The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-03-13

froat 90 the postcfice, Elnathan Rodgers
drove hy s. ith the Ueacou' s mare.
I s'puse now he's got Jenny he thinks
hes gut a right 90 the wbnle property NUT
tered Hiram / wish 20 gracious the old
mare wouid put her feet through the dash
bpa1d-'
That night The singing school met at the
Academy Hiram came late. He used to
sit WIKI the tenors Just behind Jenny Bates.
Now he choose different seat ard tried
bard 30 sing bass. lie could not, however.
help seeing E.nathsn Rodgers pass pepper
miut lozenCes toJeuny, and also write some
thing on The blank leaf or her singing book,
which she read aud answered
'Of course he'H 90 home with her tonight
thought Hiram. attn be the first time I've
missed it for a year He's welcome. tho
Ali intermissIon he Kept bis seat, and pre-
tended to be very busy looking for some
tune in his singing book that refused to be
found. Jenny did not look at him.
The doxolcgy closed the school at last,
and there was a grand bustIing about the
door. and an eager pushing amsng the
young men to make sure Of their favorites.
Hiram was trying to make bis way through
the crowd, when be found himself at the ell
bow Of Jenny Bates, and the same moment
the hateful voice Of Elnathan Rodgers was
heard in the words
snail l see You home this evening, Miss
Bates %
NO, sir, was the prompt answer. 1 shall
walk home alone
Hiram was totally unpTepared for this
Perhaps it's one OF her fits be said to
himself The deacon said she had 'em:
that nobody knew but himself. I'm glad
she mitteBed him, though
The word mitten reminded Hiram that be
had left both on his seat in the school-room.
and be stepped back Just as the candles
were being put out.
Here's Jenny Bates singing book he
heard one boy say to another. She went of
in such hurry to night she forgot it,
Give it to me- said Hiram, who remeu-
bered what had taken place that evening,
and with eager look sought out the written
message that had passed between Jenny
and his rival They were as follows:
Tell your father be cheated me when I
bought Old Jenny. ! thought by her name
that she must be good for something, but
she kicks and bites ten times worse than he
ever told me ] wish now I bad spoken for
the Jenny in the house instead of the one in
the barn
And the answer:
I guess the horse is as good as you de-
serve As FOR choosing betwixt the two you
mention, you won't be able to do that this
year You have got the only Jenny you can
ever get from H1y father
a light broke in upon Hiram.
well, of all the Internal fools I ever heard
an the biggest a dog would have had
more sense. It's not too late now. thank
heaven
The departing crowd started as Hiram
with the singing book IN his hand rushed
down stairs, two at a time. and up the road
which lead toward Deacon Bates's. II he
was not too late be was nearly so, for Jenny
WIS just opening The gates OF the front
yard.
stop, JENNY he exclaimed, painting for
breath. Here's your singing-book You
left it in your seat I tried TO overtaks
you
You needn't have taken the trouble. Mr..
jenkins I guess mono would have stolen It.,
said Jenny with a great display Of dignity
and making a show of going into the house
Don't, Jenny! Wait-wait just a min
4 ute. 1 know I've acted like a fool but Just
4 let me explain.
! Jenny hesitated a moment, made another
start for the door, then turned and went
back TO the gate where the discounted Hi
ram stood waiting,
Wen, she said in as freezing tone MS she
. could command.
Now don't look and talk that way, Jenny
. Bates. You know never would have acted
as have If hadn't thought / had a reason
for it. ! thought you were going to marry
Elnathan Rodgers
What business had You to think any such
thing?' asked Jenny, firing up.
a pretty explanation that is q and again
she turned away from the gate.
Stop let me tell you. Can't you listen 3
minute % said Hiram i'm desperation. He
felt there was no other way than TO make a
clean breast of it, and plunged into his story
at once. Word for word he related the con
versatiOn he had heard in the horse barn,
and the effect il had upon him. He was
deeply in earnest, and in closing humby
appealed for forgiveness. He saw her trem-
BILE and put her hands to her face. Poor
girl, she pitisd him His heart rose and his
hand was upon the gate to open it, when q
peal Of laughter louder and longer from be-
ing so peut up, rang out upon the night air,
almost startling him out Of his boots and
waking the deacon and his wife from a
sound sleep 10 the upper front bedroom.
Up went the window and a night-capped
head was thrust out, with a demand as 20
what was the matter. Still Jenny laughed.
while Hiram stood silent by the gate, angry
and ashamed, not knowing whether to ad-
vance OF 90 back. At last Jenny found heT
voice.
Go home, Hiram jenkins, she said say
your prayers and go to sleep, ard il you
want to say anything more 10 me, come up
tomorrow evening after supper. But mind
don't you 60 to tening at any horse-barns
on your way home ; and she went or IN an
, other peal Of laughter.
Hiram did not wait to say good nighs. 90
, Whether he slept or said his prayers thai
night is not recorded, but it's an established
fact that eight O'Clock next evening found
him IN Deacon Bates's parlOr. The inter
view was a long and probably an interesting
one, and its immediate result was that be
, fore Thanksgiving the deacon had neither
p Jenny 10 the house nor in the stable,
Q NECESSITY WAS Hrs MoTHER.-'JOhnnie
- vour Fafhar rrnvanfnr