Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-06-09

Jemlmh 0du D0en Vi |
great assistance in tightening Mrs. |
Browns labors since she had been with |
her, and Mrs. Brown appreciated her pa |
ticnt devotion to her arduous duties. She |
felt that Jemima merited some reward for
her devoted service, and then, in spite of
all her wickedness, there was still ten
derness in the good old lady's heart
toward sinful Pess.
SO Bess was hurried off toI cheap
school in the country before she fully re-
allied what they were doing with her or
had time 10 protest. However, remon-
STRANGE on her part would have been use.
less, for the arbiters of her fate were de.
termined, aud Bess was banished.
Then ensued the calmest period of
Jemima's life. The days flowed smooth
ly along for the first time in all the record
OF her worried existence, and several years
went by. But just as the corners OF her
mouth were learning TO relax from their
grim downward curve, and the perpendic-
uar lines above her nose began to smooth
themselves out little, a new calamity be-
fell Jemima Good Mrs. Brown was taken
sick, and, after n long illness, during
which she received the most devoted care
from her faithful friend and servant, de-
parted this life to reioin her deceased
grocer in another world.
And now grim care seized upon poor
Jemima again. She had spent six peace
ful and comparatively happy years while
her friend and patroness lived, but now
she was alone again, with Tess and her.
self to provide for, and only her own un-
aided efforts to win living for them
both. Mrs. Brown had recommended her
to keep on with the house, and left her
tlo Nd mil nf ebo
hundred dollars in the bank. But there
was the rent to pay. The heirs were dis
posed to be us accommodating as posi-
BILE, but when they came into the property
they wanted the revenue from it, and
though unwilling to distress poor Jemi-
ma, they must insist upon thuit due. So
Miss Jemlma, as SHE had always been
called, became mistress of the house in the
place OF good Mrs. Brown. She was fa-
miliar already with the heavy burden of
care and responsibility, but before she
had had no experience of the grim night
mare called quarter. day. This was a
phantom that pursued her remOrselessly
now. -Four times a year did Jemima
tremble at the approach of the terrible
day upon which the agent appeared with
what seemed to her his exorbtant de-
mands. So she saved and pinched, and
grew harder and thinner and more fretful
Bess school bills could be paid no
longer indeed, all expenses must be re-
duced to their smallest possible limit in
order that the rent might be forthcoming.
SO Jemima sent for Bess to come home.
1t was six years now since the memorable
day when Bess made her sudden plunge
from the secOnd.story landing into the
tray containing old Mrs Gruntley's din
her-si& years from the time when that
ludiCrous disaster resulted in her sum-
mary Punishment from the old boarding
house.
Now she was back again. Mrs. Grunt-
ley was there still, but to this day she had
never forgiven Bess the shock her nerves
received on that occasion, and Mr.. Jones
still retained recollection of the pranks
played with his wearing apparel. The
other bOarders were new, with the eXcep-
tiCn of John, and therefore had no past
memories to assist them in forming an
opinion of the young lady who appeared
so suddenly among them; but there was a
prejudice against Bess in the house, and
Bess returned their dislike with all her
heart
There was her old friend John-but
Bess was not thinking about John on that
rainy morning, month after her return
from the country, as she stood at the win
dow watching the goat, while Jemima
walled about the butter and lamented the
Unsuitable appetites of her boarders. John
was just the same great, big, good natured,
affectionate John he had always been so
long as Bess had known him, ever since
she had cried herself to sleep in his arms
that dismal evening in the street car when
she and Jemima made their first acquaint-
ance with ugly old Boston.
But since Bess became young lady
John was inclined to be slightly afraid of
the imposing young person in black az
paca who made them occasional visits
during the school holidays; and as for
Bess-Bess had fallen into the habit of
considering all the conditions of her ex-
istenee as hopelessly horrible and unin-
| terestihg, and she included John among
the rest. But this morning Bess felt that
she wanted little sympathy and advice.
She realized that an immense sum must
be forthcoming next month to meet the
demands of quarter day; and that morn
ing she had discovered that a tiny hole
was about to make its appearance in the
elbow of her best alpaca dress. This COM
binatiOn of circumstances was so depress-
ing that Bess made up her mind that she
must do something to assist Jemima, and
relieve her, at least, of any further care OF
her troublesome self. But the question
was, What could she do ?-she was utterly
good for nothing. Suddenly bright
thought struck her. She would ask John.
She always used to go to John when she
was in scrape. Why not now? Cir
cumstances were favorable, for at that
moment John appeared on the scene. He
had just descended from regions above
and seated himself at the further end OF
the table.
John" said Bess, coming round to
his side of the table and subsiding into a
chair. Then, leaning her head medita-
lively on her hand, and putting her black
alpaca elbow in the bread plate" John,
what can do?"
John, like the true Yankee he was, par
ried one question with another.
What do you want to do?" -...
Nothing; but one must live. Next
month Jemima has got the rent to pay,
and she hasn't nearly money enough and
she says you all eat so much. And my
dress is all wearing out, and l must dc
something to earn some money. Now,
John, what can do?"
This was certainly perplexing ques,
ton. John pulled his mustache with q
| bCNiluOlCu dll anu DCsS IOOhCu dt uliI
disconsolately.
"COuld you teach schoOl?"
Nell don't know any thing"
John wondered what she had been about
all those years at school, but he made nc
comment
"Could you serve in a store?"
And stand up all day in a box?'
"a counter isn't box, 4" said John.
" But so like One-only Just your head
and shoulders out; and | must have room
to move about, don't you seer"
John didn't see. He thought there
were a great many people who didn't
have much room to move about in, but he
didn't say So
"No, l couldn't do that" said Bess
shaking her head mournfully and heaVing
a long sigh. 't. -.-f. ~
Can you sew?" asked John, aftel
meditating few minutes.
mo. If could, I'd mend that hole >
and Bess pulled her sleeve round her arm
with her thumb and forefinger, anC
pointed out to John small hole, where
| the graV lining was beQinninp TO show