The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-04-21
SARAH JENKINS.
The Story OF . Plain Girl With a
Million Dollars.

y
liked her best couldn't, with any show
Of honesty, say that she was Neither
was she young-not as the world de-
fines youth-for she was thirty-two.
She was taller than the average
woman. and her figure had none of
the symmetry that makes tall women
attractive.
Her face was plain. She hadn't even
pretty eyes TO redeem il; and, as il this
we're not misfortune enough. hcr
mother had named her Sarah. and
marrying a man named Jenkins. Not
pretty, not young. and named Sarah
Jenkins
Add to this the fact that she had to
earn her own living, and you have a
sum-total that does not promise we'll
for the heroine of story. But there is
law of compensation that helps to
even up things in this world. This
law was observed in the case of Sarah.
She had prospects. That was what
people said when they looked at her
homely face and angular figure and
thought of her toll. For everybody
understood that when old John Jen-
kins died Sarah would not need to
work any more; and the possession of
a million dollars does more to soften
the unbeautiful lines in a girls face
and figure than any tricks of the toilet
80 the world-Sarah's world-was
not so sympathetic as it might have
been. and as for Sarah herself-well.
she wasn't given to sentiment over
much. Her life had not been of the
kind that tends to foster sentiment
Her mother and father had died before
she could remember. and her grand
father, with whom she lived, was her
only relative.
John jenkins had likings for people
tust Us he had for houses. He liked
both Just as long as he could control
them and make them profitable.
When house ceased to yield him suf-
icient revenue to pay for the money
invested in it, that house was sold.
When people about him ceased To be
useful TO John Jenkins he simply
dropped them and forgot that they ex-
isted His only son mad been a disap
pointment 70 him because he was not
successful in business, and when his
father wanted him to marry rich
wife and try to get even with his luck.
young John dared to have different
views, and married one of his fathers
clerks
She made him . good wife enough.
but somehow nothing prospcrcd with
them. The old man seemed to forget
that he had ever had a son, and finally
young John gave up the struggle and
died His wife. who was meek and
obcdient creature. seeing no other way
out of it, died too
When old John heard Of il he said:
elm not surprised; not bit They
were too shiftlcss to live" And then
he said not another word, nor did he
show any signs Of emotion
Some one wrote to him about the
baby. asking what should be done.
.sSend her 10 me-" was the old mans
answer. "Il. take care of her until
she is old enough to take care OF her
self"
So the baby was sent TO her grand
father, and she was taken care Of just
n were the young animals on his
farms. Some one was paid to do it
who knew how. aud the some one was
given this instruction:
LET her have plenty of good. plain
fooi--no sweets to ruin her teeth and
stomach Dress her in clothing that is
clean and comfortable. No folly, mind.
II she is sick. call doctor. When she
is old enough send her to school, and
let me hear no more about her"
When she was seventeen years old
she went one day 10 her grandfather S
Office They were almost strangers.
Sarah had not spoken to him a dozen
times in all her life.
WELL demanded old John Jenkins.
"what do you want?"
..You advertised for business man.
ager," answered Sarah, and have
come to ask for the place"
You? What do you know about
Iusiness?''
Nothing. practically. Theoretically
I know all about it, for have just
completed business education. ] can
not say that shall not make failure;
but should like to try"
HIM" grunted old John. "Ihink
you'd like to experiment on me. dc
you? That's exactly what your father
thought. His experiment was not q
success"
Then you don't care to engage me.
said the girl
She had been standing near the door,
and now she made movement to go
II didn't say So" snarled the old
man. ..Sit down a minute. How old
are you?-
Seventeen
sim. yes Well, W hen your father
was seventeen he -"
Never mind my father" broke IL
The girl. ''He is out OF this entirely
II is not necessary. nor Is IL in gooe
taste. To discuss his shortcomings.
am the one who il applying for this
place. ! don't know whether I'm com
petent TO do the work or not Neither
do You until you try me. II you don
wish TO try me I'll look for place
somewhere else"
Old John jenkins pushed up hi
glasses and looked at the girl. lie has