The daily gazette., 1874-11-04
Jennie Wells mistake
Il Sketch from Real Life.
BIZ EUGENE j. HALL.

5 he was light hearted, pretty, and in
nocent girl of sixteen. She was source
of much pardonable pride to her honest
and hard laboring father, and q great
help and comfort to her invalid mother,
who, from long habit. had learned to look
to her for many little personal atten-
tions. BY much industry, economy and
thrift, farmer Wells had succeeded in
paying off the mortgage on his farm. He
had built new house and repaired the
outbuildings. and had given to the prem
lses look OF prosperity. Having done
this, he resolved to take life," ,ls he ex-
pressed it, "a leetle easier" to devote
more time and attention to the comfort
OF his little family,-to give Jennie the
advantages OF an education and to have
her taught those accomplishments that
tend to make young woman an orna-
ment in the social circle.
| He bought her piano and engagd the
services OF competent instructor to
teach her the rudiments of music. The
young girl made rapid progress, greatly
to her fond fathers delight, who had for
] the future the most sanguine hopes and
expectations of happiness.
| With the many advantages that were
offered her, Jennie might have made a
very attractive and useful woman of her.
self, and have 10 doubt but what she
|
pectations Of her, had it not been for an
unfortunate circumstance.
A pair OF giddy young girls from dis
tant city came to spend the summer
months in the locality where Jennie
Wells resided. They soon formed the ac-
quaintance OF Jennie, for whom they pro-
fessed the warmest friendship and the
most extravagant admiration. The girl
was just young and artless enough to be
caIoled and infatuated by their hurtful
influence, which was OF demoraiizing
character. She soon began to initiate
their affected manners, their language
and dress. She learned to despise work
and to regard any useful occupation as
degrading.
Sac also began to grow ashamed of her
father and his plain homcly ways. She
reminded him of his faults and failinga,
telling him how and what manner he
shoald act and talk when in company,
not realizing that the habits of fifty
years made it impossible for him to. ap-
pear as an a ccomplished and polished
gentleman of the world
Farmer Wells grew grave and sadly
shook his head as he noted the many
changes in his daughters disposition,
and said:
'Ther' can't nothin' good grow outen
it. Folks didn't have sech high notions
when mother an l was young. an we've
got elong nicely, I'm sure, just as we'll
an better too than as if we'd put ON all
the hifalutin airs in the world"
There was another stranger who ap-
pcared in the vicinity in the shape of IL
j stylish and well dressed young man. He
too came from the city, and soon after
his appearance in town he made the ac-
quaintanco of Jennie Wells, being pre-
sented at the farm house by the two
fashionable young women that have al
ready been referred to- Had it not been
for certain fast and dissipated look
that his features wore he would have
been very attractive and handsome.
Farmer Wells did not like him from the
first and earnestly cautioned his daagh-
ter about becoming intimate with him.
"Tain't the clothes. Jennie" he said,
"that makes men. 'Tain't the style and
the pride that the people put on that is
the proof o great riches, or o truo no.
bility. Don't never fall in love with nor
marry man who amt got no purpose
, in livin'. | don't keer how hard man s
hands are, nor how homely his face is, if
he's honest, respectable, an pays what
he owes as he goes along"
But the young girl impatiently tossed
her head, affecting to despise the sober
, sense of her fathers admonitions, be-
|
limited existence, of worldly wisdom,
| than her father had acquired by the va
, ried experience OF fifty years.
How many, many bitter experiences
arc necessary to teach young men and
women that their opinions are not infal-
lible. Wisdom and reason are too often
acquired by the most painful and humil-
iating lessons. How much of sorrow and
distress, how much of pain and misfor-
: tune, might many beings have never
known, had they needed the friendly
counsels of those who had learned wis
dom by the observations of years. One
day Jennie came to her father and to his
pain and surprise announced that she
was to be Immediately married to Del
mer Wharton, the young man from the
city, of whose family or antecedents she
knew. nothing. At first her father firm
ly refused to give his consent to any
such proceeding, but finding her mind SO
firmly fixed upon such purpose he at
last said:
Wait awhile, Jennie, wait awhile, it
won't do any hurt; your nothin' but a
child yet in your teens; go on and finish
into some useful, payin' business thatll
. enable him to support you. BE sure that
he amt got any bad, disgraceful habits.
Learn more completely if he's honest an
respectable. Two years wouldn't make
, any particular difference. Never forget
, that Davy Crockett said: "Be sure you
are right, an then go ahead' It's the
rule I've follered for years, an I've been
} prospered by it more ways than one.
don't expect to last great while longer
: / want to have you with me leetle
while yet. When I'm gone all is going
to be yoar'n, an there's plenty with good
} management to make YOU comfortabIe
| Don't be in haste to marry. want YOU
to get worthy man and be q worthy
woman-such woman az your mother
has been. The world contains but few
like her, even with all her intirmities."
, The girl turned impatiently away. She
evidently was in no mood for listening tc
reason.
: The next morning she was missing
from her home. and her parents were
, nearly distracted at her loss, fully real
izing the course she had taken, and pic