Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-10-29
BIBBS; ALOVE STORY.
Cassell's Family Magazine.

There was no doubt about it; John
Weare was perfectly wretched that
night. He had quarreled with Jennie
Bell and he wasn't going to make i.
ur. 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 acas pretty; that was no reason
why she should let half a dozen fel-
lows at time hang about the shop
or stroll in one at Il time and leaning
on their elbows, chatter and smirk
and smile over the counter, cadets,
and officers too, wild young fellows,
who only did so tor their own idle
amusement, and would no more
dream of marrying her than they
would Of inviting her to the 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 good many years now, had
an excellent character and good
trade to 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 cnly be
sensible. Jennie acted rs shop-wo-
man for her sister, Mrs. Evans. \
very poor little shop it was, very
small and badly stocked, for Mrs.
Evans had only managed to get Il
few pounds worth of things with
what had been subscribed for her in
the garrison after the fever had carri-
ed off her husband. The speculation
answered pretty well at first, for
many Of the officers wives, knowing
what an industrious woman Mrs
Evans was, made point Of buying
their tapes and cottons and sticks of
scaling-wax Of her. Then Jennie's
pretty face was seen behind the
counter, and the shop was filled from
morning to night with officers and
frisky young cadets, and the original
customers took tlight-though Mrs.
Evans did not know it, for she be-
lieving the business was safe in the
keeping Of Jennie, worked hard at
the dressmaking (shc had three chill
dren to support, and the shop alone
would not do iU.
The officers were not profitable
customers, for they only wanted to
flirt with Jennie under the excuse Of
buying Il penny paper, or perhaps
asking for timetable. Jennie
made the most trim and pretty and
obliging of shop-women, and the
place itself was always a pattern Of
ncatness; but the officers wives did
not care to 90 and buy their thread
where they were evidently interrupt
inc Il Irritation, and so the business
continued to tall off, and Mrs. Evans
began to get quite unhappy about it.
Jenny-pretty, kindhearted, thought
less Jenny-had no idea that she had
anything to do with 1t, or she would
have sent every one of her admirers
off at pace that would have aStonish-
ed them. She had been onl Y too de-
lighted, after her brother-in-law died, g,
to come from Deyonshire and live
with her sister at Woolwich-not
I only because she was very fond OF
her sister, but also because she had
wished many times to see John
/ Weare again. She had ma lc his ac-
/ quaintancc when her brother and he
for they had been in the same reg
iment-were stationed ut Plymouth
and she had paid them flying 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 to ask her to settle
with him. lie had been very attent-
i've when she came to Woolwich, and
gradually cstabli shed himself on the
tootin" of a lover till he found the
shop always filled with the officers
and cade.s. 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 40 good, and besides it was
doing real injury to the business of
the shop. vt last he spoke his mind
and told the coquettish Jennie what
he thought, and was snubbcd for his
pains.
''If you think | don't know how to
take care of myself, Mr. Wcare, you
are very much mistaken, and / don't
want any one to tell me what's right
or wrong. know for myself
"Well, Miss jennie, l didn't mean
to give offence. | only told you
what | thought"
"Then you might have kept your
thoughts to yourself" she said with
little toss of her pretty hcad-''un-
less they had been nice ones, she
added. He heard the aside, and
picked up his courage.
! "lt's awfully hard, too, when one
that cares for you really can't get
near you," he pleaded. Just then
Jennie caught sight Of Captain Nc
Gee, Il tall and handsome man, with
long whiskcrs and a red nose, coming
in the direction of the shop, with q
BIC bunch Of flowers in his hand
She had heard John Wcare's last
words, but she was secretly OF opin-
ion tEat che ought to have como up
to the scratch before so she thought
u little jealousy might do him good.
ooh. here comes Captain McGce,' >
she sad in n delighted tono.
"Wcll, he's Just the biggest black
LEG in the service, Jennie, and if you
take my advice you'll send him Oft
sharp"
Il believe you are jealous, Mr..
Weare, and telling stories about the
captain; he is always very polite to
me-" and she smoothcl her pretty
halr and arranged the triiicS on the
counter.
"Oh, he's polite enough, no doubt"
"And he's bringing me some flow
crs.'
"Now, look here, Jennie, are You
going to take them
"Of course | am"
"Well, then, good-by"
"Good-by,' she laughed. OF course
she knew he wouldn't go.
Jennie, he'll be in directly, and |
n I