The Osceola times., 1883-09-29
JOHNS WIFE.

ASu viz .cbhE
"Yes, john" jamie answered.
"And looked after the calves, and turn
ed the chccses, and aired the feather
beds, and cleaned the cellar, and sorted
over the apples ?"
"Yes, cousin john
"Ah," said Squire Marden, cts heavy
responsibility to put upon one person, all
these daily duties jamie, eh?'
81 hope do everything to please you,
john" faltered the quiet girl, who sat
picking over peas in huge pan.
"Yes, Janie-yes, I've no cause to com
plain" said the squire, thoughtfully feel,
ing his handsome, smooth-shaven chin,
as he sat looking at the slender, pretty
girl.
While jamie Lee, conscious that his
eyes were upon her, changed from pink
to pale and then back again. and worked
more st, adfastly than ever.
jamie" said the squire suddenly,
"Tve something TO say to you and there's
no use In putting IL on.
jamie CLAN ced up, more agtated than
ever.
"Pm thinking OF marrying again."
said he abruptly.
jamie tried to say "Are your" but her
tongue Glove to the root of her m outh.
Poor, little, nuttering, shy thing-at
that moment flood of indescribable
happin 81 seemed 10 overflow her soul.
Ever since her cousin, Mrs. Mardcn,
had died four years ago, and she, girl
of sixteen, had taken the helm OF house
keeping into her strong young hands,
she had been learning to worship the
handsome noble .natured squire.
Nothing was too much for her when it
was done for him.
Full of Carlye's Hero Worship" Ja-
ME Lee could havt written halfa-dozen
volumes on The subject, and taken Squire
John Marden for the central point of
every one of them.
Now and then, spurred by a kindly
word a gentle tone, she ventured to
hope she knew not what.
Oftener still she had fallen into depths
of dependency, until, AZ last, to spend
her quiet and uncvcntful life in Squire
Marden's service. whether or net her
efforts rewarded by the guerdon she SO
craved.
But now---now that he looked at her
with those kindly eyes-now that he
spoke oI marrying again her heart leap
ed high in her bosom.
Were those long years of conscicn-
tious toll appreciated at last3
Was he, indeed, about to ask her to be
his wife?
Marrying again. the squire repeated
slowly.
"You wouldn't object ch, Janie?"
"I?' she faltcred.
"Your position, you see, would remain
just the same,' said he.
matilda is a perfect child about the
cares of housekeeping, and will, l doubt
not, be pleased to retain you here as her
right.hand about the house; for, as you
may perhaps have guessed, l have pro-
posed to Miss Matilda Kerr.
Janie's heart seemed turning to ice
within her.
Miss Kerr, the dashing beauty who
had been spending the summer at Mrs.
Wallers-the handsome, dark-eyed Di
Vernon of girl. who had made fun of
farms and farmers, avowed her ig-
norance of all domestic details
as If it were a merit, and daw1led
away her time in croquet, lawn-tennis,
and novel-reading-who declared that
life was not worth haviny without arch
ery-parties, charades and lawn-tennis.
The last person in the world whom
one could have imagined John Marden
to fancy
"Don't fret, JAMIE" said the squire
kindly.
"Your home is here always, wife or
no wife"
81 haven't forgotten all that you were
to poor Mary, before she died.
The touch of his hand upon her head
seemed to loose the fountain of her tears
and fiinging away her work, jamie dart