Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-09-11

By incessant devotion to his books
through those three years, he was able
to master all the textbooks used In that
institution. For the last two terms Of
his course. was a member of Jennles
classes. He graduated when she did;
and, in most of their Joint studies, was
marked several points above her! 2'a.~ 4
How did jim think he came out !?
Going home with, Jennie that last day,
after school had closed, he repeated
the words Mr. Long had spoken three
years before: "Y'aint nowhere side Nv
her." and though they were truer now
than ever. 8rH:. -e-s. .o - .afa,
Had the want ter git ter know with
which he began, given place to q want"
less likely to be satisfied?
= If Jennie had been aware that her
own views concerning the results of
their rivalry-if it was such--coincided
with Jims she probably would not have
expressed herself as she did to her
mother that evening when the two
were alone. "I suppose" she said, che
thinks he's done a wonderful thing; but
[ don't. If l had studied and studied
and studied as he has,sI should have
been far ahead Of the great great
giant But, of course, | don't-cafe o fig
about it mamma" ...sa90 81, 10 srJ
Whether Jennie's remarks indicated
happy frame Of mind or not, is a
question But without question she
used a very happy word when she
spoke Of Jim as a giant, for he was a
mighty youth. Jennie was reallypetite,
She knew it; but it did not trouble her
that those girls who were familiar with
her called her Little Jennie Long"
Jim knew that he was of great stature
for his age, and was a little sensitive on
that point. | don't think he fancied
being called "Big jim" And it, may
have been his aversion to that name
that accounted partly for his blushmg
SO deeply one morning Of his last term,
when he mad taken his seat att the
opening Of school, Some mischievous
youth had written gstanza on the
ackboard-which was on the wall that
faced the seats-and written in such
large hand that every scholar could read
it from where he sat. - This is copy of
the lofty verse that the teacher FASTENED
to erase as soon as he discovered what
A''But one dares write-what every one Knows
That several little fellows fret ..t..8 .s.t ....#.
Because chance they never get
To walk and talk with Jennie Long.
Who binders them? Big Jm-the strong,
He comes with her; and with her goes; g..
And thinks she wants him to, spo>e."
When Jim's eyes caught that, his
face TUNED very red, as red as
Jennie's. ..fy ....., ....., -.
The youth who wrote that poem
dared" to write it: but he did not dare to
make himself known.
Of course it was. nothing but, q boys,
play" but jim felt that he was near
enough to being man to look at it from
mans standpoint. And looking at it
in that light he thought it proper to tell.
Jennie that night len they went home
that he was very sorry that some IN can
fellow had annoyed her in such way;
that he would find out the puppy who
wrote the stuff and give him a sound
thrashing.
But Jennie, to the surprise of jim,
could not see wherein she had been in.
,jured to an extent that demanded any.
such a course as he proposed to take,
and she dissuaded him from his sam,
culinary purpose. Not easily, however.
but by arguments made in an earnest
manner, and urged more and more
strongly, until he was conquered.
Without meaning it, perhaps, Jennie
said some things before they reached
her fathers door, that were calculated
to mislead,JIm, as. to the place he occu-
pied in her thoughts. 1t. was nothing
positively encouraging; but something
that came nearer, that than. anything
she had ever before said to him. OF
course it must have been unintentional,
for nothing in that line was repeated
during their walks to and from School
the remainder of the term. And when
the term closed, as was said before, jim
felt that she was farther from him than
ever. He saw with the. clearness of
vision that is, characteristic of young
men in his state. of mind, the hopeless
ness Of any attempt to make himself
her equal1n any respect, and then acted
as youthln his circumstances usually
does. Heaintended to remain with Mr. d
Long until he was Of age, for he knew
he could be Of great service to the
farmer IN the two years that interoenedI
And he wished to- repay. the latter for
his kindness to him. ra1 uov rsdu yIl
FOR the first few months of those 1two
years, he was apparently quite 7sel-pos-
sessed in his association with Jennie.
But that is all that can be said to his
credit. He broke down-utterly sue
cumbed before six idonths'had passed,
proposed land told Jennie he did not
blame her for not caring for. him, and
hoped she would forgive, him for offering
such poor creature as himself to one,
like her: that he could not help it; that
lie felt he must know what he was to
her, and now he did know, ia al. .bo9Fd
I Jim had discovered Jennie 6 the even
ing whenlhe asked that question, sitting
on the 'bench under theogreat maple,
back of the house.. There she left him, d
and wentinto the house; ard there for
a long time he remained after She had
gone, sitting in her place, with a. sensa-
ton at his heart unlike anything he had
ever before experienced Not content
ed to let, well enough" alone, he had
gone from the negative comfort OF, con