Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-10-30

"I believe you are jealous, Mr..
Weare, and telling stories about the cap
tain he is always very polite to me,
and she smoothed her pretty hair and
arranged the trifes on the counter.
"Oh, he's polite enough, no doubt.
"And he's bringing me some flowers. -
"Now look here, Jennie, are you go.
ing to take them9"
"Of course am. "
"Well, then, goodbye"
Goodbye" she laughed. OF course
she knew he wouldn't go. .-...-
"Jennie, he'll be in directly, and ]
shall be off, but you must choose be-
tween him and me. If you are going to
keep Oh talking to him shall never
come in the place again, SO which is it
to be 2"
"The captain" W..
But am not joking. I'll never see
you again.
No more am joking, SO goodbye"
"Good-bye"- and he went.
-
He kept resolutely away for whole
month-never once went near the place.
If Jennie wanted him she might send
for him or get her sister to invite him to
tea, as she had done before. But John
Weare was not sent for, neither was he
invited to tea, and his spirits began to
wax low. ..#
eff she'd cared about me she'd have
got in my way somehow before this
trust a woman he thought.
The idea of not being cared for was
not cheerful. That night he strolled
carelessly by the shop, but on the oppo-
site side of the way. Nothing was to be
seen of Jennie. He walked on in q
brown study, then crossed over, and
went deliberately by the shop, with
only one eye, however, turned in its
direction, but not q sign of Jennie.
He went back to the barracks in de-
iected frame of mind.
"It's an awful pity-such nice girl
and there's the cottage all ready for her
to step into, and me ready to retire from
the service and good trade at my back
it's too bad, all along of that Captain
McGee, too. And the fruit in the gar
den (of the cottage) all ripe and no one
to pick it.
The next morning John Weare walked
deliberately into the shop and asked for
penny newspaper, and had the felicity
of being served by Mrs. Evans. ...
"Quite a stranger, Mr.. Weare," she
said but that was the only remark she
made, aud for the life of him he could
not screw up his courage to ask for her
sister.
That night John Weare was miserable
"She can't care rush for me-" he
thought, and marched all over the town,
and nearly to Greenwich and back, in his
excitement.
The next day was lucky one for
John. He came across Bibbs. Bibbs
was Mrs. Evans eldest boy. No one
knew what his real name was, or why he
was called Bibbs; but he was never
called anything else.
Bibbs," said John Weare, "come
and have some fruit" and he carried
him off in triumph to the cottage and
stuffed him with gooseberries till he
couldn't move, and with black currants
till his mouth was as black as O crow.
Then he carried him inside and stood
him on the table, and sat down before
him.
&C How old are you, Bibbs?"
He thought it better to begin the
conversation with question.
Five and half. Is that your sword
up there 2"
"Yes. Who gave you those bronze
shoes, Bibbs2 2"
Now he knew Jennie had given them
to him, but he SO wanted to hear her
name. tfNg El3HE H.|.
"Auntie. She's going away soon, :"
he added. "Let me look at your sword
now"
Where's she going to ?" he asked, in
CONSERVATION.
Devonshire. Do let me try on your
sword"
"Why is she going ?" he asked, with
a sick feeling at his heart.
"She's i'll, I think; and she's always
crying now; one day she was crying
over her silver thing you gave her, and
kissing it like anything"
The "silver thing" was little heart
of about the size of a shilling, which he
had bought at Charlton fair, and timidly
requested her to accept.
John Weare jumped up and showed
Bibbs his sword, and carried him on
his back all over the place, and entreated
him to have more black currants in his
delight. But Bibbs declined
"Aunt Jennie's going to bring me
some from Ethan tonight" he said.