Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-09-05

NOW even on tho SngnJ acqualnt-
ance my readers have with Mr.. Strong,
I'm sure they will agree with me in the
verdict that he was not of the stuff
from which heroes are usually made.
He was not built of very fine clay, nor
of sounding brass; he was more--iudp-
ing him mpartially-like a bass-wood
image than aHy thing in the idol line;
but such as he was, Miss Jessie had not
been parted from him q month before
she had him enthroned, with innumer-
able tapers glimmering through the
clouds Of incense constantly burning be-
fore him.
How sad to think that he was about
TO cast himself down from that pedestal
Or did fate do the deedP I'm more than
half inclined to think he was only tool
in the hands of inexorable destiny, for
years after, when he told me the whole
story, he came as near weeping as a
Chicago coal merchant could. He
twisted his hands together, and turned
about on the little finger of his left
hand magnificent diamond ring
(Which was bought for much fairer
hand); he groaned aloud, and swore
that a greater blockhead than he never
lived, and in every way showed the live
liest remorse. To justify him as much
as possible with my readers, I'm going
to let him finish the story for himself,
and they will be convinced of his sin
cerity.
IL arranged my business so as to get
away for a couple of weeks about Christ
mas. l wrote her l was coming, but
did not say just when, as L was so un-
certain. | was going little beyond
her home, too, before | returned, to
visit some of my mothers relatives. l
wanted to see poor little Jessie very
much; indeed l did; but l dreaded to
meet the old folks, and all her girl
friends, and the whole village; so when
got on the train to start, and met a
friend who was going hunting in my
uncle's neighborhood, decided to go
right on with MIN, make my visit there
first, and then visit Jessie on my way
back to Chicago. l thought I'd gather
courage in the mean time to meet her
folks.
81 found my friends very glad to see
me, and the first week of my vacation
slipped away without my realizing it.
Then thought I'd send line and fix a
dly for starting. didn't get chance
to write that day; and the next, when ]
sat down and began, found it rather
awkward to tell her that l had come
right past her station to see other
friends first, so concluded not to write,
but just step in the next day when she
wasn't expecting to see me. That very
night q terrific snow-storm came, and
there wasn't a train to be seen for forty
eight hours. The last one that went
through brought me a letter from my
partner in Chicago, urging me back as
soon as possible, as we were likely to
meet with heavy loss. The letter de-
cided me TO take the first train that
came, and get to Chicago as soon as
possible. l fully intended to dispatch
my business there, and the moment /
could get away, to take three days and
visit that poor little girl. Of course
couldn't write and tell her how I'd been
loafng within hundred miles of her
for nearly two weeks.
"When got to Chicago found af-
fairs badly mixed up, and it was two
weeks more before they were straight
ened. was so harrassed all that time
that writing was quite out of the ques-
ton with me. l never was much of a
letter writer anyway, and least of all
in the line of friendly correspondence.
But l had thought of my behavior
every day, and many times each
day, and l can assure you l didn't
respect myself any the more for my
convictions.
1.-THE very night that my business
was completed 1 received this letter
from Miss Bloomer;'' and he handed
me a little missive from out his note
book. 1t ran thus:
"MR STRONG: After receiving your last
letter, nearly a month ago, expected you
daily: But need scracely say, now that !
have learned from a true friend that you passed
through Forestville t,Oice last month, that do
not expect you at all.
"Your conduct has been very singular, to
say the least, and l do not understand it. Do
not, please, imagine that 1 am breaking my
heart over the matter, for am not. l only
congratulate myself upon my happy escape
from man who has SO little regard for his
word.
"Trusting that your ways will be more
straightforward in the future, for your OlO,,
good, 81 am, respectfully yours,
"JEssIE BLooMER."
Pretty severe, isn't itP'' he asked,
do L nHlSHou. DuL ueS6TN6u IL.
'Yes, you deserved it," replied,
handing it back. "What did you do to
clear yourself?'
al wrote and told her the whole
thing, but received my letter back, along
with the others l had written, and a
little slip of paper, upon which she
merely said that a poor excuse was bet
ter than none, but must pardon her if
she declined to accept it."
"And did you ever learn how she
found out about that unlucky trip"
"Yes, it seems that White-the friend
met on the train-saw NORM in ST.
Louis, and told him about our jolly
hunting party; NORM mentioned it to
his wife, and she wrote it to jessie"
"And you've never heard of her
sincep"
eyes, had a-that is, not a let
ter, but-ner wedding cards, about six
months after"
"Ah! Whom did she marryP'
"Gordon.
"O."-Harper'S Magazine for Sep
TENDER.