The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-12-13
" By our Jim, Jennie ?"
" Our Jim, mamma"

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young to think of marriage. You
father was twenty-six, and was twenty
two when we were married, What die
you tell him Jennie ?''
" 1 told him-nor
" That was right only II hope yor
did not hurt his feelings any more thar
was necessary. I trust he will forget al
about it soen-"
Z" What, mammal"
g l mean, Jennie, that hope he will
see how foolish he has been, and forget
all about you before he goes away"
" Oh, certainly II hope he will forget
and see how it is before then. He's
poor, you know, very poor. I--told him
so. wanted to help him forget, as you
say aud dso.4-said in case married, in
the course of twenty or twenty-five
years, l should probably wed a very rich
man; then / shouldn't be any trouble to
my husband but that l shouldn't do
for poor man at all"
Well, Jennie, l do sincerely wish
that he may as soon care as little for you
as you do for him.
As the months passed away, Mrs
Long, watching Jim, concluded that he
had not suffered much by the rejection
ne had received. The kind hearted was
glad to think it was so. Considering all
things, the less attraction her daughter
nad for the young fellow, the better
Jennie, also, hoping, as we may sup
pose, that Jim, for the sake of his peace
Of mind, would outgrow his affection for
her, after little while, decided that he
had. She was very glad of it. And YET
there was tinge of melancholy in the
discovery. She was glad for his sake,
because he had suffered SO but it was,
abstractedly considered, very solemn
thought that so strong an attachment
was so short lived. Not that she would
have had it last longer in this particular
case, oh, no; but there might come a
time when she should want to know that
the one who had so great q regard for her
was to have it forever. But what was
she 10 expect? Was Jim fair sample
OF mankind in this respect?
If Farmer Long had been an observing
man, during these days he could have
seen coming into Jim's face something
that could not have failed to remind him
of the time when the youths mother
and Mrs. Long were girls, and the best
looking ones in the village. The fathers
strength had come into Jim's body and
limbs, but he was getting his mothers /.
face by installments. These were to be /
his possessions when he was Of age.
: As his twenty-frst year drew towards /
close, he could not tell whether to be .
d or sorry for it. His reason told him /
kIo and forget-he had not forgotten, /
Se--in the excitement of business
here, his disappointment. But
heart OF his kept forever answering,
Jay another year" He was in this
ate OF mind the day before he was
'wenty-one. After dinner that day he
went and sat on the bench under the /
great maple. He went there that he
might be alone to decide whether be
would follow the dictates of his reason
,r give way to the longings OF his heart.
Reason at last carried the day. He
.rose from his seat, and said aloud,
md deci-ivsly: 81 shall GO 1t was
ettled. He had told the family all
Ilong that be should 60 away when he
,ecame of age. He was glad they knew
[ and had become reconciled to (perhaps
yished) it. He was set upon looking
traight ahead now, and determined not
o look back.
And he did look stra hit ahead--look?
le stared, for just &c -ond or two, and
hen went ahead, STRAIGHT and fast. Up
he slightly ascending meadow Jennie
vas running toward the house, and not
ar behind her was the four-year- old
ime-back. pursuing. 1t was fortunate
or Jennie Long then that Jim was near:
I'D that he was 60 big and strong and
rave. Jim was bent OF getting between
-ennie and that mad brute, and he could
lot stop to find the weapons. He rushed
,sst her, and at that moment her
trength gave way and she fell. If Jim
lad maze a mismoye-but he did not.
With great dexterity he seized the ami
nal by the horns as it came up, and put
ing forth all his strength drew its head
With such force and suddenness TO one
ide as to throw it down. Then spring
ng to where Jennie had arisen and stood
Inable to move, from fright, he caught
ier in her arms and bore her to q place
II safety over the wall.
When Jennie could speak, she turned
@ him and asked: What if you had
zen killed.?
Z" Oh, there would have been beggsr
ess, that's all, said he, and he walked
way.
An hour later Jim, in deep reverie,
vas sitting under the old maple. He
lesrd the rustling OF a dress, the sound
t approaching feet, and then Jennie's
,entle call. "Jiml"
He arose and looked at her.
" Jim, do you-hate me ;"
I" No, worse than that, for me-"
"Then, you don't feel toward me as
7ou-did once ?"
+" No, for 1 love you MORE"
"Truly, Jim?"
"Truly."
Well, then, you may read what /
lave written on this paper but don't
,pen it till get long way off,"
She handed him the paper and turned
md walked in the direction of the house.
Tim was not long in opening that note
md reading:
.eDEAR JM-Don't go away.
Nor did the writer of it get long
gav off before he overlook her.
When Jim and Jennie entered the
house together, little later, farmer
Long looked at them sharply for mo-
nent, and then, as if what he saw war
-apted him, he arose ard also handed |
lin a paper, saying as he did so:
81 sh'd like ter have yeou look this |
are dockerment over'n see eff it is ker-
-ect. don't want no mistake about it.
The place that jines mine was for sale /