Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-22

John was a powerful, muscular
man, and l used to see him 90 up
the road many a time when / was
out in the shed, milking, and peep
ing out at him through the chinks.
| thought his broad shoulders
stopped more than ever, and his
figure was growing more stalky-like.
Such an awkward fellow as John
wasl / came near rushing out on
him once, with my sun-bonnet, and
with my sleeves rolled up, and
flinging my arms around his neck;
but my John liked to see folks
tidy, and | never did.
Jesse Plummer was the beau of
the village-dapper, neat and dainty
as you please; and all the girls
thought l had come to my senses
when | ousted 'em of Jess. And
by-and-by it was Jess that came
sparkin' o nights, and sat O. win
ter evenings over the embers, and
he was SO soft-spoken and pleasant
that even mother forgot her vexa-
ton. (She always set store by John,
mother did, Well, in the spring
we were married, and had string
of pearls and a real silk bridal
dress, and felt kind O. lifted like
when the girls crowded round me
and hoped I'd be happy. ! hoped
so, too; wasn't sure Of it.
Remembering the days that came
after, ! can't recall one hard word |
ever heard from jess. We weren't
near enough to each other to quar-
rel; we just laid apart like two odd
volumes; there wasn't any fire
'twixt US, nor anything 'twixt us,
either love or laughing, whereas
John and | had always b en- bub
bling over one way and another.
| worked hard, for my silk dress
and necklace were all had of
riches; and l cut up my gown one
day to make a cloak for the baby.
You see, | couldn't give up my
pride, and was just as high
spirited as ever. But our farm
didn't prosper, and Mrs. Plnmmer
came to live with us, to look after
things, she said; and she got to
plying him every now and then for
marrying poor wife, and-0, well,
what's the use o talking? Some
times ! couldn't help wishing John
Stringer's strong shoulders were at
the wheel, when | was working my
self to death morning and night
for nothing.
Then, when the baby grew big
ger, took to teaching an A B G
class, as | used to before l was mar
ried; but what little l knew had
run wild since then, and / could
not keep the boys straight, some
how; and the girls didn't care about
samplers, for the sewing machines
had ridden right over everything.
Then Jesse fell i'll Of the fever, and,
with all the fretting and fuming
and nursing of his mother, and
with all my watching day and night,
somehow he soon slipped off be-
tween us, and | found myself a
widow, with the ill-fared, wasted
farm on my hands, and Mother
Plummer driyeling and maunder-
ing after Jessee in way to break
my heart.
But l kept my spirits up yet, and
| advertised half the place for sale
at the courthouse, for if | could
sell it we should skin through
somehow on an acre or two |
thought. >lioIJagI
Well, who do you suppose came
over one sunny afternoon, as | was
standing in the kitchen? Who, to
be sure, but John Stringer, large as
life-a little gray, mayhap, aud a
little angular, but keen and strong
as ever, He'd a use for that bit o
land, it seemed, and had his eve on
it along back. "Always wanting
what wasn't his" Mother Plummer
said.Q She owed him a grudge for
being more forehanded than Jesse.
1t took deal of looking after and
lawyering and surveying, and the
Lord knows what, to settle it; and / |
used to see John Stringer's stopping
shoulders and broad felt hat down |
just beyond the rise in the meadow |
time and again. But he scarce ever
came near the door, till one day-II |
can't tell how it was-when the set.
we're to be made, | lust
took the baby up stairs and had a
good cry; for that bit o. land had
been Jesse's favorite piece, and
Mother Plummer had been harry
ng me all day about it.
"The ways O Providence are 50
'trange!" said Mother Plummer,
aging her specs down atop O. the
,lble, and putting on that awful
patient air which was wearing me
o skin and bone -" past finding
,ut. Now if Jesse had married
sophie Mills that was, and you--''
But | did not wait to hear any
more. AS | say / Just caught up
oaby and went off to the garret,
And while ! sat in the cobwebbed ]
Mrs B,rrnt- Sonhia Mills s