Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-10-21

Woolwich, and gradually established him.
self on the footing of lover till he found
the shop always filled with officers and
cadets. AT first he was shy of appearing
before his superiors. then he got jealous
and at last angry, for he felt and knew
that they meant her no good, and besides
/ it was doing real injury TO the business OF
the shop. AT last he spoke his mind and
told the coquettish Jennie what he thought,
and was snubbed for his pains.
| If you think don't know how to take
care of myself, Mr.. Weare, you are much
mistaken, and don't want anyone to tell
me what's right or wrong. / know for
MYSELF
"Well, Miss Jennie, / didn't mean to
give otfense. l only told you what |
| thought"
"Then you might have kept your
| thoughts to yourself" she said with little
| toss of her pretty head" unless they had
been nice ones" she added He heard
the aside, and picked up his courage.
Us awfully hard, too, when one that
| cares for you really can't get near YOU"
he pleaded. Just then Jennie caught
sight of Capt. MCGEE, tall and handsome
man, with long whiskers and a red nose,
coming in the direction of the shop, with
| big bunch of flowers in his hand. She
had heard John Weare's last words, but
she was secretly of opinion that he
ought to have come up to the scratch be-
fore" so she thought little jealousy
might do him good.
"Oh! here comes Capt. McGee," she
said in delighted tone.
"Well, he's just the biggest blackleg in
the service, Jennie, and if you take my adj
wise you'll send him off sharp"
believe you are jealous, Mr.. Weare,
and telling stories about the Captain; he
is always very polite to me-" and she
smoothed her pretty hair and arranged the
trifies ON the counter.
"Oh, he's polite enough, no doubt"
And he's bringing me some flowers"
'iNow, look here, Jennie, are you going
to take them?"
"Of course / am
"Well, then, good-by."
Good-by," she laughed. or course
she knew he wouldn't go.
Jennie, he'll be in directly and /
shall be off, but you must choose between
on talking to him / shall never come in
the place again--so which is ii to be?"
"The Captain"
oul all uot JohiuS. IL hSNSA SIC
you again"
No more am joking, so good-by."
"Good-by''-and he went.
ii.
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.
IF she'd cared about me she'd have
got in my way somehow before this
trust woman" he thought.
The idea of not being cared for was not
cheerful. That night he strolled careless
ly by the shop but on the opposite side Of
the way. Nothing was TO be seen Of Jen-
ME. He walked on in brown study,
then crossed over and went deliberately
by the shop, with only one eye, however,
turned in its direction, but not a sign OF
Jennie. He went back TO the barracks in
detected frame of mind.
ITS 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 Capt. McGee,
too. And the fruit in the garden (cf the
cottage) all ripe and no one to pick it."
The very next morning John Weare
walked deliberately into the shop and
| asked for penny newspaper, and had
the felicity of being served by Mrs. Ey-
ans.
"Quite stranger, Mr.. Weare," she
said; but that was the only remark she
made, and 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 a 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 crow Then he carried him
inside and stood him on the table, and sat
down before him.
"How old are you, Bibbs?"
He thought it better 10 begin the con-
versation with question.
"Five and halt. Isthat your sword up
there? ?"
Eyes. Who gave you those bronze
shoes, Bibbs?"
Now he knew Jennie had given them to
him, but he wanted to hear her name.
"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
sick feeling at his heart.
"She's i'll, 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 shilling, which he had
bought at Charlton Fair last October and