The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-08-16
JENNY OF SWANS.

ABE New England pOor-house, although to
that use the selectmen of TrimOuntain
~ devote it. Usually the few paupers are
old and feeble people, but the day Mrs
Jordan anu her husband walked up the
narrow path which led from the landing
where they had-left their boat besides
the old people there were several chill
dren who, in country speech, were Ito
"A IL be bound oUt.p p
Boys and girls between the ages OF
nine and Twelve were hanging abOutthe
doors, aud looking eagerly or stolidly,
according TO their dispositions, at the
Jordans and a number Of other couples
who arrived about the same time. One
little girl ATTRACTED Mrs Jordan's notice.
She was neither as pretty nor as bright
looking as Some of the others, and Mr..
Jordan did not see anything to fancy
n abont herr e r. TIT
/, But Mrs. Jordan said she had aygood
& Hste1dy eye.a sweet voice and to her
llcslrt most Irresistible ATTRACTIONS Of all,
looked i'll, aud twas even n little de
formed, through a curvature OF the
spine So if Charles, as she called her
husband, wanted to take any Little girl,
it must be that one.
4" But mother eSpostulatedthe puz-
zled Charles, she is not strong, she
can not help You any, and instead of
looking after thiDgssfEhen Willy and I
are of fishing, will only make one more
Tor YOU 10 run after WHY not ltase'
bHaI great fHu-Cneeh~oQ girt WHO 4ClD Ks 50
gOod-natured and energetic ~ SIS -
Still as Mrs. Holden put 1t, Mrs.
Jordan would not be said by her hus-
band, and soon brought him around
TO her, way Of thinking The girl 5
name was Janet Graham, and She was
orphan, her father having been lost
at sea, and her mother dying of con
sumption not-long -afteF.-The ps0r-
house had been her home for several
years, and all the Holdens liked her
first best, their oldest boy declared.
sIs. Questioned by the still doubtful Mr..
Jordan why they liked her and what
she could do in particular, he was I'M
able to specify, beyond tending babies
H and rowing boat, Mt both Of which ac-
complishments he declared ''she was a
beatum. T" The conversation was in
corrupted by Mrs Jordan, who, holding
Jenny by the hand, informed her
$50 husband -that-the wind was all
going down. and if he did not hurry
aud east Of, he would have to row them
80 the whole way home As home was
..-.,, twelve miles distant, ON SWANS Island
we do not wonder he stopped no longer
to inquire about Jenny's good qualities.
He owned the whole island, and most
capital sheep pasturage he had there, as
we'll rs farm and several lighthouses,
and here had lived with bis wife and
nephew, Willy for many years. There
was no other dwellng-house upon
Swans, and although besides Wiuyand
himself there were generally other men
whom he emplOyet in the family no
woman eyer came 10 hcar-Alrs- Jordan
company for any length-0f, time. As she
was English she had no kith or Kin this
- sideAthe- seay-t,Rtl- -altlietigh cheerful,
even merry. yet frequently longed for a
little girl 10 go alJuut-yith her as Willy
did with Charles, her husband, and noiv
she had her. Z
In spite of. Mrs Jonlan's predictions.
bfa F,pt ,t,,4,ry ~, n
time they landed safely at Swan Island.
Willy was 81 the rough pier to receive
them, and to tell Jenny how glad he
was to see her; but after his aunt and
she had started up the hill toward the
house, he looked questionably to his
unCleT iE.Egtfr + . ft'EF.t. p
NO returned Mr. Jordan, she
Amt no beauty, and sho-wOR't never set
no rivers ON fire; but She does look
= tstiddy, and your aunt was SET on her >
Swans Island would perhaps have
seemed lonesome to most children, but
$500 Jenny never found it So As she crossed
the threshold of the kitchen doar she
rtfeb herself az home, and with loving i'm
"tcrcst and earnestness threw herself into
the life around her. 40 20 g.
They gave her a room of her own, nm
der the caves of the low, Imprinted, one
story house, and she begged Mrs. JOT-
dan to teach her how to keep il dainty
and nice, Ike MI the rest Of the quaint
little home. She had learned to read
and write al Seal Harrison. and as Winv
always went off the island winters to
attend school, he taught her from the
day she oame.
Mrs. Jordan knew all about SEWING
and cooking, and having been a lady (
maid IN the old country, was acquainted
with MANY little devices for improving
Jenny srUugh skin, and beautifying her
lusterless hair Sic was good Christ
ian woman besides, and every Sunday
the family gathered and one or anoth-
III read the prayers and lessons her
church ordered for the day. Mfr. DOR,
dan soon found his heart going out low
iugly TO theschild, and. taking her with
him frequently to the seaside of tho
island where the gray gUlls built thef
nests and reared their Young, was sOF-
priSed at her intelligence and touched
by her affection for his wife The sim
I pie, regular life, good and wise care,
improved her health so much that in the
course of three or four years the stran-
gers who came in summer 10 visit the
lonely island with its savage cliffs, IL:
countless sea birds. and its one happy
family, never thought of her as being
deformed, and even old friends, who
knew her when she first lived with Mrs
Jordan, could hardly believe their eve.
when they booked At the erect. red
E checked maiden who walked like 8
toung Diana round the rocky shore, OF
Jumped from bowlderl to bowlder il
search Of fare eggs, or still rarer fern.
and l;cheus. .,
Business was always good with Mr.
Jordan. He and Willy put by money
every summer and in winter the latter
left them for four or five months 10 %
fo school. and when he returned bring
mo- now hOoIs-papcrS, and all sorts oi
a,riyht gossip, they would not have eN-
,I,anged their island Tor Windsor Castle
q I'm eyaA. the Eeautiful island. and the
l. "a - "a ~ M.tr 4