Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1873-12-11

Et{Ctdc 70 NY SENSES Wneu OuSteC
'sIsp jess. And by-and by it va:
Jessthat came sparkling o. nights
ana ahat b winter evening over the
enihjrs, Aud he was so soft spoken
anx pleasant that even mother forgot
hef iexstion. lShe always set store
be bin. mother did. Well, in the
spfilg we we're married, Jess and
me. Aud / had a string O. pearls and
xbf silk bridal dress, and l fell
xiii 70 lifted ep like when the girls
cfs tded round me and hoped I'd be
ElIs5 beped so too; l wasn't
! i6g the days that came
al recall one hard word
IL <zf ! i76m Jess. We weren't
d Z 6n6a g eact 0tlsss ie az ayyeE,
w6kere just laid apart Ike two odd
Iyoslmes; there wasn't any fire 'twixi
us.lnon any thing twixt Us. either
EIoSH or laughing. whereas John and
bh slways been bubbling over one
wafand another.
4worked hard, for M silk dress
aadnecklace were all / had of riches;
and cut up the gown one day to
make cloak for the baby. You see,
IeIuldn't give up my pride, and was
jul as high spirited as ever. But
or, farm didn't prosper, and Jess
lth't prosper; and Mrs. Plumber
cane to live with US. to look after
tflhgs, she said; and she got to pity
Ing him every now and then for mar
ryag a poor wife, and-oh, well,
what's the use o talking?-some-
tfHes | couldn't help wishing John
Ssfinger's strong shoulders were al
| The wheel, when ! was working my
self to death morning and night Tor
nothing.
Then when baby grew bigger |
took to teaching an A b c class As !
used to before l was married; but
what little I knew had run wild since
yhen, and couldn't keep the boys
straight somehow; and the girls
didn't care about samplers. for the
sewing machine had .sEidden right
over everything. Then Jess fell ill
o. the fever, and with all the fuming
and frettiug and nursing of his moth
er, and with all my watching day and
night, somehow he slipped off he
tween US. And l found myself a
twiiow, with the ill Jared, wasted farm
ton my hands, and mother Plumber
idrizzling and Wandering after jess
ia way to break my heart.
But kept my spirit mp yet, and
advertised half the place for sale al
| the Court House; for if | could sell
Sit we should skin through someho"
Well, who do you ! fg'dtf gdptF i9se ht o--.,
over one sunny afternoon as | wa:
sanding the kitchen? Who, to bt
sure, but John Stringer, large q:
life-a little gray mayhap, and lit
tie more angular, but keen and strong
as ever He'd use for that bit o
land. it seemed, and had had his ey'
on it along back. always was
wanting what wasn't his" Mothe
Plumber said. She owed him 1
grudge for being more forehanded
than Jess.
1t took deal of looking after anC
lawyering and surveying to settle it
and I used to see John Stringer'
stopping shoulders and broad fel
hat down just beyond the rise of tn
meadow time and again. But h'
scarce ever came near the door, til
one day-I can't tell how it was
when the settlements were about II
be made. | just took my baby NJ
stairs and had a good cry; for tha
bit O. land had been Jess fayorit
piece. and mother Plumber had beel
marrying me all day about it.
"The ways O. Providence 81
stranger' said Mother Plumber, lay
ing her specs down atop O. the BIZ
Bible, and putting on that awful
patient air which was wearing me t
skin and bone-"past finding ou'
Now. il Jess had married Sophi
Mills that was, and you"
But l did net wait to hear an
more. AS say, l just caught u
baby and went of to the garre'
And while l sat by the cobWebhe
window, Mrs. Barret-Sophle Mill
that was-went riding by in thel
new spring wagon, she and her ha
dozen children, round and rosy as
. barrel of apples. Sophie nodded an
smiled to some one coming up tn
road; and looking along, l saw Joh
. Stringer walking, thoughtful lik'
right up to our gate, just as he use
to come in courting days--for job
never had any foolish ways abo'
, him. saw Sophie look back at hi
, es she and the children, with the
tiuttering ribbons and gay gingham
disappeared at the turn o the roa'
t Then l smoothed my hair, washe
= nv face and went down. The tin
i of settlement had come, | knew.
MARY Ann," said John, gravel
D the "lawyer will be here present.
: but reckon we can make it all cle'
in our own minds without his bel
It And I've--Tve settled it, in fst
e that there are certain conditions
It which I'll take the land--if "
a agree"
Then flew into passion. 'You'
Y been long enough making up 20
t mind" says 1. 81 don't throw n
t, land at anybody's feet, and lhaver
g asked any favors of you, least"ay
W John Stringer."
d "Softly, there, softly!' says loh
a uniting out his hand. "Don't be in
furry. little woman"
ID "John Stringer," says !, all In
n heat, you're just the game man )
was years ago when you thought
ar was always firing up every time y
he GOT out o. temper yourself" :"