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

with Bess, but up to this time John had |
never dared to think of communicating II |
to her. Indeed, he was so much in awe
of this young person with the pug-nose
and shabby elbow that II the conversation
had not taken very peculiar turn this
morning doubt if John would ever have
dared TO say anything about It.
John you ought to have been down TO
bfeakfastp began Bess, irrelevantly.
Bess' mind was of such nature that IL
never could concentrate itself very long or
any one subject, and at this moment the
important matter under consideration went
completely out of her head, all because she
happened to catch sight of the empty but
ter plate.
ooh, John, if you only could have been
here this morning We were just about
half through breakfast, when Mr.. Jones
helped himself to all the butter there was
on the plate. Then Jemima said, Mr..
Jones, do you know that butter cost fifty
cents the pound, sir? Its wuth 1t, marm
-wuth it., said the old wretch, as he put
piece an inch thick on his biscuit. Oh,
John, if you could only have seen Jemi-
mas face as he said itn And Bess broke
into a peal of laughter that brought
Phoebe in from the kitchen to see what
was the matter.
81 say John, wouldn't it be nice if MIR.
Jones was to marry Jemima? wouldn't
have to do anything then, you see," CON
tinued Bess, her mind relapsing back to
her own difficulties.
This was Johns opportunity. The idea
came to the front, and he blurted 1t out
before he had time to think.
why couldn't you marry me?"
"Oh, Johnw shrieked Bess, in such an
excited manner that John upset his cof-
fee on Jemina's clean table-cloth. Then
she jumped up and flew to the window.
There was no goat now to look at, only a
gloomy street, with the rain pouring
down. She did see half potato borne
along by the rushing torrents in the gut
ter, and, in spite Of the wonderful event
that had just happened to her, thought of
the goat, and hoped he would get it.
John was agitated, too, but now he had
begun the business, it did not alarm him
nearly so much as the thinking about it
had used to do. He gave up all further
attempts at breakfast, however. 1t had
been an unlucky breakfast from the be-
ginning, and John frequently quoted it
aiterward as the worst meal he ever made
in his life.
After Bess' frantic rush to the window,
he was very much at "a loss what to do
next. He wished that Bess would say
something but she evidently had no in
tention of doing anything of the kind
so, after waiting few minutes, he went
to the window, and, summoning all his
courage, he gathered the little black fig
ure all up in his arms. Bcss made no re-
sistance, only began to cry. This was
Bess' usual way OF managing all emer-
gencies. Whenever her native impudence
failed her, as it did Oh this occasion, she
always began to cry. John was familiar
with this peculiarly, and so it did not
alarm him. He only kissed the little
mouth very tenderly, and as he did so, a
shabby little sleeve stole gently round
his neck, and the tears fell en- his shirt
bosom and took all the starch out of it.
AS soon as Bess could command her
feelings sufficiently to speak, and could
gain possession of her mouth for that pur-
pose, she said, ooh, John, won't it be an
awful load of Jemima's minds"
The old boarding house has fallen into
the hands of strangers. But there is a
cunning little cottage out on the Cam.
bridge road. In it you can find John and
Bess and Jemima, and they are not alone,
for one day there came most ridiculous,
red faced, bald-headed little baby, who
took up his abode with them, and PhGt c
had to be sent for to help take care of him
Jemima sometimes looks at Bess and
thinks what remarkable material Provi
dence chooses to make wives and mothers
out of; but since John has taken charge
of Bess, and there is no quarter day TO be
dreaded, Jemima takes more cheerful
views of life. She has found out why
there are so many girls: the girls grow VI
to be women, and it takes three women tc
look after one baby.-Ha,per'S Weekly.