Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-06-18

seat, and pretended to be very busy
looking for some tune in tie singing
book that refused to be found. Jen-
ny did not look at him.
The doxology closed the school at
last, and there was a grand bustling
about the door, and eager pushing
among the young men to make sure
of their favorites. Hiram was try
ing to make his way through the
crowd, when he found himself at the
elbow of Jenny Bates, and the same
moment the hateful voice Of Elna-
than Rogers was heard in the
words: L
Shall 1 see you home tonight,
Miss Bates?'
No SIR was the promtp reply. 4
shall walk home alone
Hiram was totally unprepared for
this. s
perhaps its one of her fts,' he
said to himself. The deacon said
she had 'em, that nobody knew but
himself. Pm glad she mittened him,
though.
The word mitten reminded Hiram
that he had left both his on his seat
in the school room, and he stepped
back just as the candles were being
put out. s
Here's Jenny Bates singing
book he heard one boy say to an
other. She went off in such hur-
ry tonight, that she forgot it, I
Give 1t to me- said Hiram, who
remembered what had taken place
that evening, and with eager look
sought out the written message that,
had passed between Jenny and his
rival. They were as follows:
Tell your father he cheated me.
when l bought old Jenny. l Thought.
by her name she must be good for.
something, but she bites and kicks
ten times worse than he ever told
me. | wish now | had taken the Jen-
ny in the house instead of the one
in the barn.
And the answer.
4 guess the horse is good as you
deserve As for your choosing be-
tween the two you mention, you
wont be able to do that this year.
You have got the only Jenny you
can have from my father
A light broke upon Hiram.
well, of all the internal fools l
ever heard of, 1 am the biggestI A
dog would have had more sense
IT'S not too late now, thank Heav-
en- zL --e
The departed crowd stated as Hi
ram, with the singing-book in his
hand, rushing down the stairs, two
at q time, and up the road which led
to Deacon Bates. If he was not too
late he was nearly so, for Jenny was
just opening the gate of the front
yard.
Stop Jenny? he exclaimed, pant
ing for breath, Here's your singing
book. You left it on your seat. /
tried to overtake you
You needn't have taken that
trouble, Mr.. jenkins; 1 guess no one
would have stolen it, said Jenny
with great dignity and making a
show of going into the house.
Don't Jenny! Wait-wait Just a
minute. know I've acted ike a
fool; but let me explain.
Jenny hesitated moment, made
another start toward the door, then
turned and went back to the gate
where the discomforted Hiram stood
waiting. Res
'Well,' she said, in as freezing a
tone as she could command.
Now don't look and talk that W ay
Jenny Bates. You knowI never
would have acted as 1 have if
hadn't thought | had good reason
for it. / Thought you were going
to marry Elnathan Rogers2'
What business had you to think
any snch thingP asked Jenny firing
up. "A pretty explanation that isI'
and again she turned away from the
gate. r.g ,--s-r-l. ~H
stop! Let me tell you. Can u
you listen a -minute?' said Hiram
in desperation. He felt there was
no other way than to makea. clean
breast of it and plunged into his
story at once. Word for word he
related the conversation he had
heard In the barn house, and the eff
feet it had upon him. He was deep.
ly in earnest, and in closing, humbly
appealed for forgiveness. He saw
her trembie and put her hands to
her face. Poor girls, she pitied him!
His heart rose and his hands were
upon the gate to open it, when a
peal of laughter louder and louder
from being so long pent up rang out
upon the night air, almost startling
Hiram out of his boots and waking
the deacon and his wife from sound
sleep in the upper front bedroom.
Up went the window and night
capped head wasotlrust out, with a
demand as to what was the matter.
Still Jenny laughed, and Hiram stood
silently at the gate, angry and
ashamed, not knowing whether to
advance or go back. At last Jenny
found her voice., isaaf- a;3 ~
go home, Hiram. Jenkins, she
said, say your prayers and go to
sleep, and if you. want TO say any
thing more to me come up to-mor-
row evening after supper But mind
don't go 70 listen to any barn houses
on your way home,' and she went
of in another peal of laughter. ,lg
Hiram did not wait to say good
night. Whether he. slept or said
his, prayers that night is not record
ed, but it is an established fact that
eight O'Clock the next evening found
him in Deacon Bates parlor. The
interview was a long and probably
interesting one, and its immediate
result was that before Thanksgiving
the deacon had neither Jenny in the
house nor in the barn.
That was years ago and Hiram
has since done the town some ser
vice as selectman, and is likewise q
dignifed justice of the peace. But
in the midst of all his dignities and
honors, If heever happens to insist
=. /. n > af..s-rt a - = s.Hl.- e. !.