Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-06-25


and all she once so fondly loved, had nc
influence over her now. Her heart was
away in the quiet country, among the
true friends she had so soon made, with
the beauties of the grand old woods
about Pierpont, and with ''honesi
John" Stephens, who alone held the
mystic wand over her heart, to call up
those inexplicable emotions we all feel
at some period in life, and in whose
etherealism world of happiness slrm-
bers. Almost every evening found him
by her side, and soon his presence was
essential TO her very existence.
The autumn came with its hazy days,
and skies SO beautifully blue. The old
woods looked like some regal queen,
clothed in robes Of a golden hue. Rena,
ever an ardent worshipper of the beau
tiful and sublime, was in ecstasies. Her
admirer owned beautiful white horse,
full of life, and most excellent riding
horse. Rena was good equestrian,
and nothing gave her more delight than
to mount Snowflake" as he was called
and gallop through the country, those
lovely autumn days, with John Ste
phens by her side.
A friend from town came to visit her,
and soon found how matters stood, and
said to Rena one day:
II am surprised that girl of your
capacities; one who has ever had such
romantic notions in regard to soul affin
ity, to say nothing of outside appear
ances, should so far forget herself as to
become enamored of a plain, uneduca-
ted, clumsy-lookiDg fellow like John
Stephens. l can't understand it, and
believe you are only trifling with him,
after ALL"
Rena was hurt, and replied: 81 care
not how clumsy he may look to others;
l care not for the gildings of an educa-
ton. He has plenty of good, hard
sense; he is pure in heart, and love
him with all the depth of my nature,
and intend to be his wife,"
"What change! Who would have
thought it? Well, I'll never believe it
until see it,
But Rena r'as capricious, and led
poor, loving John through hopes bright
pathway, and into the black abyss of
despair, until his heart was sore, and he
ielt that she was only trifling with his
affections, to while away the lonely
hours, and he said to himself, "What a |
fool am l., to allow this thing to 60 on
longer! Though it break my heart, 1 |
will go away, and try to forget that 1
ever saw her lovely face"
Acting upon the suggestion, he pack
ed up and was gone without moments
warning to any one. He, however,
left a note in the postoffice for Rena.
1t ran thus:
My DARLING: l am convinced that
you do not love me, and for that reason
l leave my old Kentucky home, never
to return. Goodbye! May God bless
you! Yours, Us.
Had thunderbolt burst over Rena's
head, she would not have been more
surprised than she was when she read
the note. Oh what could she do? "Give
him up,'' pride whispered; but her
heart echoed, 'Never! no, never?''
81 Think she said to herself, 81 can
find him. L have so often heard him
speak of his relatives in Iowa, and l
believe he has gone there"
She wrote a long, warm letter, and
mailed it at venture. In two weeks
time he came back, and soon there was
a wedding at Pierpoint, and Rena Hol-
brook became Mrs. John Stephens.
Dark days came when adversely hung
her sable mantle over the happy couple.
Yet so kind, SO true, so loving was the
son to this city-bred wife, she
never regretted the choice she made
when she listened to that inner voice
that urged her to give up the vanities of
a hollow world, and entwine the ten
drills of her tender heart around the
sturdy oak, strong to shield her from
all HARM. The young married couple
had but few thousand dollars to start
upon, and misstep, and that was gone.
Then came the cloud that obscured their
pathway for a time. II
"Rena, my darling," said the sad hus-
band, s'tell me what to do. 1 care not
for myself, but | can't see you suffer.
l was raised farmer, but Pve no money
with which to buy farm. no trade, no
Ll-s
'Let's 60 back to the city," said the
hopeful wife, ''and there You can sure
ly find something to do"
They went, but it was mistake and
after using up the remnant of their
money, returned to Pierpoint. Old Mr..
S, offered them home until the way
was clear. Rena's parents did the same
and they concluded to accept the offer
for short time at least. John conclu-
ded that the best plan would be to ap-
prentice himself to good blacksmith,
acquire a trade, set up for himself, and
once again eat the bread Of indepen-
dence. He found smith glad to take
him, and beside the trade, he gave him
ten dollars per month. Rena proposed
that they should rent cheap house,
and to go themselves.
"What! upon ten dollars per month ?"
said her husband. 'We would starve
to death. dear"
But Rena said they could manage to
10, some way, so they rented a plain
log house of only two rough looking
rooms, and went to housekeeping. Of
ten times they hardly had the common
necessaries of life to sustain them, and
it was work, work, work, for Rena had
no help, and John was faithful to his ,
trade. But the white dove of peace
lowered over them, and they felt that ,
the Good Shepherd would lead them
through the troubled waters into the
bright stream of prosperity, and they
were happy, thrice happy, and con-
tented.
After having worked at the trade
eighteen months, ''honest John" was
good mechanic. His
friends lent helping hand, and finding
n good stand for shop some six or sew
ell miles below P, among the hills
of his native county, he bought setof
.ools ,.o,tod tho only vacant hnuSa | m