The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-04-13
BIBBS.

There was no doubt about it; John
Meare was perfectly wretched that night.
He had quarreled with Jennie Bell, and
he wasn't going to make up. The fact
was she gave too many airs, and he
didn't mean to stand it any longer. He
didn't care if she was pretty; there was
no reason why she should let half a
dozen fellers at a time hang about the
shop, or stroll in one at a time, adm lean
on their elbows, chatter and smirk and
smile over the counter, cadets and Off
GERS too, wild young fellows, who only
did SO for their own idle amusement, land
would no more dream of marrying her
than they would Of inviting her to ball
that was coming off next month. To be
sure, he was only common cavalry
soldier, but then he had been in the SER
vice a good many years now, had an ex-
cellent character and good trade at his
back, his father had died not long since,
and there was a cottage ready for Jennie
to walk into, and they might settle down
at once if she'd only be sensible. Jennie
acted as show woman for her sister, Mrs.
Evans. A very poor little shop it was,
very small and badly stocked, for Mrs.
Evans had only managed to get few
pounds worth of things with what had
been subscribed for her at the garrison
after the fever had carried off her hus-
band. The speculation answered pretty
well at first, for many of the officers
wives, knowing what an industrious
woman Mrs. Evans was, made point of
buying their tapes and cotton and sticks
of sealing-wax of her. Then Jennie's
pretty face was seen behind the counter,
and the shop was filed from morning un-
til night with officers and frisky young
cadets, and the original customers took
fight, though Mrs. Evans did not know
it, believing the business was safe in the
keeping of Jennie, worked hard at the
dress-making (she had three children to
support, and the shop alone would not
do it..
The officers were not profitable Gus
toners, for they only went to firt with
Jennie under the excuse of buying o
penny paper, or perhaps asking for q
time table.
Jennie made the most trim and pretty
and obliging Of shop women, and the
place itself was always pattern of neat
ness: but the officers wives did not like
to go and buy thread where they were
evidently interrupting Irritation, and
so the business continued to fall of, and
Mrs. Evans began to get quite unhappy
about it. Jennie-pretty, kind-hearted
thoughtless Jennie-hsd no idea that
she had anything to do with it, or she
would have sent every one of her adj
mirers of at pace that would have
astonished them. She had been only
too delighted after her brother-in-law
died, to come from Devonshire and live
with her sister at Woolvick-not only
because she was very fond Of her sister
but also because she had wished many
times to see John lWeare agsin. She
had made his acquaintance when her
brother and he-for they had been in the
same regiment-were stationed at PLY
mouth, and she had paid them flying
visit with her father. John had told hei
that he was tired of the service and
wished to settle down, and she inwardIv
thought that he could do no better than
to ask her to settle with him. He had
been very attentive when she came Il
woolwick, and gradually established
himself ON the footing of lover, till hs
found the shop always filed With the
ofkcers and cadets. At first he was shy
Of appearing before his superiors, thel
he rot Jealous and q Last angry, for b
felt and knew that they meant no good
and hsuidss Il vas deing real injury h
IL bosinous q the skoP. Al lsst b
spoke ~ nind I'D teId IL coquetisk