Smyrna times., 1876-02-16

was secretly of opinion that" he ought to
have come up to the scratch before, so she
thought a little jealousy might do him
good.
ooh! here comes Captain McGee," she
said in delighted tone.
"Well, he's just the biggest blackleg in
the service, Jennie, and if you take my adj
vice you'll send him off sharp"
81 believe you are jealous, Mr.. Weare,
and telling stories about the captain he is
always very polite to me" and she smoothed
her pretty hair and arranged the trifies on
the counter.
"Oh, he's polite enough no doubt"
"And he's bringing me some flowers"
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 shall
be off, but you must choose between him
and me. Ifyou are going to keep on talk
ing to him shall never come in the place
again, so which is it to be?'
"The captain"
"But l am not joking. I'll never see
you again."
mo more am joking, so good-by."
"Good-by "-and he went.
He kept resolutely away for a whole
month-never once went near the place.
If Jennie wanted him she might send for
him or get her sister to invite him to tea,
as she had done before. But John Weare
was not sent for, neither was he invited tc
tea, and his spirits began to wag.
"If she'd cared about me she'd have got
in my way somehow before this-trust g
woman he thought"
The idea of not being cared for was moi
cheerful. That night he strolled carelessly
by the shop, but on the opposite side o
the way. Nothing was to be seen of Jennie
: He walked. on in brown study, then cross
, ed over, and went deliberately by the shop
r with only one eye, however, turned in it
, direction, but not a sign of Jennie. II
went back to the barracks in a dejectet
4 frame of mind.
ats an awful pity-such a nice girl
/ and there's the cottage all ready for her t
step into, and me ready to retire from tn
t service and good trade at my back it
: too bad, all along of that Captain McGe
s too. And the fruit in the garden (of tn
$ cottage) all ripe and no one to pick it."
f The very next morning John Wear
; walked deliberately into the shop an
i asked for penny newspaper, and had th
4 felicity Of being served by Mrs. Evans.
, "Quite a stranger, Mr.. Weare," she said
d but that was the only remark she mad
IS and for the life of him he could not sore
d up his courage to ask faE her sister.
e That night John Weare was miserabl
e "She can't care a rush for me-" /
thought, and marched all over the tow
D. and nearly to Greenwich and back in h
" excitement.
r, The next day was lucky one for Joh
ie He came across Bibbs. Bibbs was Nj
@ Evans eldest boy. No one knew VIII
If his real name was, or why he was CALI
le Bibbs; but he was never called anythil
ny else.
n "Bibbs," said John Weare, "come al
ss have some fruit" and he carried him
IN in triumph to the cottage and stuffed hi
- with gooseberries till he couAdn't mo,
= and with black currants till his mouth "
do as black as a crow. Then he carried hi
ne inside and stood him on the table, and /
Id down before him.
Ily "How old are you, Bibbs?"
ID, He thought it better to begin the conv
Ter sation with question.
he Five and a half. Is that your swc
lse up there?
Inn "Yes. Who gave you those bror
nt shoes, Bibbs?''
iey Now he knew Jennie had given them
ere him, but he so wanted to hear her name
aid "Auntie. She's going away soon,"
I'm added. "Let me look at your sw'
me now."
'ne Where's she going to?" he asked
=, CONSERVATION.
i'n "Devonshire. Do let me try on y
M M. sword"
|, "Why is she going2" he asked, wit
led sick feeling at his heart.
he "she's i'll, / think; and she's alw
ors. crying now; one day she was crying ov
for silver thing you gave her and kissing
no like anything
ury The " silver thing twas little hear
he about the size Of shilling, which he
tish bought at Charlton Fair last October,
bed timidly requested her to accept.
John Weare jumped up and sho
AXE Bibbs his sword, and carried him on
,uch back all over the place, and entreated
tell to have more black currants in his deli
nv But Bibbs declined.
"Aunt Jennie's going to bring me 1
= 70 from Ethan tonight he said.