Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-06-28
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partner. Rose, was an unmarried man O
forty; he had light curly hair and small
white eyes, and with his female employe:
be was always willing to step aside and
chat, laughinglv with one and another OF
them. lie annoyed Fanny, for he was
constantly about her chair and making re-
marks. He liked hazel eyes he told her
He was pleased with her moss-rose buds,
and likeHed them to her mouth, in very
silly, senseleSs way as it seemed to her.
But she couldn't tell him her thoughts,
for Rose was her bread and Thorne her
butter. Pencils, the head book-keeper OF
the house, was young and rather fine
looking; had long mustaehe, black as
midnight, and black eyes that were SEN
suous. When he spoke to Fanny, as he
often did, be addressed her in soft, low
tones. and the sensuous light of his eyes
quiekened.
One May evening, sitting in the square
watching confiagration, as the sun sank
behind the far-away heights. Fanny
turned suddenly and said to her friend:
MIR. Whitley, do you know you are the
only real gentleman | have met since
father diedp | don't know why but |
wanted to tell you. The men with whom
| am obliged to be during the day are
coarse men; they seem to want only
pleasure, and | think some OF them are
wicked. Why are men so PSI
Who can answer her question: John
Whitley could not. Then she spoke OF the
beautiful sky, and told how often she had
watched the stars. with her father whist
ling or singing 10y her side. They parted
that evening at the tenement. and
when John reached his room, he took his
violin down and played annie Laurie.
and he sang:
"Her face it is the farest
That e'er the sun shoHc on"
Early one June morning, Whitley was
descending the stairs on his way to his
law reading; he had copy OF Gritty un-
der one arm and sixty cents in his pocket,
with which to buy dinner and supper
and breakfast on the morrow. Pass
ing Fanny's door, he heard her call
to him. lie tapped upon the door, and
entered She was sitting by the window.
looking very pale. She begged him to
stop at her employers and ask them TO eX
cuse her for day, to rest. IL am not i'll, !"
she said, II am only tired" But she was
i'll. When he returned at evening he
brought some violets and a mold of ealrs
foot Jelly. He had not eaten any dinner.
and he did not mean to eat any supper. for
he had spent his sixty cents. He saw the
calf's-foot jelly in contectioner's window
"a miniature mold-and he appraised it at
twenty-five cents. He entered the shop
and asked for the jelly and the price of it.
The price was fifty cents. He hesitated an
instant-only for an instant; then he paid
the money and departed with the delicacy.
Oh, he had a big heart! He paid ten cents
for violets, and the jelly and the violets,
and his kindness, gave the girl strength
and hope. That night John Whitley was
the happest fellow in town. although he
was real hungry. He played over the old
tune, and he played new one, wedding
march that lasted till after II O'Clock.
About these days the young lawyer had
a new idea lodge III his brain. He be-
lieved there was IA fortune in it; and there
was. When he began torturing the neigh
borhood with his awkward aud painful
performance on strings, he noticed that
the children round about danced and
clapped their tiny and soiled palms with
growing delight. Finally this notion
came: 'If ! can bring forth great noise
out OF small thing, next Christmas will
make fortune" He got some strips OF
pine and ash wood, he conceived faithfully
and brought forth d racket-that was new
in the city, Then Le hid the mechanism
i'm the body of ''iumplng-jack. > That
was all and what was the harm of it I
Every time that Jack jumped from within
there came penetrating sound; it was
loud and long, and could be repeated ad
lioitum. lie took the model TO near
friend, who indorsed it, and advanced
capital to perfect it. He went one day to
his washerwoman, and took the toy with
him. Washerwomen generally have large
families of small children; this washer
woman was no exception. Whitley pro-
duced the model and worked it. The
children were wild with delight, and cried
out for it. After this there was no doubt
of success. Ere the holidays were come
the toy was perfected and thrown on the
market and eagerly bought A half-dozen
were often purchased for one house. lu
this way John Whit siy made many dear
little ones happy and merry; aud grown
people that 10Y ed their children bore all so
patiently.
He made some thousands of dollars out
OF his invention. His success was so
marked that he himself acted like Jump
ingJack, and shou' ed aud sang with fun
heart.
He asked Fannie TO 20 to the Park with
him, one evening late IN May, intending
10 tell her what he had done TO bring sue
cess. All along he had kept it a secret.
Poor little Fannie All the past winter
she had been fading, like flower shriv-
elled by the cold. John had watched her
fade. and when he thought of her life,
what a lonely, hard, stern lot had fallen
to her, his big heart panied him, and he
would have tears IN ms eyes. Might he
tell her how much h. loved herg They
went to walk, and then she learned of hi
good fortune. Alter awhile he said Lit.
lie Fannie. il were to leave YOU how
much would you care ?"
why, You are my only friend" she
replied.
And how does my friendship serve
You ?"
If you want 10 serve me-" she said
please do not go away from me-"
"But l must 20. When | return | will
have new secret to tell YOU he said.
Whitley Lett town the next morning
and on the following day he was in tie
heart OF New England. About sundown