The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-07-09
JANE.

has thrown nalO afOUnu the liauleB atlO
the lyric of music has embalmed it in
that sweetest of songs, My Pretty
Jane" we are apt to think of the girl
called Jane as plain homebody, useful,
but not ornamental. Her sisters, the FL
eanors. Maudes and Rosamonds, general
ly look to her to keep the house in or
der, and see to it that their comfort is
not disturbed, and she is equal TO the re-
sponsibility. She does her duty, and
more than her duty, if one can do that,
without complaint indeed, eheerfully.
But complaisant though she be, Jane
usually has will of her own, and, when
circumstances require her TO do so, makes
it known.
Such girl was Jane Lewis. She had
put the house in order-tnat is she had
done all those little things which the
best Of servants will slight, and which
20 so far in making up the sum of those
home comforts dear to the Anglo-Saxon
heart-and was seated in her own tidy
chamber, sewing. While she was thus
engagedIher two sisters came in. Z They
had been making a round Of calls, and
were very elegantly dressed-Jane, IN
her plain calico, looking almost like a
servant by contrast.
"Are you making those things for
your trousseau ?7 asked Edith, the eld-
est, eyeing contemptuously several gar
ments lying on the table at her sisters
elbow.
YES said Jane, with gentle sweet
ness. Are they not nice?
"Oh, they are nicely made, dare say,
said Edith" you always sew nicely
"but if / were going to be married |
wouldn't put a stitch in for myself, and |
wouldn't have a garment that WASH I
trimmed with the finest lace"
81 too, Ethel" said Julia, who was
the Youngest of the three sisters "When
am married shall have my trousseau
from Paris"
but where would be the use of my
having anything so fine ?" said Jane,
." as know l would have to come back
to plain clothes when the wedding things
are worn out costly wardrobe would
not suit the circumstances in which
shall find myself when | am married
-
Well. suppose you are right" said
Ethel " but / viii never marry a man
who cannot support me in the style tc
which have been accustomed
Perhaps you viii not have the
choice" said Jane, looking lovingly vi
into her beautiful sisters face
"what do you mean p asked the 9th
er, sharply. " You are not in the habi
of saying ill-natured things, Jane, and
your determination to marry poor maj
-and-and one far beneath yon-in-ir
spite of the objections of your family
why"
Don't say any more, dear," said Jane
quietly. al didn't intend to be ill-na
tured, at all. 1 only meant that you
heart will have something to say wher
the time comes, and you do not know
what that something viii be. Wher
yours speaks, Edith, as twill in time,
fancy it will astonish yourself more thar
any one else"
Il heard somebody tell Edith tina
she has no heart" said Julia, laughing
81 should consider it an unpardonabl'
offense were any one to tell me that.
said Jane.
"oh, it was only some nonsense, sai'
Edith, her face turning red.
Jane Lewis was going to be married t.
a young man of whom her family disap
proved-that is, her mother and sister
and she had been given TO understand
that her father was of their way of think
ing. Not that John Ward was unworth,
he was truly worthy Of any woman
love, and Of any mans respect +; but h
was-at least they considered him So
their social inferior.
He was an architect and building con
tractor but his father had been brick
mason. and he himself had served nj
apprenticeship to the trade, stepping u
to the higher rung Of the ladder natural
". and with q confidence engendered b
his service at the bottom
In due course of time John and Jan
were married. They went quietly to tn
church, one bright morning, accompar
led by the parents and sisters of the bird
and few particular friends and as 500
as the ceremony was over, drove to th
railway station and took the train ths
was to carry them 70 a pleasant littl
village where they proposed to spend th
honeymoon
Five years had passed, and John War
and his wife, who had begun their we'
ded life in very small cottage, wei
living in house of considerable size an
remarkable FOR its beauty, and the con
Portable arrangement Of its interior.
was model residence, designed an
erected by the young architect himsel
who was already man well-to-do in Il
world. They had three children, ar
were as happy as people can reasOnab
expect to be-
The only cause they had for unhapE
ness was the unhappiness Of another
; Julia. She had married a man suppos'
! to be very wealthy, had sent to Paris I
! her trousseau, and there had been
xr,,,d w.ddiup. But her husband b.