The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-05-22
S&Ierteo gtorp.
SETTLED WITHOUT A LAWYER

Perhaps 1 am little too hasty, s
little too ready to light up at min
utes notice; but there are somt
words that seem to me to carry al
especial grain of gunpowder in them
and the word "How" is one of thC
sort. To have aperson, after you've
been through a long explanation
put his fingers to his mental ears
and query you thus, or, worse still
"How?" is too exasperating for hu
man nature to bear. But that is
what John Stringer did to me, bend
ing his head a little nearer, and
speaking in an absent, aggravating
manner that tantalized me beyond
words.
You see, John Stringer and I were
engaged; we'd been engaged for 8
long time, and perhaps had got to be
a little too matter o'course to each
other.
We were sitting there over the fire
after the old folks had gone to bed,
and fell to telling him about So.
phie Mills wedding-her white silk
dress, her bride cake, and her brides
maids, frosted all over to match it,
and ended this way:
"But it don't make any difference,
John. to people that love each other;
all that's ono more account than last
years snow-drift. They could be
married in calico and homespun,
with their feet on a rag carpet like
this, and love each other just as
well"
"How?" said John, absently. He
was watching the Goals flicker up and
die out again, and picking up a stray
chip now and then to fling on the EN-
bers-a fashion he had when he was
thinking.
Now I had the headache all day
and guess 1 was rather more tin
derry than usual, though / didn't
think so then; but when John bent
his great broad shoulders over, as il
he hadn't heard a word 1 said, and, in
fact, had something better to occupy
his mind, just fired up, and then the
blaze died down into sulk, and when
we parted that night John and l had
had our first and last quarrel.
My heart did not misgiye me that
when saw Johns great tall figure
going out the door, it was the last
time he'd lift the latch for many 6
year; but so it was.
You see. l held my head pretty
high in those days, and I wouldn't
show that was a bit cut up about it
so l paired off with Mrs. Plummer's
Jesse, likely spruce young fellow
but no more to be compared witt
John than a cockleshell is to a brig
antine.
Oh, well, mother sighed and triet
right hard to bring US together again
but it wasn't to be.
John was a powerful, muscular
man, and fused to see him 90 NJ
the road many a time when 1 wa
out in the shed milking, and, peep
ing at him through the chinks,
thought his broad shoulders STOPPED
more than ever, and his figure wa
growing more stalky like. Such al
awkward fellow az John was! l cam
near rushing out on him once, witt
my sun-bonnet, and with my sleeve
rolled up, and flinging my arms righ
round his neck; but John liked t.
see folks tidy, and Inever did it.
Jesse Plumbe" was the beau c
the the village-dapper, neat an,
dainty as you please; and all tn
girls thought 1 mad come to m,
senses when 1 ousted 'em o jess
And by-and-by it was Jess that cam
sparkling O. nights, and sat O. winte
evenings over the embers, and h
was so soft spoken and pleasan
that even mother forgot her vexs
ton. (She always set store by JohI
Mother did, Well, in the sprIn
we were married, Jess and me, and
had string O. pearls and a real sill
bridal dress, and / felt kind O. LITE
like when the girls crowded aroun
me and hoped I'd be happy. l hoI
ed so too; 1 wasn't sure of it.
Remembering the days that cam
after, l can't recall one hard word
ever heard from Jess. We weren
near enough to quarrel; we just lai
apart like two odd volumes: the1
wasn't any fire 'tWixt US, nor an
thing 'twixt US, either love or laugl
| ing, whereas John and I had alway
been bubbling over one way and al
other.
worked hard, for my silk Dire:
and necklace were all had of riches
and l cut up my grown one day
maks a cloak for the baby. You 81
l couldn't give up my pride, an
was just as high spirited as eve
But our farm didn't prosper; Mr.
Plumber came to live with US, to loo
after things as she said; and she g,
to pltying him every now and the
for marrying poor wife, and-o
well what's the use o. talking
sometimes I couldn't help wishi1
John Stringer's strong sheulde
were at the wheel, when was wor,
ing myself to death morning al
night for nothing.
, Then when the baby grew bigge
: / took to teaching an A B c ella
"a uaad II, before 7 Was MARI,