The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-10-20
BEFORE A FALL.

We had been to choir meeting together
all summer long-Jennie was such good
friends with me, and John was such
good friends with Jennie She lived
Just over the hill from our house, and
John lived just beyond that. She waited
till lie came for her, and l waited for
them both. | should not have thought
of starting without them, and I sat
quietly, not noticing the flight of time.
/ was thinking what a lovely evening it
was, and that mothers china asters were
coming into bloom, and the crabapples
were ripening, and that always thought
crabapple jelly the prettiest mother ever
made. l was as peaceful as the old cat
that came and curled up beside me, and
had no more thought than she of Its be-
ng late.
But suddenly ] heard Jennie's voice
calling me; it sounded so sharp, out of
the quiet, that l was really startled. She
had paused at. the gate and was saying,
Come Phoebe" / knew in minute
from her tone that something had wor-
ried her. was wondering what 1t
might be as l rose and went down the
path, and l suppose l went little
slowly
Hurry, Phoebe" she cried, ''don't
you know We are late?'
But instead of hurrying, I stopped
short, for l suddenly saw that John was
not with her.
Where's John?'' 1 asked.
Il don't know" she answered shortly.
Don't stand staring Ph9bel l tell you
we're late
Now some people are afraid of Jennie
che cnaaEs that with her
cheeks red and her eyes swapping. But
/ am not; it only makes me little cool
er than l was before. l just stood still.
She shan't drive me, if 1 do love her.
Suppose we are late?" l said. 81
think we might wait little for him, just
for once
''You can do it, then" said she. and
walked on.
looked up the ROAD and reflected.
John was not in sight. If anything had
happened to detain him, it was Jennie's
company he would be sorry to miss, so
my waiting could do him no good. /
might as we'll go with Jennie. l ran and
caught her before she had gone far. l
suppose it Modified her to have made me
run, for she laughed little as / came
up.
you didn't wait for him as long as I
did" she said
Then you did wait awhile?'
'Why of course. Didn't tell you it
was late?"
well you needn't have got mad about
it, Jennie"
Il didn't" said she-"or at least l was
only mad at myself for waiting. There
is no reason why We should ever wait for
John, or expect him to come with US
every night, Just because he lives next
door. He's never said a word about al
ways escorting us. He's just let it be
matter of course, and I'm not going to
have it so any longer. He might want
to 60 with some of the other girls some
time, and then just think how ridiculous
we should be, sitting waiting for him.
I'll never do it again. Next week l
meaE to start real early, and you may
wait for him if you like. I'll not expose
myself to being sighted again. l don't
doubt he's gone the other way, by East
Side tonight"
Now Jessie Sears lived on East Side.
John was the only fellow in the village
whom she could not possibly induce to
firt with her, and it seemed as if for that
TcaSOu uC was tAC Oiio ohC AAAOoe w~AsS>A
to make an impression upon. He said
nothing about it, and kept ont of her
way, but everybody knew-except Jen-
ME, who might have known il she
. pleased-that he disliked her. So when
Jennie made that insinuation thought
it was my turn to be angry. faced
about upon her with the facts.
Jennie Morris" said 1, ''you know
Just as we'll as do that you're the only
girl in this town John ever cares to go
anywhere with. don't see how you can
be so mean as to talk about him in that
wayr'
Jennie's face got crimson, and she
hung her head and looked quite cowed.
I was glad of it.
II don't see where he can be. then,
she murmured after o while. HE might
have sent us word if he was not going.
You'll acknowledge it was humiliating
for us to sit and wait for him.
81 don't see why"
You're such q child, she said pet
tishly.
III it is childish to be unreasonable
but there stopped. saw Jennie's face
was twitching, and her color came and
went. She was always high-strung,
swift and spirited, and tonight she
seemed touchy and unnerved. 1 felt
sorry for her, and thought we would tall