The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-11-12
BIBBS- "A LOVE STORY.

w GdI6 was perfectly NICtCICh LIIttI
night. He had quarreled with Jennie
Bell, and he wasn't going to make it
up. The fact was she gave herself too
many airs, and he didn't mean to stand
it any longer. He didn't care if she
was pretty; that was no reason why she
should let half Il dozen fellows at time
hang about the shop or stroll in one
at time, and, leaning on their elbows,
chatter and smirk and smile over the
counter, cadets and officers too, wild
young fellows, who only did 50 for their
own idle amusement, and would no
more dream Of marrying her than they
would of inviting her to 4 ball that
was coming off next month. To be
sure, he was only a common cavalry
soldier, but then he had been in the
service a good many years now, had
an excellent character and Il good trade
at his back, and moreover, his father
had died not long since, and there was
the cottage all ready for Jennie to walk
into, and they might settle down at
once if she'd only be sensible. Jennie
acted as shopwoman for her sister, Mrs.
Evans A very poor little shop it was,
very small and badly stocked, for Mrs.
Evans had only managed to get few
pounds worth of things with what had
been subscribed for her in the garrison
after the fever had carried Off her hIIs-
band. The speculation answered pretty
well at first, for many Of the officers
wives, knowing what an industrious
woman Mrs. Evans was, made a point
of buying their tapes, and cotton, and
sticks Of sealing Of her. Then Jennic's
pretty face was seen behind the counter,
and heshop was filled from morning to
night with officers and frisky young
cadets, and the original customers took
flight; though Mrs. Evans did not know
i, for she, believing the business was
slte in the keeping Of Jennie, worked
hard at the dressmaking (she had three
children to support, and the shop alone
would not do it,
The officers were not profitable Gus
toners, for they only went to flirt with
Jennie under the excuse Of buying d
penny paper, or perhaps asking for a
timetable. Jennie made the most trim
and pretty and obliging of shopwomen,
and the place itself was a pattern of
ncatness; but the officers wives did not
care to 90 and buy their thread where
they were evidently intcrrupting a
Irritation, and so the business continued
to fall off, and Mrs. Evans began to get
quite unhappy about it. Jennie, pretty,
kind-heartcd, thOughtless Jennie, had
10 idea that she had anything to do
with it or she would have sent every
one Of her admirers off, at q pace that
would have astonished them. She had
been only too delighted, after her
brother-in-law died, to como from Dev-
onshire and live with her sister at Wool
wich; not only because she was fond of
her sister, but also because she had
wished many times to see John Wcarc
again.
She had made his acquaintance when
her brother and be (ior they had been
in the same rcgimonD were stationed at
Plymouth, and she had paid them a
flving visit with her father. John had
told her then that he was tired of the
service and wanted to settle down, and
she inwardly thought that he could do
no better than ask her to settle with
him. He had been very attentive when
she came to Woolwich, and gradually
established himself on the footing Of a
lover till he found the shop always filled
with the officers and cadets. At first
he was shy Of appearing before his su-
periors, then he got jealous and at last
angry, for he felt and knew that they
meant her no good, and besides twas
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 Snubbcd for his pains
'Ifyou think [ don't how to take care
of myself, Mr.. Wcare, you are mistaken,
and | don't want any one to tell me
what's right or wrong; know that for
myself"
"WelI, Miss Jennie, | didn't mean to
give off9nsc, | only told you what |
thought"
"Ihen you might have kept your
thoughts to YOURSELF she said, with
little toss Of her pretty head, "unIess
they had been nice ones" she added.
He heard the aside, and picked up his
courage.
awfully hard, too, when one that
cares for you really can get near you,
he pleaded. Just then Jennie caught
sight of CAPTAIN Niece, Il tail and hand
some man, with long whiskcrS 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 was secretly of opinion
that che ought to have come up to the
scratch before" so she thought little
JEALOUSY might do him good.
con, here comes Captain McGee!"
he said in a delighted tone.
" Well, hes just the biggest blackIeg
n. the service, Jennie, and if you take
my advice you'll send him off'sharp."
"Ibelieve you are jealous Mr.. Weare, |
and telling stories about the Captain; he
5 always very polite to me-" and she
moothed her pretty hair and arranged
he trifles on the counter.
ooh, he's polite enough, no doubt"
"And he's bringing some flowers"
" Now, look here, Jennie, are you