Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-12-12
THE OLD LOVE.

THE OLD LOVE.
Miss Jane Finch was lonely; the sem
sation was an odd one, and she was at
loss what to do with it.
She had lived for fifteen years soli-
tary life, and prided herself for dec
ade and half on being independent
of and Indifferent to the rest of the
great human family, and now she grew
suddenly weary of her self-imposed
solitude.
1t might be that everybody about her
was so busy and bustling and happy,
or it might be from many other reasons;
but whatever the cause, the fact re-
mains that, on certain morning in
November, Miss Finch awoke to the
knowledge chat her condition was not
one to be envied.
In vain she tried to argue herself back
into her old self-satisfaction
1t was Just as true now as it was yes
terday that her brother James had mar
ried Sarah JOnes-a girl she thought
she had good reason to hate; but, some
how, there was no pleasure to be gained
from comparing their poverty with her
riches.
She tried to WOO back her old content
by thinking of the seven little Finches
who could be so well-dressed, SO we'll
educated and so altogether comfortable
with her money and who should never
get penny of it.
But this, contrary to all past expert
cnce, only had the effect of making her
more uncomfortable than before.
She tried TO picture the "Old Wom-
ans Home" she was going TO endow,
but the great massive piece of archi-
lecture brought with it no consolation
whatever.
1t always made Miss Finch's face
burn to think of Capt. Abel Jones
first cousin to her obnoxious sister-in-
law.
Long ago, when she was in her teens,
they had been lovers, and everybody
knew that as soon as he got his ship
Abel Jones and Jennie Finch were to
be man and wife; but one evening she
ran over to Sarah's (they had once been
bosom friends), and hearing voices in
the parlor, had stopped moment to
discover who was there.
In that moment she had seen Miss
Sarah crying as if her heart would
shoulder.
Quite ignoring the fact that these two
had been brought up together, and that
Abel had time and again told her that
Sarah was just the same to him as a
dear sister, Miss Finch grew righteous
ly indignant; yet she was just--very
just indeed! she would not judge them
on this evidence although to almost any
one it would have been proof enough of
very disagreeable fact; but she would
wait, and see how their conversation
accorded with their position.
So she waited.
"Don't cry" said Mr.. Abel Jones,
pleadingly. 8" am sure can make it
all right. She isn't nearly so fond of
me as you think, and you know, Sarah,
how dear you are to her. I'll break it
gently to her, and I'm sure she'll give
me up of her own accord"
Now, Miss Finch hadn't Jealous
nature, not at all; but the most unsus-
picious idiot in the universe couldn't
have misunderstood that speech.
1t was very evident he wanted to be
free from her.
She stole gently out without letting
home at railroad speed, and with
very proper self-respect, Immediately
tied up his picture, his few presents,
and his few letters, and sent them back
to him, with the pretty falsehood that
she found she didn't like him we'll
enough TO marry him, and should be
obliged if he would release her from
the engagement.
She didn't propose to be Tilted by
him-and she wasn't.
Then she went off on o visit, STAYED
two months, and then came home to
find her brother James engaged to her
false friend-and her false lover no
where.
In vain she endeavored to prevent
this marriage.
Her brother would not be convinced
without absolute proof, that Sarah
Jones was not perfect woman.
She begged, pleaded and urged.
But pride prevented her giving him
the one fact of which she had become
possessed, and so the two were married,
and she took her fortune Cleft her by
her fathers only sister, and herself to
another town, gradually withdrew her
SUI hlOAO dll uOlO lIOu bHO WOTlut
until at twenty-s six she was confirmed
misanthrOpe, seeing no one.
This sort of existence she had kept
up until the time our story opens.
Why Sarah married James Finch,
and why Abel Jones was still bach
elor sea-captain, were mysteries she
did not trouble herself to explain.
Sure of their treachery, what mat
tered it to her how they spent their
livesP
To-day Miss Finch. in thinking of
the past, acknowledged to herself for
the first time that she might have
been hasty-not so far as the stalwart
sailor was concerned but about her
brother.
81 don't suppose ought to have ex-
pected him to give up his sweetheart
without any reason" she thought, 81
wouldn't have done it myself. / be-
lieve I'll send him a good dinner.
From all l can hear, they amt able TO
do much for themselves"
And with a sudden twinge of con-
science, the more from being unusual,
Miss Finch hurried on her bonnet and
shawl and started off TO market.
o, the marvellous purchases she madel