The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-02-15
was returning from some work of this

"Nothin' much. Fust off I thought
it was some message from the old man
about collectin' rent, but turned out
'twarn't So"
"I guess not" said Josiah, contempt
uously, and loud enough for Jane to
hear. "The old man wouldn't trust him
with money. I've heard the two quar-
relin' more than once The father al
ways SAYS: You're a big rascal, Eu-
gene, and you shan't touch a dollar of
mine. You've got your villainous bro
ker's Office, so play your tricks outside
of my business He's a cheating scamp,
that fellow"
Jane rose quickly and came forward.
Two bright spots of color burned on her
pale cheeks. Her eyes were flashing, and
she said, facing Josiah indignantly:
Mr.. Brackets a gentleman, Josiah
Jackson, and that more than you are"
Jane" the plu nber answered. his
voice shaking with anger, and yet with
an appeal in it" Jane, l don't pretend
to be. Pm only an honest man, and
that fellow amt. That's all I've got to
say" ,.
to say" the girl retorted.
Haven't no right exclaimed Jo-
siah, ''to arr you for your own good
when l see things is wrongP"
You We got nothin' to do with me at
| ALL" answered Jane, and like a shabby
little queen with a weak voice, much out
of keeping with the might of her scorn,
| she walked to the stairway at the back
and passed UP to her own ROOM.
Josiah looked after her; then pushing
l back his old hat with n rough hand
that trembled strangely, he turned to
| Miss Parminter, who was very busy with
the wispy curls, and said:
Look here-rve been courtin' Jane
for more'n year. She's give me a kind
| of a half promise more'n once and now
now, within six weeks, since that
Brackett' been loatin' round, she treats
me that way. faint right, Miss Par
minter, faint right" His smudged and
toil-worn face quivered and grew pale.
"Well," answered the spinster, max
ing new tangles of the curls. ''you see,
Josiah, Mr.. Blackett's smooth spoken
and handsome, and. m recover, girls
is girls. They like a little3wsll:
what I call poetry ways and soft
speeches; and girls likes it to be always
walentine-time, so to speak"
"But faint always valentine-time,
and soft talk won't keep the pot
a-b'ilin'," said the practical Josiah, the
words losing half their coarseness in the
dignity of his suppressed and genuine
suffering.
"Ah.H Miss Parminter replied. shut
the sensiblest mi has got a longin'
after nonsense. We like being made
much of in some way out O. the COM
mon. We like playin' we're queens or
angels. 'Tain't no harm, but sometimes
it costs US dear. Why, Josiah, just for
a few nice words and a way of looking
out of a pair of handsome eyes, 1
throwed over a fellow as good as you,
for a chap that Tilted me after all. And
here I'm a lone woman, and hadn't
never oughter BEEN" She cried quite
historically for a moment. then stopped
to see what Josiah was slowly drawing
from his pocket. 1t was a parcel, and
he carefully opened it, saying:
"Tve bought Jane a little present.
half dozen pairs of good wooden stock
ms. l thought they'd be more useful
than the breastpins or such trash"
"What have I been tellii' youP" Miss
Parminter broke out, in passionate ora
tory. notwithstanding, indeed!
| Why, a rosebud or a picture card would
have more effect girl, Put up them
stockin's, Josiah; 'twon't never do
never!m
s.All right" answered Josiah, bowling
to superior judgment, yet looking pcz-
zled; ''but stockin's is very useful and
we all have to have 'em."
"Good gracious man, I'm out of all
patience with you! Go no ne. and I'll
manage your love-making. Go home"
Josiah very meekly obeyed, and Miss
Parminter closed up the shop, and went
up to JAMES room. Those red indig-
n~antspots still burned on the little dress
makers cheeks. and to the abrupt ques-
ton: ...Do you mean to give Josiah upP"
she replied, sharply: '.You can't give up
what you never had"
"Bat you were getting fond of him."
Miss ParIninter persisted. "Does Mr..
Bracket come to see you often?'
''That's nobodY's business"
"'Tain't, except in so fur as m fond
of you, Janey, and I'd like to see you
turn out we'll"
81 expect to turn out well. I'm going
to invest nv money, and in q year from
how, you dear old friend-for you are q
dear old friend, and l do love you," ex-
claimed Jane, glad to find an excuse for
sand dollars. and We'll go shopping.
Shopping! Think of itr'
"Look-a-here, Jane, what are you
going to do with your money!"
"Put it in the Paramount Silver Mine.
Eugene-I mean Mr.. Brackett-wil
take care of it."
"Eugene! Air you going to marry
himP"o
Eyes; that is, mo. o, Miss Par.
minter!"-and Jane looked almost pretty
and girlish as she kneeled down and hiC
her face against the angular but sympa
thetic shoulder-"oh, l think-I dc
think something's coming of it. He
been here three times, and he's askec
me to call him Eugene, and he calls mt
little Jeanette in a gentle way that
just-just lovely"
"Humph! And how about JosiahP"
"Tm sorry and she began to CRY
softly-.very sorry; but think of him be
81 do, and he's a heap sight NOR
manipulating"
"He calls me Jane and sent me
stuff dress at Christmas; Eugene call
me little Jeanette and see"-sh'
pulled up her sleeve and showed, secret,
worn, a small turquoise bracelet-''h,
sent me this"
"Yes," snapped Miss Parminter, 'ant
it's worth about five dollars. That dres
was all pure wool and cost every cent o
twenty"
sit amt cost so much" said Jane
twisting the bracelet about her arm; sit
Its"
.sIt's bosh!" Miss Parminter finishe,
the phrase for her. 80, Jane, I know
All women crave bosh." Then the ju
dicious old person quietly rose and wen
to her own room, where she sat for som,
time lingering the curls and thinking
ing.
In the morning she came to Jane il
great distress and confusion, and begget
her to take care of the shop, she bein.
obliged to 60 out OIL business.