Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-05-01

First Of oil, q warm affection fror
her aunt, who, making no allusion {
her long neglect received Jennie as
dear.y-loved niece, lavishing upo
her all the tender care Of fond rela
tive, with ample riches TO crafty ev
cry whim.
This opened the way for a keen en-
Ijoyment of the long visit. for Jenm
confided to her aunt all the longing
for civilizations that her seminary ed
ucation had started without CRAFTY
ing.
She had love for study 70
its own sake, but books were
luxury not easily procured in her re
mote country hom'.
To be able TO pick and choose from
a large collection was a treat indeed.
Every sight was new stirring o
the active young mind, and Mrs. Stu.
art, woman of brilliant intellect AM
rare accomplishments, found ampl
employment in feeding Jennie's Low,
of knowledge
1t was no part Of her plan to intro.
duce her niece to society until she hac
trained her with exquisite tact anc
gentleness in the routine of society ct
iquette, and she did this so delicatel,
that the new air of refinement brushed
none of the gentle simplicity from
Jennie's manner.
Graceful and quiet by nature, sh,
was as far removed from rough o.
coarse manners as from any. affecta-
ZION of fine-ladyism.
The winter passed in quiet round
of pleasure, without any great gaiety
though Mrs. Stuart kept Jennie's time
fully and pleasantly occupied.
She was introduced to a few init
mate friends. and had some pleasant
social evenings, though it was under
stood she was not yet "out."
In view of the proposed trip Mrs
Stuart provided French and German
teacher, and read for some hours ev.
cry day with her niece.
will not describe the trip, which
extended over a period of fonr years
instead of two, and ended suddenly Al
last by an accident in italy, which
resulted in Mrs. Stuarts death.
Jennie was injured, but recovered
and the remainder of the party with
which she had travelled being about
to return to London, she joined them
and came home once more; home tc
the Inheritance of her aunt's fortune
to the house now all her own, and the
freedom of wealthy woman.
Young. beautiful. rich. she was
courted by many whose love was an
honor, but as yet she was Jennie Har-
mon, with no talk in society of hus-
band.
But the tender heart was doing sore
battle during that homeward trip,
with the expanded mind, the cultured
intellect
No change of fortune, no admira-
tion of society could have made Jen.
ME false to the lover of her girlhood.
She would have despised herself if
poverty or riches could have made
any change In her heart.
But her selfhood had undergone so
great change that she trembled at
the thought of meeting Ralph, giving
him the right to claim her promise.
In the long years OF absence she
had been thrown into frequent inter-
course with men of cultivation, men OF
art, Of letters, who bad taught her,
unconciously, what were Ralphs de-
ficiencies.
Even in her girlish days she had re.
allied that the young farmer was ig-
norant of many studies with which her
seminary education had made her fa-
miliar. but household cares promised
to SO fill her future life that she had
needed little of the mental pursuit of
either.
But Jennie Harmon, at twenty-five,
realized sadly that she could not fit
into the groove she had left at seven
teen.
1t was with no feeling of contempt
for old pursuits that she looked upon
them as distasteful, but simply from a
certainty that she had untitled herself
for them.
Had she been obliged to work again,
she would have cheerfully lifted the
burden; but with an ample fortune,
servants for every department of work.
and taste for literature, art and
works of charity, she shrank from the
prospect of the work of a farm.
But would Ralph understand this,
or would he merely accuse her of hav
ing become the fine lady he had
dreaded?
Jennie grew pale and preoccupied
On that homeward trip, longing to
nave the momentous interview over,
yet dreadlng the result.
But upon one point her resolve was
aiken,
If Ralph claimed her promise, she
would be MS wife, and suit her life to
lis
Tf ho had pivon how faithful loyo ~