The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-08-31
Changed by Years.

|
plexion, plump and compact. She was al
ways in good humor, and we soon became
the very best of friends-nay, morc-for
who could help being atfcctionatc toward
mere Everybody loved her. When the
boatmen called her "a sweet little craft"
they expressed though vulgarly, the senti-
ment Of my own heart. was i'll love with
Jemima, and Jemima- well, Jemima was
not Indifferent to me. had not nerve to
ask her, in SO many words, would she ac-
cept my hand and name. spoilt a quirc
of paper in the effort to utter my thoughts
III letter; 80 at last, on her birthday, the
10Th Of May, i ventured to present her
with an elegant bound book, and on lit
tie slip of paper inside wrote:
'DEAR JEMIMA-By the acceptance of
this triiling gift let mo know you accept
the giver!
ALFRED BARNsrAPLE DoUGIrrY."
l flattercd myself it was rather plucky
thing to do, and it answered admirably.
Next time 1 saw her she was all of o
glow, and when we were alone together,
and was standing rather near her, and
said: "You received my humble offer
ing" she burst into flood of tears, put
her arms round my neck, and spoilt my
shirt front.
Then, when she recovered a little (do
you believe in Niobe? l don'U she
! said:
''Have you asked pa2''
| OF course l responded l had not.
''Then do at once" she said; ''for, good.
ness gracious Inc, if lie was to find us out
in anything sly, and trying to keep it from
him, it would be awful"
II Zoe I,
than asking the girl, especially such pep
perry old party as Captain Marlborough;
however l screwed myself up, and when
Jcmima was down about the place, playing
on our piano, and l knew lie would be
making his evening toilet by putting ON a
pilot coat, vcntured to look i'll upon him.
After few words on ordinary topics, such
as how were we both, how was the
weather, hemmed and began, "Captain,
am ambitious"
"Right boy--climb as high as you
can"
| "DOn't encourage ME too much, Cap
tain; Pm ambitious in your direction"
"Boy, you're not going to sea7"
mo, Captain; I-l-I-I aspire to the
honor OF being your son-ln-aw!"
The Captain looked me full in the face,
then said:
"Have you money2"
"Of course l hadn't, and he told me to
go and get it before venturing to aspire to
the hand of Jemima.
'But, my dear Captain--" I ventured
to expostulate.
''Get off my doorstep!"
| Let me speak for u moment to Jcmi-
ma"
:'Get off my doorstep!
| He accompanied this last instruction by
thrust which sent me staggering into the
street.
My affair with Jenima was - al end'
The Captain would not list W rcasoli- i,
that is, he would not is.on 10 n'e' al, Tue
to me- cre- weary, packed up and
nackcd ~, with a letter Of introduction to
q A.. in China. Well, the fortune was
I.lot so easy to make, but at the expiration
of twenty years began to think it sufll-
GENTLY large to warrant my return to "the
girl l left behind me-" had heard very
little from home. Father and mother were
still alive, but the Captain was dead. They
had carried him through the cornfclds one
summers day to the little churchyard, and
there they buried him.
Jcmima, understood, lived in the old
house and was still single. So-full of
emotion, all the tenderness for the dear
girl had left behind me rapidly reyiving
off went, carpet bag and everything,
just as was, to have the old VOWS re-
newed and sealed in the usual manner.
A maiden with frccklcd face much
sunburnt, opened the door. Could | see
Miss marlborough The maiden did
not reply, but leaving me where l was,
retired to the remote back settlement.
There heard The following dialogue:
''AIissus!"
"Well, what is it?
"Somcbody wants YOU"
"Who is it2"
"a fat old man with bag"
l could have shaken the girl into jelly.
There was further talk in q smothercd
whisper and then the girl returned, and
motioning me with her finger, said:
"Come in here" and showed nc into the
parlor.
The old parlor, just az had left it, neat
and trim, the old harpslchord, the old
punchbowl; but some new things-a Ca
nary in cage at the window, black, long
legged cat ensconccd upon chair.
The next minute a lady entered. Could
it be7 No, impossible-this pale faced,
sober visaged lady with stiff curls, and n,
more figure than q clock casc-could this
be my Jemima? Where was the old lustre
of the eyes-whcre the old bloom upon the
cheeks-where the lips that were ruddicr
than the cherry2 She lifted up both hands
when she saw me.
"Alfredl"
'Jemima!"
We shook hands; after moments hcsi-
tation wc went furthermore IL accor
dance with old times.
My heart sank within me, however, rs I
sat down opposite to her, and thought of
what she was. She looked at me very
steadily, and I thought l detected disap.
pointnent in her glance.
owe are both changed, Jemima"
| "You are very much altered" she
said.
''You are diffcrcnt," responded.
'tDo you think so?
"Think SOP Why, Jemima, there can't
be two opinions about it,"
''It is generally observed; but YOU