Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-01-14
MISS FLIHT's MISTAKE,


suppose one cAunOt OBJECT 70 the term
when she has passed the forty year
notch Of life-does not belong 70 The
wiry. vrinkied order, nor u she q III
tie roly.poly body, with fat red okeeks
and waist Of barrsl-ltke dimensions.
No, Miss Flint 10 . motherly loo king,
weli-prtssrved, middle-Aged woman;
and taking her now. 90 she sits Of the
kitchen window. busy with the week ~
msedlpg, one would be apt to wonder
What kind Of Q man her husband was,
aud II the lines Of care that wsrn plata
~ Visible, upon her oomely face we've
OF his tracing.
Boon, perhaps, o troop Of noisy chill
dren will come rushing 10, and q curly
had will be thrust in mothers lap
and an infsntine voice will sob out
some childish woe. Fancy wsAves
this little home picture around MisI
Flint, ns she industriously strives &c
bridge the yaUning ohAatn that oon
ironIs her iu hor brcGher's sock; hui
old Reality sttps to the front. and with
one sweep Of hi9 powerful hand,
brushes aside thu web, and we SEQ her
~ che really IL, O worn woman, who
has long since ceased her search fsl
happinesS, and 10 looking forward to
|noshInz.
Away back in the eArly yssrs Of her
ITO, harpiness had paused OF her door
but the iaIcbs,riug vss not ont, and II
had gone on It's way, to seek another
shelter. Like other women, Bhe hsa
dreamed OF q happy vifeiiood, and OF a
busy life; np6 like other women, she
had loved but false pride hnd cut her
of from sll ouch ties, and enbiv.srod
her whole exislsuce.
John Hillis. the Young man who had
won hoI Affections, was o we'll sp.dd
farmer who lived on an aojoiuiuR
farm; and although he had sho Eu 10 do
|oidsd pteieIeac for Ann Bhnt's com.
pauy on many occasions, his had been
very ahy about taking her out or oAll.
ing upon her.
When Ann found herself In love, sho
bottled up hsr feelings, and bid them 80
far from the surface that poor John
never guessed tho truth. She thought
that, II John loved her, he would tell
her so; and che did not intend wearlp {
her heart upon her sleove, for any man.
A woman of tnot-which plainly Ann
wAe q 1t-wouid have known that bash
full John Hillls would mover have the
courage TO propose to any Girl without
y great deal OF encouragement; 20,
ohen Arm put on her sImor OF reserve,
che bsnished her lover. Il was NOT
until long after Johns mArriage-ior
be found Rirl who gladly helped him
through with proposRl-that Ann
learned tbs trulh, and regretted having
done rs she did. The Hills family stiff
lives ct the old place, ald CT any time
'cf tho day when Aun CHOOSES to glance
In that direction, she can see som3 OF
JOHNS children playing In tie door
Ysrd.
Ts1 yeafs ago. Miss Flint had deetd
cd TO give sons poor child home. II
would be company for her, ani would
ssve her Gomething TO take an In terest
IN. Her brother, who was an old bsch-
|olor, By the way, and we'll pleased with
the ides, was In favor Of O bop; bat APE
urged thSt shs did no: caro- 10 epend the
CREATOR part Of her time resestin1
trousers, even II abe could endure thH
wear and tear upon the carpets aud
chAirs which boy was sure to infliot.
As she loos sned the strinRs OF orAtory
her brother fad, and offered no further
sugs estionn about the matter; so with
oot further ceremony, Ann took from
the county Door.house poor littls wsif
Jossis Brown by name. who had nevsl
been out OF sight OF her psuper home
aud to whom the sudden transportation
seemed like the opening Of the gates o
fAlryland. The DeArts OF the lonely
brother aud sis.er vent out TO the LITTLE
| girl ut oncei and soon every hope seem
FED oentor5d la her.
Jessie had besn chosen from among 4
group OF twenty for her beauty, whic5
sas Of q re6ned order; and Il sooa be
came Miss Flinps delight TO see her 81
tired iu 6aer Nnd better made olothAl
than any child that attended the dis
| trict school.
Jessie came to know tho Kills chill
dten Intimately aud George, who wa
about hor own age, soon bscAme hoI
whamest friend.
In her early school days, Jessie TO.
jolced 10 his earnest friendship, but q
she approached womanhood, and hit
attentions bsosno decidedly lo7er-llk
she endeavoted to pu. thei: ftierGshil
upon a mote practical ootlug.
OF no avail, however. were her littl
outs, her cool bo VS.. George WAS look
ing through loves glasses aud Wa
blind TO the truth. He was a primi
fAvofita OF Mas Finite, and she hailet
with joy this thought OF an alliAnca he
twesn Jessie ana her former lover
aol. she fat sure thst tho young pso
Pile were united by tiss of love, aud i
any power OF hers could bring nbou
their union they would certainly b
married. She was living her one 0reau
over agein In tbs lives Of these younI
paople, and she attributed Jessie'i
avoidance OF young Hills to fesllnE
akin to thoae that caueed her ell tbet
yeArs of misery, LitGlO wonder, thel
that she whispered words OF hope L
Gsorae, and paid little attention 70 th
Indifference which Jessie manifested to
ward him.
Matters took another turn, though
after Lester Grsy'B advent into th.
neiRhhorhood, and IL was not long DO
fore the neighbers were putting Ihtt
heAds together aud Whispering nbou
his Irritation with Miss Blint's Jessie
Miss Flint tried to put q stop to the 90
cailed hlTtetion, and felt sure that n
soon as young Gray won't about hi
business" all would be we'll.
Gray was n bright, interesting younl
fellow, full Of fun and nonsense, witt
an easy, careless manner that pat him
elf and Overy one with whom he cam
In contact at ease. He was quite ele
giant In comparison with the rongl
country lads whom Jessie knew, anC
no matter how soon he might "s,
about his busipe esq, nothing would eve
DO quite the same TO her again.
10 epite Of Miss Flint'd irowns, which
thawad . little In the warmth of hi
suilei, young Gray was most devoted Il
Jessie, and managed to epand an hou
or TWO every day In her society.
"Y0uDg men from the city," said Mis-
Flint, "only SEEK to amuse them
selv's with country girls, and win thei
htarls only t. break them "
4 I,aatar han told Jasaie that he ,vvaa