Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-06-15
JAMES LOVER.

I" Jane Haynien exclaimed Mrs Crane,
sharply, ",you must certainly be in love,
and fybu know well enough that have
no patience whatever with that kind of
foolishness Here's . pie burned to
coal il tho oven, yo1 upset the milk
pitcher, put salt in the sugar bowl, and
forgot to make the coffee for breakfast
What possesses you, girlH"
James fair face flushed, but she made
no reply, but kept on kneading the
bread on the bread board.
You'll tell me, won't you, Jane" said
Leila Crane, eoaxingly, coming TO the
side of the girfwho had been Che same
rs sister tO her for three years.
'eYes,i after awhile" replied Jane,
quietly. ... IL.
And I'm sure, ma" said Leila, &c why
Jane can't have q beau is Just because
you're afraid of losing her She is a
perfect treasure, Hurry up, Jane, and
come upstairs and tell me who your
lover is"
Jane smiled as she ,said "Ihave mo-
lover, leila. " - ~ fP~J II Il
But after she had kneaded' the bread
and done half dozen other little things
about the kitchen she went upstairs to
the low, farm house chamber, where
Leila sat braiding her hair, small mir
roronherlap. a. ~ YF n w
L" Now tell me all about #, Jane" Fl
Jane took a seat in rickety cane
seated chair and pressed her hands on
her head as il trying to recollect some
thing she had TO tell. - .--. -rr- .-- --- 4
81 know I was careless this morning,
Leila, and your mother had a right to be
vexed, but was SO worried and fright
cned last night thatI could not collectmy
senses this morning. You see it was a
lovely moonlight night, and after you
had all gone to bed l thought I'd run
out infthe grape arbor for breath of
cool air. 1t seemed to me it would re-
fresh me, ! felt SO tired with ironing in
the hot kitchen all day. Well, l sat
down on one of the benches, and was
thinking how I'd trim my blue cambric,
when saw man come out from behind
the lilac bushes right by the arbor and
go to the pantry window. My heart beat
so loud l was afraid he would hear it,
He stood there Il Few minutes with his
head bowed in his hands, and then he
took something from his pocket and be-
gam to unfasten the window-blipd. Ali
thought of your Aunt Lucy lying in the
room next to the pantry, and knew it
would kill her outright in her weak state
if she was frightened at all, so ran up
softly and stood right before him. He
was SO Startled that he let the chisel in |
his hands fall to the ground, and said to
me in a queer sort of voice: Well, |
who are your I'm Jane, l said, and |
beg you won't get into the house, fer
there's Il sick lady there, and If she was
TO be scared by you it would kill her
Miss Leila, he turned away his head and |
when l saw his face again it was white |
as this wall. I'm starved, he said and |
felt the tears come to my eyes, for he |
spoke in such hopeless, detected tone.
took hold of. his hand and led him
around to the Kitchen door, and then
got out pie and cake and meat, and he |
ate as if he was famished. When he was
through he took from his finger finely |
worn gold ring See, tits here" and Jane !
showed an old gold ring. He said it
was once his dead mothers, and he told
me | had been so good to him, the first
kindness he had received since he had
left prison, and he begged me to keep
the ring until we met again, and then he
went away.n
What did he look like, Jane?" asked
Leila, deeply absorbed in the story.
oh he was quite handsome; his hair
curledin little golden rings all over his
head, and his eyes looked dark blue to
me, and he had very sweet voice, and
acted just like a gentleman would to any
woman"
And to think Of his being in prisonr'
SAID Leila. eompassionately. Poor
mani Jane, he is the lover ma spoke
aboutszasYous sec he must have fallen in
love with you, and that is the engage
ment ring. / think you are good enough !
for any man, Jane, but too good for a
felon."
" Don't call him that, Leila" and Jane
looked panied. -
Tbstwo girls agreed not to tell Mrs.
Crane of the nights adventure, for fear
of her harsh criticisms, but when alone
they frequently spoke of the strange
man whom Leila always called James
Jane Haynie was an orphan, and had
been boundsout TO stern old woman
who had nearly worked the young girl to
DEATH At the expiration Of the contract
Jane had taken q situation at Mrs.
Cranes, where she had comfortable
home, and though she worked hard she
WAS never badly treated. Mrs. Crane
was harsh in manner and severe in judg-
ment, but she tried to be always Just.
To Leila, Jane was very much attached,
for the child of fifteen looked upon the
girl OF twenty-five as dear sister, and
ire ated her as such.
-Four nonths passed by and Jane had
heard nothing of her lover" And now
she seldom thought of him unless the
sight OF thegeld ring she wore brought
him to her mind. It was now nearly
Christmas time, aud the farmhouse
kitchen presented busy scene, for great
being made for the ex-
pected arrival Of several cousins and
iunts who.aiwsys spent the holidays at
he Cranes. Jane went down TO The j
barn 70 buntt up some more eggs. for
hey needed a dozen for the squash pies
Mrs. Crane made so delicious and golden.
The hay was piled high in the loft, and
ane went through the whole lower part
II the barn before ascending the ladder
which led TO the loft, She hoped 10 find I
ggs enough. down below, but was dis.
ppointed In doing so, and accordingly /
'egans her search through the sweet
melling hay, singing gayly, for her 4
cart was light All at once She gave a I
brill scream, for ia one corner of the I
1ft, half covered by hay, she saw the /
gure OF man. Jane was brave girl,
ut she could not stand such sudden \
light, and would have screamed for b