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


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 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 Dds pretty; that was nc
reason why she should let half a dozen
fellows at a time hang about the shop OF
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 so for 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 a good many years
now, had an excellent character, and a
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 shop-woman for her sister, Mrs.
Evans. A very Door little shop ii 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 i'm the garrison
after the fever had carried off her husband.
The speculation answered pretty well at
first, for many of the officers wives, know
ing what an industrious woman Mrs,
Evans was, made point of buying their
tapes and cottons and sticks of sealing
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 risky young cadets, and the
original customers took flight--though
Mrs. Evans did not know it, for she, be-
lieving the business was safe in the keep
ing OF Jennie, worked hard at the dress
making (she had three children to support,
and the shop alone would not do itl.
The officers were not profitable Gus
toners, for they only went TO dirt with
Jennie under the excuse of buying penny
paper, or perhaps asking for timetable
Jennie made the most trim and pretty and
obliging Of shop-women, and the place IT
self was always a pattern OF neamess; but
the officers wives did not care to go and
buy their thread where they were evident
iy interrupting a filtration, and so the
business continued to fall off, and Mrs.
Evans began to get quite unhappy about
it. Jennie-preity, Kind hearted, thought.
less Jennie-had no idea that she had
anything to do with it, or she would have
sent every one of her admirers off at a
pace that would have astonished them
She had been only too delighted, after her
brother-in-law died, TO come from Devon
shire and live with her sister al Wool.
wich--not only because she was very fond
Of her sister, but also because she had
wished many times TO see John Weare
again She had made his acquaintance
when her brother and he--for they had
been in the same regiment--were stationed
at Plymouth, and she had made them a
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 ask her to settle with him. He