl could forgive what Eve done. Mr.
p he's real kind, clever gentleman, he
is--he thinks as how you can manage it with
her, MN. But no offence to you, MN,
faint in anybody's power toget q girl to for.
give things like that. y -
II agree with you, Dilworth. Il isn't in
anybody's power; but sometimes It is in the
power of q good girls own true, kind heart !,
when she sees that there is real sorrow for
what has been amiss. Wil'you give me per-
mission to tell her you're here, aud to pu,
things before her in my own way, and to ask
her to come and see me ="
"Oh yes, you can tell her, IN m" said Dill
worth, not over-gra,efully, because not over
hopefully. But could see now more clearly,
what had guessed ell along, that there was
true, sterling worth in the young man, and
that his faults and their conseq uences,
which had made him at first so irnpenetra-
bic and surly, had produced that effect sim.
ply because remorseful shame was so work.
ing in his mind that he could never forget