The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-01-30
Written fer the Free Trader.
WHAT'S IN A MAZE.
OR
Mr.. and Mrs. Jonathan Joooa
BY wlSirRED wILLIA

BY wISirRED WILLIS
"What . name," calculated prs( Ann
Murray a. Mr.. Johnathan Jones 5as q
nouucsd and forthwith made hidE appes
ancs in her fathers drawing reom- W b,
it's worse than John Smith, ism { il kariol
But who is he Marien7 No enc 1kns,
am sure" 81
"He is one Of rapa's friends, I 1ipset,
replied her older sister. "Hs Is fin
locking man ted, whatever hi nam
may be-"
Annie could not but agree with ker 81;
ter, as at this moment her father son
pany with Mr.. Jones approaehd a theu
He was rather above the sverage height I
men; well formed. commanding in hi
appearance, and graceful in every gestur,
At least 50 thought Annie; and sh
thought, moreover, what pity such
handsome man, has such . sheckin
name
MY daughter, Mrs. Ellis, Mr. JoDe.
and this is my daughter Aonie. Girls, thi
IS my friend, Mr.. Jones"
with gen,lemanly bow. Mr. Jones ssate,
himself between Marion and Anne
They found him a very pleasant, gentle
4
/ acquaintance, long since forgotten, as h,
. informed them, he lef: his native land Il
/ accompany his mother and step father Il
England, VIXEN he was a young man of Is
and Marion q little girl Of ten, while An
ME W.. four years younger. He was nor
a man Of thirty, While Anuis was a sweet.
modes; young girl, just budding into
womanhood.
She was very lovely in his eyes as he
sazed upon her. and he told her she had
altered very little since he last saw her.
Almost a. sclall, said he laughingly, las
you wa. when ealy six year. old.
Annie colered She was very sensitive
about her size, and, As ID patural with di-
minu,iye persons. q great admirer Of tall
people She was inclined TO be vexed with
Mr Jones This man thought she, 'ey-
identity looks upon me as a child still. and
intends to treat me as such. viii! show
him am no child, aId she left him with
her graver, widowed sister, and walked o!
with Young Edgar Harrison.
Annie was decidedly the belle and
beauty Of that assemhlsge, and Of that fact
she WAS perfectly we'll aware.
She was dressed in white, and'the soft
folds Of the muslin dress well became her
q mass o. soft, brown cur!s around o face
clear in complexion, almost faultless in
feature, and perfectly radient with the
glow Of health and is,ellsct. Her brown
eyes were almost always replete with some
nIisehievous and m.rthful expression -
Yet Annie had kiud And lsv.ng heart
By her .EoUghtiessncss shs often wounded
the lselings Of her dearest friends. Yet it
vas never Intentionally done Her mother
had been deas::,nany long years Marion,
her only sister, was married when oaly
seventeen years Old and returned 10 her
fathers homo at twenty, a widow.
\ sorrowfui woman, yet with perfect
re.icnation to the will Of God, she deter>
min. q On qss atins TIE rest of her life TO
her father. and to that dear young sister:
looking forward TO heaven, or, perhaps
near future to meeting her beloved Waiter
in that land where there are no more
partings Oa second thought she perfectly
b-red Mr. Jones.
Annie presently returned, and with a
peascd attention listened to his account of
hi. travels through thi. conntry and the
cid world
When the party dispersed, at a late
hour tat night. they parted with regret
Nr Murray and Ms Ellis gave him many
Kind and pressing Invitations. to call often,
and make himself quite at hone in the
house of his aud hi. fathers friend.
Annie said nothing, but there was
something in her speaking eye, that re-
iteraied these invitations. lie accepted
censed hi. way homeward, that they
were indeed, The finest family he ever re-
naenlbered meeting with Mr. Murray
VA SC perfect gentleman, 50 courteous
and kind Marion Ellis such . beautiful,
dignitied woman, while the image Of Arr
ME mingled strangely in his dreams, that
night, with forms Of angels clad in white
robes. with Annie Nurrsy's face turned
towards him, with the same 6eHitchire z
expression it had assumed when they
parted the previous nis sht.
Inc next day found him an early caller
on the Nurrays, and the next and still
Il e next; and SO for several weeks he was
TO be seen nearly every day In Mrs. Ellis
parlor; sometimes quietly chatting with
her and Annie; sometimes talking to An
mes papa, yet always it was noticed keep
ing an eye or the little damsel herself
And SO n,y little daughter has really
caught the old bachelor, said her father
one morning. 80 Annie, henceforth, will
write her name, Mrs Jonathan Jones"
What name, cried both er::cousn.,
Kate and Jennie, who were making her a
visit Annie said Kate, make hin,
change his name before you marry him.
Do for msrcy's sake. | don't want any
Jones cousins, especially b Jonathan
Jones for q cousin.
do just as you please. ANNIE" said her
father Jones is fine fellow, and
don't see but his name is rs good Al
any ones
Father vas really too bad, Annie thought,
to help h'r cousins so IN teasing her, for
she had heard but little else since their
Jones, of course.
"Of course they all laughinsly respond
ed And SO they all did, but as for mar
rying him why she certainly hadn't
thou. .,ht of IT, and she didn't suppose Mr..
Jones thought of such a thing She wa,
very certain she didn't care for him.
So Miss Annie made this very energetic
asd sli .h,ly indignant rsmonstrance, and
walked off toward the parlor, feeling very
much out of ofhumor.
The moment she entered she heard the
door bell ring, and before she had time to
guess who it was, Mr. Jones entered the
apartment whero she was. His face lighted
up with pleasure
Mis-. Annie, said he, " am delighted
to find you alone, for the first time l be-
lieve, since these intefesting cousins Of
yours came have something to say, An.
ME, and must be quick, lest they break
in upon us before get the answer l want:
Annie. deares, girl, will you bs my wife 2
lie had advanced to where she stood in
the centre of the rooni, ard had taken her
hand, and was pressing it to his fast beat
isg heart She looked up into his face,
and then stood with her eyes fixed on the
carpet, blu.hins, and wondering what she
should say. She had never thought OF
loving him, but she felt that she could
really be very happy - his Wife But q
that moment she heard Kates clear ring
ing voice: