Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-04-16

lost his ''girl. but he had been cut sout'
in the most mortifying manner by anans
he held in thorough contempt. He felt
that even with what he knew of Jenny'ss
faults, if. he could gain her hand, he
would carry her off in spite ofshis rival
or the deacon either. - "a 3
A week passed by and Jenny was
never out of Hiram's thought.s One day
he went to the village, and while there
standing in front of the post-effce, .El-i
nathan Rogers drove by with the. sdea-,
cons mare. aszs
II suppose now: he's got Jenny, he
thinks he's got q right to the whole
property" muttered Hiram. Il wish to
gracious the old mare would put her feet
through the dashboard! |"
That night the singing school met at
the Academy. Hiram came late. He
used to sit with the tenors just behind
Jenny Bates. Now he chose different
seat, and tried hard to sing bass. He
could not, however, help seeing Elna-
than Rogers pass peppermint lozenges to
Jenny, and also write something on the
blank leaf of her singing book which she
read and answered.
"Of course he'll go home with her to-
night" thought Hiram. "It'll be the
first time I've missed it for year. He's
welcome, though"
All the intermission he kept his seat,
and pretended to be very busy looking
for some tune in the singing book that
refused to be found. Jenny did not look
at him.
The doxology closed the school at last,
and there was a grand bustling about
the door, and eager pushing among the
young men to make sure of their favor
ties. Hiram was trying to make his
way through the crowd, when he found
himself at the elbow of Jenny Bates.
and the same moment the hateful voice
of Elnathan Rogers was heard in the
words:
"Shall see you hume tonight, Miss
Bates ?"
"NO, sir" was the prompt reply. II
shall walk home alone"
Hiram was totally unprepared for this
perhaps it's one OF her fits," he said
to himself. 1.-THE deacon said she had
'em, that nobody knew but himself. I'm
glad she mittened him, though"
The word mitten reminded Hiram
that he had left both of his on his seat
in the schoOl-rOcm, and he stepped back
just as the candles were being put out.
"Here's Jenny Bates singing-book. F"
he heard one boy say to another. "She
went off in such hurry tonight, that
she forgot it, .-
"Give it to me-" said Hiram. who re-
membered what had taken place that
evening. and with eager look sought out
the written messages that had passed be-
tween Jenny and his rival. They were
as follows:
"Tell your father he cheated me wher
1 bought old Jenny. | thought by hel
name she must be good for something
but she bites and kicks ten times worse
than he ever told me. wish now l hac
spoken for the Jenny in the house in
stead of the one in the barn"
And the answer:
II guess the horse is as good as yo'
deserve. AS for your choosing betweel
the two you mention, you won't be abl
10 do that this year. You have got tn
| only Jenny you can from my father"
A light broke in upon Hiram.
; "Well, of all the internal fools eve
heard of, l am the biggest A do
would have had more sense. 'Tis not to
late now, thank heaven.
: The departing crowd started as Hi
ram. with the singing book in his hand
rushed down the stairs, two at time
/ and up the road which led to Deaco
Bates. If he was not too late he wa
, nearly 50, for Jenny was just openin
: the gate of the front yard.
: "Stop, Jenny l'' he exclaimed, pan
q ing for breath. Here's your singin
book. You left it on your seat. l trie
t to overtake you."
"You needn't have taken the troubl
u Mr.. Jenkins; l guess no one would ha,
It stolen it, said Jenny. with great dign
e ty, and making show of going into tt
t house.
"Don't, Jenny Wait-wait jest
e minute. l know I've acted like a fool
e but let me explain
Jenny hesitated a moment and mat
" another start for the door, and then tur
= ed and went back to the gate where Il
r discounted Hiram stood waiting.
is "Well," she said, in as freezing a to-
as she could command.
ir ''Now, don't look and talk in th
ot way, Jenny Bates. You know | nev
le would have acted as l have if | hadr
thought had good reason for it. l the
e, you were going to marry Elnathan RO
70 ers."
IN What business had you to think al
ID such thing 2" asked Jenny. firing U