The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-06-18
SWEET JENNY RELENTED.
lSY BRET HARTE.

1t was nearly milo from the sea to
her fathers house, but the breath of it
was always strong at the windows and
doors in the early morning, and when
there were heavy "southwesters" blow
ing i'll the winter, the wind brought the
sharp sting of sand to her cheek, and
the rain au odd taste of salt to her lips.
On this particular December afternoon,
however, as she stood in the doorway,
it seemed to be particularly calm; the
southwest trades blew but family and
scarcely broke the crests of the long
Pacific swell that lazily rose and fell
on the beach, which only slanting
copse Of scrub-oak and willow hid from
the cottage.
Il wouldn't 60 far to-day, Jennie"
said her father, as the girl stepped from
the threshold. Il don't trust the
weather at this season-a;nd besides,
you had better be looking over your
wardrobe for the party at Sol Catliu's."
why. father, you don't latend to go
to that man's?' said the girl looking up
with troubled face.
Lawyer Miller" rs he was called by
his few neighbors, looked slightly en-
barrassed. why not?' he asked, in a
family irritated tone.
why not? Why, father, you know
how vulgar and concei,ed he show
everybody here truckles to him.
Very likely; he's very superior
man Of hi, kinda kind they under
stand here. too-a great traprer, hunter
and pioneer"
But don't believe in his trapping,
hunting and pioneering" said the gill,
retulantly. Il believe it 5 all as hollow
and boisterous as himself. It's no more
real. or what ore thinks it should be,
than he is. And lie dares to patronize
you-you, father, an educated man and
gentleman
Say rather au unsuccessful LAWYER
who was fool enough to beliye that buy
ing q ranch could make him farmer"
returned her father, but half jestinglv.
II only wish was as good at my trade
as he L."
But you never liked him-you al.
ways used to ignore him; you've
changed, father" She stopped
suddenly, for her recollection of her
fathers quiet superiority aud easy III
dependence when lie first came there,
was in such marked contrast to his late
careless and weak accession to the rude
life around them, that she felt pang of
vague degradation, which she feared
her voice might betray.
''fery we'll! Do as YOU like he re-
piled with affected carelessness. only l
thought as we cannot afford to 90 else
where this Christmas, it might be we'll
for us to take what we could find here ~
Take what we could find here" It
was SO unlike him he, who had always
been so strong in preserving their little
domestic refnements in their rude sur
rounding that their poverty had never
seemed mean, nor their sec.usion ig-
noble. She turned away to conceal her
indignant color She could share the
household work with a squaw and
Chinaman. She could fetch wood and
water. Catlin had patronizingly seen
her doing it, but TO dance to his vulgar
piping-never!
She was not long in reaching the
sands that now lay before her, warm,
sweet-scented from short beach grass,
stretching to dim, rocky promontory,
and absolutely uutrod by any foot but
her own. 1t was this yirginity of Sc.
clusion that had been charming to her
girlhood; fenced in between the i'm
penetrable hedge of scrub-oaks on the
one side, and the lifting green walls OF
breakers tipped with cheyeaux de fri e
of white foam on the other, she had
known perfect security for her sports
and fancies that had captivated he,
town-bred instincts and native fastidious
ness. A few viii. e-winged sea birds, as
proud, reserved, and maiden-like as her
sell. had been her only companions
And it was now the custodian of bel
secret-a secret as innocent and child
like as her previous youthful fancies
but still secret known only to herself
One day she had come upon the rot
ting riLs Of wreck on the beach. 1t.
distance from the tide lire, it, position
and its deep imbedding Of sand, showed
that it was of ancient origin. An omni
verous reader of all that pertained t.
the history Of California, Jenny had il
fancy often sailed the sea, in one O
those mysterious treasure ships that hat
skirted the coast in bygone days, an6
she at once settled in her mind that he
discovery was none other than O cast
away philippine galleon. Partly from
her reserve, and lartly from q sudde,
conceived plan, she determined to keel
its existence as unknown to her father
as careful inquiry Oh her part had foun,
it was equally unknown to the neigh
bors. For this shy, imaginative younl
girl rf 18 had convinced herself that i
might still contain part of its oil.
treasure. She would dig for it hersel
without telling anybody. If she faiie,
no enc would know it; if she were sue
cessful she would surprise her fathe
aud perhaps retrieve their fortune b.
less vulgar means than their presen
toll Thanks to the secluded localit,
and the fact that she was known t
spend her leisure moments in wander
ing there, she could work without sns
ricion. Secretly conveying a shove
and q few tools to the spot the next day
she set about her prodigious task. A
the upper works were gone, and tn
galleon not large, in three weeks, work
ing an hour or two each day, she ha
made deep excavation i'll the stern
She had found many curious things
the fotsam and jetsam Of previou
storms-but as yet, it is perhaps need
less to say, not the treasure.
To-day she was filed with the vag,,
hore of making her discovery befor
Christmas Day To have been able t
take her father something on that da
If only few old coins-the fruit {
her own unsuspected labor and intuitio
not the result of vulgar barter 6