The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-10-23
that he may soon care as little for you as

that he may 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
he had received. The l1ind.hearted wo
man was glad to think it was 80. Con
sidering all things, the less attraction
her daughter had 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 fol
her, after little while, decided that he
had. She was very glad of it. And yet
there was a tinge of melancholy in the
discovery. She was glad for his sake,
because he had suffered 80; but it was
abstractly considerable 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 q
time when she should want to know that
the one who had 80 great regard fol
her was to have it forever. But what
was she to expect? Was Jim fair
sample of mankind in this respect?
If Farmer Long had been an observ.
ing man, during these days he could
have seen coming into Jim's face some
thing that could not have failed to re-
mind him of the time when the youth &
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 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 it's
close, he could not tell whether to be glad
or sorry for if. His reason told him to go
and forget-he had not forgotten, you
see-in the excitement of business some
where, his disappointment. But that
heart OF his kept forever answering stay
another year." He was in this state of
mind the day before he was twenty-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 de
eide whether he would follow the dictates
of his reason or give way to the longings
of his heart. Reason at last carried the
day. He arose from his seat, and said
aloud, and decisively: Il shall CO." It
was settled. He had told tho family all
along that he should 60 away when he
became Of age. He was glad they knew
it and had become reconciled 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 head, straight and fast. Up
the slightly ascending meadow Jennie
was running .oward the house; snd 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
mismove-but he did not. With great
dexterity 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.
go, there would have been a beggar
less, that's ALL" said he, and be walked
away.
An hour later Jim, in deep reverie,
was sitting under the old maple. He
heard the rustiing OF dress, the sound
of approaching feet, ali | then Jcnnie's
gentle call, "Jim?"
He arose and looked at her.
"Jim, do you-hate me9"
"No, worse than that-for me.
"Worse? Then you-aon't-feel to-
ward me as-as, you did once?'
"No, for I love you more"
"Truly, Jim?"
"Truly."
"Well, then,' you may read what I
have written on this paper; bnt don't
open it till I 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, little later, Farmer
Long looked at them sharply for mo-
ment, and then, as if what he saw war
ranted him, he arose and also handed
Jim a paper, saying Us he did so:
81 s'hd like ter have yeou look this
ere dockerment over'n see eff it is ker-
rect. I don't want no mistake bout it.
The place that iine, mine wes fur salem
I've bot it. This nre'a me deed ont"
And so it was. And that "docker-
ment was made to run to James Fowler
and his be:rs.-Springfeld Republican.