Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-02-23
VOL. ~. NO. 81.

of old boards, he moulded clay Drlcks
for her use, and carved tiny toys out of
/ pine blocks for her amusement. As he
Grew larger, and as Jennie's father grew
richer, and came to live in greater style,
! Henry grew more shy. But by all the
lIuHspoken language of the eyes the two
! never failed to make their nnchanging
| regard known to each other.
f" Henry went to college early. At va
cation time the two met. But the grow
ing difference in their social position
kcould not but be felt. Jennie's friends
! were of q different race from his own.
Her parents never thought of inviting
! him to their entertainments. And If
! they had, a rusty coat and a lack OF
| money to spend on kid gloves would
have effectually kept him away. He
Ewas proud. This apparent neglect
stung him. 1t is true that Jennie Nor
| ton was all the more kind. But his
quick and foolish pride made him fancy
that he detected pity in her kindness.
And yet all this only made him deter
mined to place himself in a position in
which he could ask her hand as her
equal. But you do not understand,
Doctor, as do, how irresistible is this
,oenviction of duty in regard to the min
istry. Under that pressure my friend
settled it that he must preach. And now
there was before him a good ten years of
poverty at least What should he do
about it? -"
T ain his extremity he took advice of a
favorite theological professor. The pro
fessor advised him not to seek the hand
of a rich girl She would not be suited
to the trials of a minister's life. But
finding that Henry was firm in his opin-
ion that this sound general principle
did not in the least apply to this partlc-
bular case, the professor proceeded to
touch the tenderest chord in the young
mans heart He told him that 1T
would be ungenerous, and in some sense
dishonorable, for him to take a woman
pdelicately brought up into the poverty
and trial incident to a minister's life. 1t
you understood, sir, how morbid his
sense of honor is, you would not wonder
at the impression this suggestion made
upon him. To give up the ministry was
in his mind to be traitor to duty to
God. To win her, if he could, was to
\ treat ungenerously her whose happiness
was dearer to him a thousand times
than his own" !.
"a hope he did not give her up said
the Doctor. 80 .luet-
9oa Yes, he gave her up, in a double
spirit of medieval selfsacrifee. Look
ing toward the ministry, he surrendered
his love as some of the old monks sacri-
feed love, ambition, and all other
things to conscience. Looking at her
happiness, he sacrificed his hopes IN 8
more than knightly devotion to her wei
fare. The knights sometimes gave their
lives. He gave more.
&c For three wears he did not trust him.
self to return to his home. But having
graduated and settled himself for nine
months over a church; there was no
reason why he should not go to see his
mother again. And once in the village,
the sight of the old school-house and
the old church revived thousand men,
cries that he had been endeavoring to
Danish. The garden walks, and espe-
cially the apple trees, that are the most
Interchangeable of landscapes, revived the
old passion with undiminished power.
Hespaced his room at night. He looked
out at the new house of his rich neigh
bor. He chafed under the restraint of
his vow not to think again of Jennie
Morton. 1t was the old story of the
monk who thinks the world subdued,
but who finds it all at once about to as
sIlIne -tha.-m astery over Kim. do not
know how the struggle might have end
ed, but it was all at once stopped from
without. y saa ~ L
~ "There reached him a rumor that
Jennie was already the abetrothed wife
of Colonel Pearson, who was her faith
-er's.partner in business. And, indeed,
Colonel Pearson went in and out at Mr..
Morton's gate every evening, and the
father was known to favor his suit
"Jennie was not engaged to him: how
ever. Three times she had refused him.
The fourth time, in Difference to her
fathers wishes, she had consented to
. think about 1t for a week. In truth,
Henry had been home ten days, and
had not called upon her,-a all the
hope she had cherished in that direc
ton, and all the weary waiting seemed
in vain. When the Colonel's week was
nearly out, she heard that Henry was to
leave in two days. In sort of despera-
ton, she determined to accept Colonel
Pearson without waiting for the time
appointed for her answer. But that gen.
tleman spoiled it all by his own over
confidence.
For when he called, after Jennie had
idetermined on this course, he found her
50 fIill of kindness that he hardly knew
how to behave with moderation. And so
he fell to flattering her; and, flattering
himself at the same time that he knew
all the ins and outs of girls heart, he
complimented her on the many offers
she had received.
And tell you what he proceeded,
there are plenty of others that would
increase them. There's that young par
SON Gilbert, 1 think they call him
that is visiting his mother, in the un--
painted and Tthreadbare-looking little
house that stands behind this one. I've
actually seen that fellow, in his rusty,
mllsfy coat, stop and look after you on
the street, and every night, when go
home, he is sitting at the window that
looks over this way. The poor fool is in
love with you. Only think of it And
! shuckle to myself when see him, and
say, 6 Don't you wish you could reach so
high" i declare, it's funny
,.sn q in that one speech Colonel Pearson
dashed his chances TO pieces. Hecould
not account for the sudden return of
winter in Jennie Morton's manner. And
all this sunshine was powerless to dispel
it, or to bring back the least ap-
proach of spring. E 10. -.
"Poor jennie You can imagine,
Doctor, how she paced the floor all that
night. She began to understand some
thing of the courage of Henry Gilbert's
heart, and something of the manliness
of his motives. All night long she
watched the light burning in the room
in the widows house and all night long
she debated the matter until her head
ached. She could reach but one conclu-
sion: Henry was to leave the day after
tomorrow. Ifany communication should
ever be opened between them, she must
begin it. Ithvas as if she had seen him
drifting away from her forever, and
must throw him a rope. l think even