The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-08-04
A Predieansst.

ia one Of the plcasanies, parts Of the soul
Coast Dis,ric, in England. aud is 'iIlAg'
hamlet pure and simple. /, consists o
eighteen houses, of which two are pnbli'
ones church and three shops. Th'
creates, man in Slocum.@as Of course the
parson but the richest man and most pop
ular was Master Martin. the miller and
farmer, whose place was about quarter
OF mile from the village.
When call him rich use the word in
a comparative sense. He was rich iol
Slooum.
Now Jack Meadows aud the miller did
no, get on well together at all. Jack was
the son OF one Of the publicans. aud be
was sent TO Master Martin 10 learn the
milling.
Some day, said his father, he will be
able to have mill Of his own.
| Jack Meadows was not there long before
he fulfilled his fathers prophecy. He did
have a mill-seyeral mills. for he fought
every male being on the premises OF a
fightable age, aud would doubtless have
fought the miller himself il the latter had.
not eurbed the youths ambition in that
direction by giving him sound drubbing,
and sending him about his business for
making love to his the millersl pretty
daug ghter Jenny.
Jenny was darkeyed, buxom girl OF
sixteen, and the handsome young scape-
grace, Jack Meadow. had soon persuaded
her to play at sweethearts. Underlying
all his mischief, begotten chiefly OF his
vigorous health and rude animal spirits,
there was a sound heart, and Jack would
have gone through fire and water at aword
from the miller's daughter.
But directly the miller found out how
the land lay, and that Master Jack had al
ready planned an elopement on a magnifi-
ly romantic scale, he, like awise father,
determined TO infuse little reality into
the affair
Catching Jack, one summer afternoon
when he ought to have been at work,
whispering soft nothings into Miss Jen-
nys ear in the kitchen, and helping him
self to huge slice OF apple turnover from
the pantry at the same time, Master Mar
tin caught up the copper.stick and laid it
vigorously about the youthful Romeos
shoulders
Jack went home to his fathers house in
the village, vowing vengence against
every body. There he got another thrash
ing for losing his place, and that decided
him upon his next course of action.
He would go to sea.
He managed by means OF a trusty mes
songer--a boy employed at the mill,
whose head he promised to punch il he
refused the delicate mission eD-ts-saasass..au ~ Z
short note to Jennie informing her OF his
intentions to bid his native land adieu, and
he named q certain spot where at a Civ
en- hour she might meet him and bid him
long farewell.
That afternoon Jennie took Rover, the
dog, and went for long walk by the
banks OF the river, and at a nice quiet spot
mile and half from the mill, she found
Jack waiting for her
They strolled along through the pleasant
fields, renewing their VOWS OF constancy
until the position Of the sun in the heav.
ems warned the Slocum Juliet that it was
time to tear herself from Romeo, and re.
turn to the more prosaic occupation Of
preparing old Capulets tea. Then with
many passionate promise and tender en-
brace, the young couple bade each other a
long farewell.
| And the next day il was known oil over
Slocum that Jack the daredevil, Jack the
tyrant, Jack the ne'er-do.well, had run
away to sea-
Five years passed over Slocum as it did
over most places, changing slowly the old
order Of things.
| The greatest man in the district was
young John Hodges, who had farm near
the mill, and who. having money left him
by an old uncle in the North. had improved
the land, and was waxing rapidly into a
Slocum Rothschild But John, though n
nice looking young man, was careful fsl-
low, and knew how many beans made FIVE.
The land adjoining his was the farm that
went with the mill, and when Master Mar
tin died, Hodges had a good mind to make
Mistress Jenny an offer for it.
But, thinking the matter over, he found
he might do better. Why shouldn't he
marry the lady, and have the land for
nothing?
He was good looking and rich, and
there was nobody in the way.
Gossip said that the miller's pretty
daughter had once been in love with that
worthless fellow Jack Meadows, who went
away to sea, and hadn't been heard OF for
five years. But that was long time ago,
and, il Jenny had refused plenty OF offers
since, it was only because there was no-
body in Slocum good enough for her.
At any rate, John Hodges was determin-
ed to try his luck. He did aud succeeded
beyond his expectations
Jenny had long ago given Jack Meadows
up as bad job; a silly bond she had sign
ed she looked upon AS school girl esca-
pade. II Jack was not drowned, he'd
very likely settled down and married. a
few thousand miles away. She had never
had line from him since he had gone
away. 1t WASH. worth while thinking oi
him any more.
The rich young farmer. her neighbor,
presented himself just at the right mo