The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-09-19

AOTCVcr. DuC WnaC was SHE W cNpcCC!
Was Jim a fair sample of mankind in
this respect?
If Farmer Long had been an observ.
ing man. during these days he would
have seen coming into Jim's face
something that could not have failed to
remind him of the time when the youth
mother AID 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 get
ting his mothers face, by installments.
These were to be his possessions when
he was of age.
As his twenty-first year drew toward
its close, he could not tell whether to
be glad or sorry for it. His reason told
him to go; and forget-he had not for
gotten you seem the excitement of
business somewhere, his disappoint-
ment. But that heart of his kept for
ever answering "Stay another wear. ="
He was in this state of mind the day
before he was twenty-one. After din
ner that day he went and sat on the
bench under the great maple. He went
there that he might be alone to decide
WHCtuCl HC WoulO AOllOW CuC OlCtdtCS
of his reason or give way to the long
ings Of his heart. Reason at last car
ried the day. He arose from his seat,
and said aloud and decisively, 81 shall
CO." 1t was settled. He had told the
family all along that he should go away
when he became of age. He was glad
they knew it and had become recon
ciled to (perhaps wished) it. He was
set upon looking straight ahead now,
and determined not to look back.
And he did look straight ahead
Look? he stared. for Just second or
two, and then went ahead. straight and
fast. Up the slightly ascending meadow
Jennie was nlnning toward the house;
and not far behind her was the four
year-old lime-back, pursuing. 1t was
fortunate for Jennie Long then, that
Jim was near; and that he was ''big''
and strong and brave. Jim was bent
on getting between Jennie and that
mad brute and he could not stop to find
weapons. He rushed past her and at
that moment her strength gave way
and she fell. If Jim had made mis-
mOve-but he did not. With great dex-
terity, he seized the animal by the
horns as it came up, and putting forth
all his strength drew its head with such
force and suddenness to one side as to
throw it down. Then springing to
where Jennie had arisen and stood un-
able to move, from fright, he caught
her in his arms and bore her to place
of safety over the wall.
When Jennie could speak, she turned
to Jim and asked. "What if you had
been killed?''
80, there would have been beggar
less, that's all,'' said he, and walked
away.
An hour later Jim, in deep reverie,
was sitting under the old maple. He
heard the rustling of a dress, the sound
of approaching feet, and then Jennie
gentle call, "Jim?''
He arose and looked at her.
Jim, do yOu-hate me?"
''NO, worse than that for me-"
Worse? Then you-don't- feel to-
ward me as-as, you did once?'
"No, for | love you more"
"Truly, Jim?''
"Truly.''
wen, then. you may read what
have written on this paper; but don't
open it till get long way off,"
She handed him the paper and turned
and walked in the direction of the house.
Jim was not long in opening that note,
and reading:
DEAR jim: Don't go away. JENNIE"
Nor did the writer of it get "long
way off before he overlook her.
When Jim and Jennie entered the
house together, a little later, Farmer
Long looked at them sharply for a mo-
ment, and then. as if what he saw war
ranted him, he arose and handed Jim,
also, paper. saying as he did so:
g !! sh'd like ter have yeou look this
ere dOckerment over'n see eff it is kerr
rect. don't want no mistake bout
it. The place that jines mine was fur
sale n I've bot it. This ere's the deed
on't.'
And so it was. Ane that "docker-
ment" was made to run to James Fowl
er. and his heirs. Grisacold, IN
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.