The Red Cloud chief., 1888-04-20

p whlstitng checrily, took his way to the
barn. while Mrs. johnson looked after her
handsome son with a fond pride.
1t was a well known fact in the neighbor-
hood, Of which the JOhnsons formed q good
and prominent part. that the mother Of Jed
watched with q jealous eye all the unmarried
ladies, with the exception Of Manday Green;
and as the aforesaid Manday had SO often
declared to her that she thought it would be
30 cruel in any n to supplant Mrs. johnson
in the affections of her son, that good lady
believed Manday free from any designs on
her Jed.
''Well, mother" said Jed q few days after
the arrival Of the new neighbors, II saw
Manday sailing into the house over the way,
and / suppose q call has been made"
'Yes, she dropped in here a few minutes
and told me about it. lido think Manday is
the most neighborly Of any Of US. She is the
first one to go in there, and it was not from
curiosity either, for she said So"
1T wa very good Of her, Of course, /" drily
remarked Jed.
"Manday says Mrs Orcutt Is Q dreadful
pretty little woman, and as pleasant and
common like as need be. She rays she don't
look one bit worried over the idea of having
. bad boy to manage She didn't see the
boy; his mother said he was not well, and
had kept his room the most Of the time. Mr..
circuit will not be here often, for his bust
ness keeps him in the city. That boy
will just run wild around here with his
capers, you may depend on it, for Manday
says Mrs. circuit looks too mild to hold him
in"
III the boy Is sick can not see any danger
OF our being overwhelmed with his pranks.
DO go over and see them, mother; don't let
her feel As il she was all alone with . sick
boy and we so near"
THAT I will. Idon't want to feel as II
they was intruders eve IL the boy Is hoge.
Strange I should feel 50 put out about n
boy, for I well remember when you was \
lad. and l dare say this youngsters mother
! loves him as well IS I loved mine, but then
you was an extra good boy. Jed"
"Why did you allow me to grow up such Q
bashful BOBBY then, mOtherF
'.Now do jest heal. Who ever would think
OF calling You such a name rs that, pray
tell! know you have always kept shy Of
the girls around here, and l am right glad Of
that" and Mrs. johnson spoke from the
depths of her heart then.
Zone Of the rustic beauties in that quiet
farming district had succeeded in attracting
the attention Of Jed Johnson. At the death
Of his father he had come home from a dis
tant college and taken charge of the farm.
As he found his company among his books
and with his mother, he was looked upon as
a bashtul bachelor, a title that would not
| disturb him any if he knew it.
jed" said Mrs. johnson, Il called on
Mrs. circuit to-day, and she is one of the
prettiest little women l have seen for many
a day. She seems dretful taken up with
her rew home and says il Johnnie only i'm
proves, she will be perfectly cOntented. 1
don't know which she meant, his health or
conduct. Idarc say it's both. She thinks
he will be out in a few days. l wonder if I
called her name right! She opened them
big blue eyes Of hers when l called her Mrs.
| circuit, SO wide inc inquiring like that l
thought may be l was wrong about her
name"
st might be. mother, for I noticed she
looked surprised when l used her name in
speaking to her to-day. A board was loose
on the fence back of the garden, and I saw
her trying to nail it On. 50 l walked over and
fastened it for her. 1t is my opinion we
have found some very nice n~eighbors."
In a few days JOHNNIE circuit was out,
and. as nothing terrible seemed to develop
in the neighborhoOd on account of it, Mrs.
johnson quite lost her fear Of being terror
lied by a bad boy.
''Just you wait until he is well, before
| you think him SO tame" was the quieting CD
! remark of Man6ay.
Things seemed progressing finely with
Mrs. johnson and her pretty neighbor, who
dropped in often and chatted so pleasantly,
that Miss Manday grew quite jealous and
told the old lady she was quite carried away
by a pretty face.
Dear, no. Manday. it's not her face as l
knows on, but it's her bright CHEEKY ways
that takes my heart"
20. WELL with a toss of the head, ''I'm
no hand to lay aside old friends for new, as
you must know. How do you NOW she
amt fishing for jed"
''Nlercy o n us. Manday! how you do talk
| Of Mrs. circuit"
'.Hain't You ever heard Of married women
flirting. ! have. if you hain't."
tn never believe any such thing Of her,
anyway: beside she never comes here when
| Jed is about home. and they have not got
one bit acquainted yet"
"Well. why don't her husband come home
~oftener, I'd like to know"
Il m sure l don know, Manday; for
some good reason. l dare say"
well. I'd ask her. l would. but it's no
0lldlT VI iAiliiC. ocOO altSE AOOu. MIS-. JOill-
! son."
The following afternoon Mrs. Johnson
took her knitting and went over to sit with
her little friend the Intervening o before
| supper getting. She found her busy mend
ing a coat for Mr.. circuit
I'm SO glad 20 have You come in. Mrs.
johnson. 1t seemed SO quiet here, for john
| ME is of to the woods this afternoon. /
| could not GO with him for l had nearly for
| gotten this coat needed mending, and Ed
ward is coming tomorrow. Johnnie can
I! scarcely wait, he is so anxious to see his
papa"
Il found it lonely to sit down without some
| one to talk to. You are spelling me about
being alOne. l am getting childish, l Am
afraid. Mrs. Orcutt."
! Call me Jenny, will you please: would
so much prefer it. ! always allow Johnnie
to call me that"
Il see he does. but it don't seem to me the
rightthing for him, to be calling You Jenny"
HE always has since he could talk at all.
Then too and she Oiushing slightly, and,
! laughing, said: lit does not make me seem
so old to lave johnnie call me Jenny: l
don't mind telling you. Mrs. johnson, I don't
like to appear older than l really am"