The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-09-13
THE WAY JENNIE WAS WON.

7-. - ifeI
Jennie and have recently purchased
neat little cottage in the pleasant town
in Minnesota, on green-clad eminence
overlooking the Mississippi. We are
just emerging from the latter end of the
honeymoon-do married folks ever
are beginning to realize that there is
more solidity than ethereal lightness to
the married state. Still, we find it hap
pier and more comfortable than single
blessedness; at least | do.
But began with the intention of tell.
ing you how came into possession of the
little female who is now sewing buttons
on my shirt, Deeply do regret that |
have no bachelor friend to whom | could
present this history over a good cigar.
That seems to be the orthodox way of
telling these stories. But / do not
smoke, and Jennie does not like my
bachelor friends. She SAYS they litter
up everything and she is apt to find
their muddy boot-marks on her freshly
blackened stove. | am gradually learn
ing to defer to my wife's Judgment in
these little matters of late, so my bach
elor friends are not frequent visitors at
our house.
Our house. | can say that now
!, with considerable equanimity, but eight
months ago these two words would set
my heart into futter and my face into
fame. just as a casual mention of twins
or baby carriages does now. IT is sinerI-
/ Ear how calmly modest man like me
can look back upon past experiences,
and yet. how nervous he becomes over
those in the futurel t-"
If continue much longer on this track
the story am trying to tell will never
see light, so will pull up short and. if
you will wait until I have passed iudg,
ment upon the proper position Of that
last shirt button, will begin upon the
narration Immediately. -
year ago ! was sadly in love- ] say
sadly, because there was no apparent
hope for me, A fellow by the name of
!, Lection Lee-occupied the place that
!. | felt, after the fashion of all lovers, be-
:, longed to me. He was in the livery line,
!, and was dreadfully illiterate. ] used to
=, insnuate that he could not write his
own name. When l tell you that &C.
cupied that position of all Others re-
quiring culture and intelligence-local
reporter Of a small daily newspaper
you can judge how immeasurably supe-
rior to Lee | felt myself, and from what
a lofty height of contempt ] looked
down upon him But he had an unlim-
tied command of top-buggies and pranc-
ing bay teams. TO the hiring of which
my slender purse refused to aceommo-
date itself. Can anybody imagine an
average young woman who is above the
temptation of sitting behind lively
pair of horses and dashing through the
streets of a small city, especially if a
freshly-purchased hat crowns the femi-
nine head with new beauties? At any
rate, the young lady in question was not
above this temptation. Many time
my heart has smote against my ribs with
tremendous force, and my hand uncon-
sciously clenched itself as the bays
trotted past, covering me with dust,
while l caught glimpse of a smiling,
petite woman's face in the carriage be-
hind. Many time l consoled myself
with the profound thought that those
smiles were for the sake of appearance
that there was no real ENJOYMENT in
riding, for every look and happy smile
was employed for its effect upon outside
gazers merely. Then would retire to
my little room in a second-class board
ing-house, and shake my fist at imaginary
Tom Lees, and-in short, act as every
iove-sick youth does under similar cir
cumstances. These sufferings seem rather
aughable now, but they were dreadfuIly
real at the time, can assure YOU.
In one thing howavar T had A. II
vantage of my more fortunate rival. I
am the possessor of an unusually hand
some skiff, and, having graduated at an
Eastern college, understand its use to
perfection. Miss Jennie delighted in
boat rides. l., of course, delighted in
gratifying her taste. Occasionally had
the felicity of tucking her snugly into
the stern OF the boat, rowing up the
Mississippi q few miles with her. and
boating indolently back again an hour
or two later
1 conjecture that those boat rides Of
ouH were source of as much anxiety
and chagrin to Lee as his horses and
shiny buggies were to me, and. although
he was to all appearances the favored
sutton, he determined to secure tn him
sell even the feeting happiness which
these hours brought to my heart. Ac-
cordingly one morning was treated to
long account by our Office devil of the
wonderful row-boat which Messrs. Orr
were building for Lee, of the CITY Liv-
cry. The disrnay which / felt at this
news was only alleyisted by my knowI-
edge that he knew nothing about the
mysteries of rowing as a fine art, and
that the outrigger and spoon-oar were
unsolved problems to him; he would
surely make some awful blnnder which