Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-03-27
JENN1'S ROMANCE
Story OF Pretty waiting-Maid and
Her Lover, AIeok. ..f

She was only servant, orphaned,
friendless and plain-at least she had
always been called plain, although
really there was something quite
charming about that wide forehead,
with the dark hair rolled smoothly
above it, and the timid, yet speaking,
dark eyes, Poor Jenneyl she had
never known more than stolen peep
at herself in q full-length mirror, and
= the high, inaccessible hand glass that
hung in the kitchen gave no flattering
view of the small, childish figure and
red little hands. But she was q sim.
pie creature, and by no means ill con-
tent with her place as house maid and
waitress at the Ingalls, large mansion,
especially now that the winter was
breaking up, and herioyer would soon
be returning-of 50 she believed. :
He had started out With his KNAPP.
sack to. seek his fortune-that stall
wart young carpenter with the hand.
some black curls-and before he went
there had been a little love making,
and taken a kiss when he left, and
promised to come back at the end of q
year, if all went we'll with his work
and he kept the same mind. But if
| shouldn't turn up he had said
although why should she think about
that2-if l shouldn't get back, after
all, we'll count it all over between US,
and it's likely you'll soon have an eye
to some other chap besides me. Faith.
full, innocent little heart! had it ever
dreamed of letting a stranger supplant
him, although twelve months had
rolled by without bringing her tidings
at allp Her lovers hand was not as
clever with the pen as it was with the
saw and the chlsel, and Jenny herself
looked on spelling as one field for the
exercise of original talent. Had she
no. discouraged the mllkman's repeat
ed attentions, and never even looked
at the grocery boy-a beautiful youth,
with eyes like the bluest of turquoises?
And now. as the time of Alexis re-
turn approached, she felt in her heart
a sort OF mysterious energy, the bless
ed premonition of day Of new duties
and cares. At night she lay awake in
her bed, staring up at the wall, and
planning out how she would braid a
large rug, and make q shade for the
lamp, with rosettes on the sides. She
worked with faverish activity now
through the whole afternoon, scour-
ing the knives to a really unnatural
brightness, and inventing a quite new
pattern in cutting the newspaper edge
that adorned the kitchen shelves. The
kitchen! that was her. province, and
all its small fashions were a matter of
as much pride to her as those of the
parlor or drawing-room are to you. my
dear lady. There she not only dinel
and received her guests, but the whole
place was patent, immediate test of
the strongest leaning and faculties of
her nature. There was the cook, it is
true, who disputed this kingdom with
her, but the cook was middle.aged
woman, little lame in one foot and
subduea by years, who was not dis
posed to work mischief to Jenny's ar
rangements.
At last the fated day came and Jen-
ny was dressed very early, in a new
cotton dress, beautifully trimmed with
frllls 1.-THE throat sad the wrists, and
tied with q new piece Of ribbon. It
was very warm for the season. The
first hyacinth blossomed that day, and
that seemed q good omen for the fu-
ture, this little one dweltA great deal ou
the future, and had but q few thoughts
for the past. Yet thehours wore away
and Aleck did not appear. There was
no further pretext Tor delaying the eat
ing of dinner and Jenny could barely
taste Of the fried meat balls, which
were seasoned with onion to please
him. And then at last night came on
and the gates were shut to, and the
great tears rolled down her cheeks
and Kissed on the stove as she was
turning the omelette for. supper, for
she had been learning to cook, and was
skilful and dexterous. Indeed, her
hands trembled so. much that she
dropped tile large plattor itself when
she waited on the table. and the ONE
lette fell on the floor and was ruined
forever. r.
'Why, Jenny, what on earth is the
matterT said Miss Marie rather.sharp
ly. She was not an i'll tempered girl,
but the mishap was disconcerting; the
more SO because her jfance was at the
table beside her. ba# .sf..,l atrs7s..,
i think ! must be going to have
chills and fever responded poor Jen-
ny, in . high:pitched, unnatural voice,
flushing all over, the face, which had
grown somewhat thin during these
last weeks of anticipation. 4 think
you'd better be sending me down to
the hospital, miss segF Is "a, - sisl
Hospital? Nonsense. If you're i'll,
we'll take care of>youh here,, answered
Marie, quite kind y. She was going to
party that night. and had on a light.
blue dress with rose :colored sashes.
When she went up to put on her cloak