The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-12-01

A LOVE STORY.


There was no doubt about 1t John
Weare was perfectly wretched that
night. He had ~quarreiled with Jeh-
ME Bell and be wasn't going to make
II nm. The fact was she gave her
self 100 many airs, and be didn't mean
70 stand it any longer. He didn't
care If she was pretty that was 10
reason why she should let half a
dozen fellows at a time hang about
the shop or stroll in n at a time,
and. leaning on their elbows, chat
ter 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
thew would Of inviting her to the
hall that va coming of next month.
To be sure. be was only a common
cavalry soldier, bat then be had been
in The service . good many years
now. had an excellen: character and
a good trade at lis back, and more
over. bis father had died not long
since. and there was the cottage all
ready COR Jennie TO walk into, and
they might settle down at once if
she'd only be sensible. Jennie acted
as sbop woman for her sister, Mrs.
Evans. A very poor little shop it
was. very small and badly stocked,
for Mrs. Evans bad only managed to
get a few pounds worth Of things
with what had been subscribed for
her in the garrison after the fever
had carried of her husband. 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 cottons and
sticks of sealing wax of her. Then
Jennies pretty face was seen behind
the counter, and the shop was filed
from morning to night with officers
and risky young cadets, and the orr
ginal customers took hight-though
Mrs. Evans did not know it, for she,
believing that the business was safe
in the keeping Of Jennie, worked
hard at the dressmaking (she had
three children TO support, and the
shop alone would not do IT'D
The officers were not profitable
customers, for they only went to iift
with Jennie under the excuse Of buy
ing a penny paper, or perhaps ask
ing for q timetable.
Jennie made the most trim and
pretty and obliging of sbop-women,
and the place itself vas a pattern of
neatness; but the officers wives did
not care to 60 and buy their thread
where they were evidently inter-
rupting a Irritation, and so the bust
ness continued to fall of, and Mrs.
Evans began to get quite unhappy
about it. Jennie, pretty, %kindhearted,
thoughtless Jennie-had noidea that
she had anything TO do with it, or
she would have SEM every one Of
her admirers of of o pace that would
have astonished them. She had been
too delighted after her %brother-in-
law died, to come from Devonshire
and live with her sister at Woolwich
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 paid them a
flying visit with her father. John
had told her then that be was tired
Of the service and wanted to settle
down. ana she inwardly thought that
he could do no better than to 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 filed with
the officers and cadets. Al first be
was shy Of appearing before bis SUI
periors, then he got jealous and at
last angry, for be felt and knew that
they meant her no good, and besides
it was doing real injury to the bust
ness Of the shop At last be spoke
bis mind and told the coquettish Jen-
ME what be thought, and was snub-
ed for his pains.
If you think / don't know how to
take care of myself, Mr.. Weare,
yeu are much mistaken, and i don't
want any one to tell me what's right
or wrong. | know for myself
Well, Miss Jennie, / didn't mean
to give offence. ! only told you
what | thought
Then you might have kept your
thoughts to YOURSELF she said with
a little toss of her pretty head
unless they had been nice ones,' she
added. He heard the aside, and pick
ed up his courage.
It'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, a tall and handsome man, with
long whiskers and a red nose, coming
in the direction of the shop, with a
big bunch Of flowers in his hand
She had heard John Weare's last
words, but she was secretly of the
opinion that he ought to have come
up to the scratch before so she
thought a little jeslousy might do
him good.
oh J here comes Captain McGee,'
she said in a delighted tone.
Well, he's just the biggest black
leg in the service, Jennie, and if you
take my advise yonll send him off
sharp
Il believe you are jealous, Mr..
Weare, and telling stories about the
captain; be is always very polite to
me- and she smoothed her pretty
hair and arranged the trifes on the
counter.
oh, be is polite enough no doubt
And be is bringing me some
flowers
Now look here, Jennie, are YOU
going TO take them?'
of counsel am
Well, then, good-by.'
'Good-by,' she laughed. or course
she knew be wouldn't go.
Jennie, he'll be in directly, and |
shall be of, but you must choose be-
tween him and me. II you are GO
ing to keep on talking to him / shall