The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-08-16

'Why so?'
Because think he is in love witt.
YOU. saw it in his eyes when he sat
watching You on the boat"
Nonsense. YOU little goosev. Most
likely he has sweetheart Already
But Jennie blushcd as she said it, and
Immediately got up and went Waiting
about the room, humming gay air,
every few moments pausing 10 make
some remark which showed that she
was thinking of Ensign, AMI that her
thoughts were pleasant ones
CHAPTER KILL
VISITING THE MINES.
Mr.. Annclscy's visits to their fathers
cottage ceased with the departure of
Jennie and Lucy, and John Parsons was
thus left without means of obtaining
frequent or reliable information of the
progress of work at the mines.
lie was ut the landing every day or
two with produce for shipment. and
always inquired of si,ch rs he met if
they had any news from Gravel Hill,
but received no information of pos
tive character such as he had been ac-
customed TO obtain from Mr.. Annelsey.
lie had. in fact, questioned that Young
gentleman SD often and SO infinitely
that he felt as if he knew the mines,
and all the deta Is of the work of prep
aration for working them, as perfectly
as if he had located them and superin-
tended the labor Of the men himself:
but now he only heard rumors, those Of
to-day being contradictei by those of
tomorrow. ..Oflate too. he had frequent
ly been answered impatiently, almost
r,dely, by those whom he was in the
habit Of questioning about the mine.
They felt no especial interest in the af-
fairs Of the mining company them
selves, and could see no reason for his
solcitude. and were growing weary of
his constant and persistent inquiries.
1t was known. Of course, that tho son
of one Of the largest stockholders had
been somewhat intimate with his
daughter, and there were found gossips
who minated that 1.-The old mans de-
sire for information from the mines was
really desire for information of GER
tain young man who had made his
headquarters there during the time he
was not roaming over the country,
flirting with such young girls as were
foolish enough to permit it.
And then the moral vultureS. from
which even country neighborhoods
are not always free, fluttered their
wings and INDUCED in another little
flight Of fancy.
The pretcnSe Of a return to school
was only blind" they said. .I.ucy's
parents had found it necessary to send
her from home for time, and her
elder sister accompanied her as nurse
and to prevent any suspicion of the true
cause Of her going"
No one who knew the family well
gave any heed to these tales, but there
were those who did believe them, and
who looked upon the changed appear
ance OF John Parsons as confirmation
Of them: for there was no denying that
there was change in him. Among his
neighbors and at the landing he had
been noted for the hearty manner with
which he greeted everybody, whether
boy or man, and for a jovial expression
OF countenance that gave an instant
impression of a prosperous aud con-
tented man. as well rs the possessor of
a kindly heart. But now his whole ex-
preston and manner was changed.
Often ut the landing he passed men
whom he knew, without appearing to
see them, and looked at strangers with
out speaking, but in manner which
seemed to question them of their pur-
pose # coming to the locality. All the
jollity had left him. and his greetings,
even to his best friends. had lost their
hearty cordiality, and he inquired less
frequent after their health and more
and more often if they had any news
from the mines, until even they began
TO wonder if there might not be some
thing in the rumors which had reached
their ears, and one day when he had
seemed particularly dowucast, neigh
Dor in reply to his usual inquiries for
news from Gravel Hill. said:
any of my business, but if were you
l believe would 60 up to the mines
and see Mr. Annelsey. Young men are
sometimes little wild without being
really bad at heart, and may be ifyou
see him yourself and talk to him with
out showing temper he'll do the square
thing
The square thing" that John Par
sons wanted done was to leave him and
his in undisturbed possession OF their
home, with its vineyards and orchards,
its plot of ground where the turkeys
and chickens and ducks wandered and
nested and raised their young; the rose
bush over the cottage porch; the vege-
table garden at the side; the fields for
pas.urage and grain stretching away
on every side.
He thought of Mr.. Annelsey only in
connection with the mine whose wash
ings might flood his ranch and destroy
all that Martha and he had labored SO
hard to accumulate and leave them in
their old age TO begin all over again.
And what use to begin again if this
place, too, should be wrested from
them? He would have no heart, no
faith to 60 farther or do more. He
should feel that God was out of the uni
verse; that the sun had set in eternal
night, if forced again to take his loved
ones and flee into the wilderness.
Not the faintest intimation of the
meaning of the neighbours words
reached his mind. Had 1t done SO, had
he known that the kindly word, of his
friend implied stain upon the charac-
ter of lis daughter, he would have re-
sented it in a manner to prevent its
repetition, at least in his presence; but
he saw only suggestion that he should
60 personally to the mines, see with his
own eyes how great the cause for alarm
really was, take advantage of his ac-
quaintance with Mr. Annelsey in the
work of securing information, and in
case he found the danger imminent, to
induce the young man to use his inhu-
cnce to avert it.
The neighbor's allusion to Annelsey
as ''wild'' he did not notice: or, if he
did. supposed that the speaker intended
to convey the thought that the COM
pany might not be inclined to give
much weight, in matters of business, to
the advice of SO young man; regard
ing him as inexperienced, and conse-
quently wild in his judgment. But the
suggestion of visiting the mines and
seeing for himself the whole situation
struck him as good one, and he re-
solved at once to 60.