The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-05-05
SELECT STORY.
BIBBS,

BIBBS.
There was no doubt about it: .Johl
Weare was perfectly wretched tha
night. He had quarrelled with jennie
Bell, aud he wasn't going to make i
up. The fact was, she gave herself to-
many airs, and he didn't mean to stanC
it any longer. He didn't care if she wa
pretty; that was no reason why sh
should let half IA dozen fellows at tim
hang about the shop, or stroll in one q
a time, and, leaning on their elbows
chatter and smirk and smile over tn,
counter; cadets and officers, too-wl,
young fellows, who only did so TO
their own amusement, and would NJ
more think of marrying her than the,
would inviting her TO ball that wa
coming off next month. To he sure
he was only common cavalry soldier
but then he had been in the service (
good many years now, had an eXcellen
character, and a good trade at his back
His father had died long since, anC
there was q cottage already for Jennie
to walk into, and they might settl,
down at once, if she'd only be sensible
Jennie acted as shop woman for he
sister, Mrs. Evans. A very poor little
shop it was-very small and badly
stocked-for Mrs. Evans had onl,
managed to get few pounds worth o
| ,h;,,, ,,,;.l, ,,.bot haI bann cubsnri bo,
for her at the garrison after the feve
had carried off her husband. The spec
ulation answered pretty well at first, fo
many of the officers wives, KNOWN!
what an industrious woman Mrs. Evan
was made apoint of buying their tape
and cotton and sticks of sealing wax o
her. Then Jennie's pretty little fac
was seen behind the counter, and tn
shop was filled from morning unit
night with officers and frisky youu!
cadets, and the original customers tool
flight-though Mrs Evans did no
know it, believing the business was saf
in the keeping of Jennie, and worke
hard at dressmaking (she had thre
children to support, and the shop alon
would not do it).
The officers were not profitable cu'
toners, for they only went to tlirt wit
Jennie under the excuse of buying
penny paper, or perhaps asking for
timetable.
Jenny made the most trim and pre-
ty and obliging of shop women, and til
| place itself was always pattern {
neatness; but the officers wives did ne
care to 90 and buy thread where the
were evidently interrupting filtration
and so the business continued to fall of
and Mrs. Evans began to get quite III
happy about it. Jennie--pretty, kin,
hearted, thoughtless Jennie-had II
idea that she had anything to do wit
it, or shs would have sent every one {
her admirers off at pace that woul
have astouished them. She had bee
only too delighted, after her brother il
law died, to come from Devonshire an
live with her sister at Woolwich; nC
only because she was very fond of ht
sister, but also because she had wishe
many times to see John Weare agail
She had made his acquaintance whe
her brother and he--for they had bee
in the same regiment-were statione
at Plymouth, and she had paid them
| flying visit with her father. John ha
told her that he was tired of the serviC
and wished to settle down, and inwar,
| ly thought that he could do no bette
| than to ask her to settle with him. II
| had been very attentive when she can
to Woolwich, and gradually estabishe
| himself on the footing of a lover till
| found the shop always filled with II
officers and cadets. At first he was 81
of appearing before his superiors, the
| he got Jealous and at last angry, for
felt and knew that they meant her |
good, and besides it was doing real i
jury to the business of the shop.
last he spoke his mind and told the c
quettish Jennie what he thought, Al
was snubbed for his pains.
IF you think don't know how
take care of myself, Mr. Weare, yC
are very much mistaken, and | don
want any one to tell me what's right
wrong, | know for myself,
swell, Miss Jennie, | didn't mean
give any offcnse, | only told you whi
| l thought. -
"Then you might have kept yo
thoughts to yourself, she said, with
little toss OF her pretty head "unle
they had been nice ones" she adde
He heard the aside and picked up i
courage,
"It's awfully hard, too, when one tn
really cares can't get near you," he l
piled. Just then Jennie caught sig
of Captain McGee, a tall and handsor
man, with long whiskers and AIRED no,
coming in the direction of the she
with big bunch of flowers in his han
She had heard John Weare's last wor,
but she was secretly of the opinion ii
she ought to have come up to I
scratch before" so she thought that
little jealousy might do him good.
"Oh, here comes Captain McGe
she said, in delightful tone,
"Well, he's Just the biggest black
in the service, Jennie, aud if you ia
my advice you'll send him off sharp.
81 lbelieve you are jealous, Mr. Wea
and telling me stories about the capita
he is always very polite to me" and {
= smoothed her pretty hair and arrang
the tritles on the counter.
"Oh, he's polite enough, no doubt
"And he's bringing me some flower
"NOw look here, Jennie, are you
ing to take them
HOf coursn | an, "