Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-06-20
and as g,lod AS pretty, | ann sure"

land as good rs pretty, am sure"
What an honest and pleasant face, |
wonder If shall ever SEQ him again
This was what Sne thought.
Josie did see him again and quite Of
ten. The Msnnings and Croftens were
not only neighbors hut were intimate.
Mary Croften had been strangely at
tached to Mrs. Manning's only dausht-
er, who died the preceding winter. She
spent good deal of time at her house,
and Josie frequently went with her.
Mary WAS never weary of praising
/ John; he was such u good son, and so
intelligent, steady and industrious.s
John soon get over his shyness with
the city girl. who took So kindly to
country-ways that 1t seemed as if she
had always lived in the country. He
used TO walk home with her, Mary con-
siderately lingering by the gate to talk
with his mother. who was we'll pleased
/ With the turn affairs We're taking.
Then there were rides and walks, pic
mics and social gatherings, at all OF
which John and Josie had fashion of
getting off by themselves--a fashion
that every one seemed 10 honor and
understand.
And so the happy days went ON, each
day binding those two young loving
hearts more closely together.
When Josie returned to the city,
which was two weeks later than she in
tended, she had pleasant story to
whisper III her fathers ear.
"lf you love him, and he is worthy
of you,' he said, in reply To the query
with which it ended.
Josie's quick ear detected the sad
ness that under ran these words.
" You know you promised to live
with me when was married,
papa,' she whispered, laying her
cheek closely to his. And on farm,
too. Won't il be delightful Z"
Belle and Lucy returned home with
that conscious air of subdued triumph
and Importance peculiar to engaged
young ladies"
I Having attained the end and aim OF
their existence, there was nothing furth-
er for them to hope or expect. From
henccforth they were to repoSe upon
their laurels, floating down the stream
]
the present enjoyment.
Bellies captive was Wall street
broker, owning fabulous amount ON
paper. Lucy's was the son Of mil
\ lionaire. whose ambition seemed to be
to spend as quickly rs possible the
money his father had labored hard to
acquire.
They made no attempt to disguise
their surprise and disdain when they
heard of Josie's modest conquest.
"Only farmer" shifted Mrs. Wilson.
"Never did dream that one Of my
daughters would stoop to that! But
suppose if you have your fathers APP
prevail YOU do not care for mine."
"Of course you can't expect us to visit
you," said Belle loftily. "The connec-
tons of Charles Augustus are all OF the
highest and most aristocratic character,
and such thing can't be thought Of. =
Certainly not" echoed Lucy. "A
wife has to take the position of her hus-
band, which is something you had bet
ter think Of"
Josie had thought of it, and very hap,
ply thoughts they were, too.
Inc IlnaDClal ulSaSleTa Oh lne lnTee
years that followed made quite change
in the surroundings Of all of the above,
with the exception of Josie and her
husband
Out of the wreck of Mr.. Wilson's bu-
siness nothing was left but the honor
and integrity. which shone all the more
brightly from the temporary gloom that
shrouded him. His wife took their al
tered fortunes very hard--fairly worry
ing herself into the grave, where she
was land few months after Penniless
and untitled for anything higher, the
husbands of Belle and Lucy were glad
to accept positions, one AS n conductor
on city car, the other third-rate
clerkship.
Josie did not see much Of her sisters,
but many barrel of apples and crock
of butter found their way to them from
the Manning farm.
Almost every pleasant afternoon a
gray-haired, placid looking old man can
be seen on the western piazza of the farm
house, with grandchild on each knee.
1t is Mr.. Wilson, who often thanks God
that one of his daughters married "only
farmer"