The Penn's Grove record., 1895-12-20
SARAH JENKINS.

She wasn't a pretty girl. Those
who liked her best couldn't, with any
show Of honesty, say that she was
Neither was she young mot as the
wor d deunes youth-for b was
t~hirty-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 II; and,
as Ii this were not misfortune enough,
her mother had named her Sarah,
and that, too after she had been
guilty OF marrying a mar named
jenkins. Not pretty, not young,
and named Sarah jenkins!
Add to this fact that she bad to
earn her own living, and you have a
sum total that does o promise well
for the heroine of a story. But there
is a law of compensation that he. ps
to even up things ia this world.
This law was observed 10 the case OF
Sarah, She had prospects, That
was what people said when they
looked at her homely face and angu-
lar figure, and thought Of her toll
Tor everybody understood that when
old John Jenkins died Sarah would
not need to work any more, and tine
possession OF a million dollars does
more to soften the unbeautiiul lines
in a girls face and figure than any
tricks OF the toilet
So the world-Sarah's world-was
not so sympathetic as 1t might have
been, and as for Sarah herself-well,
she wasn't given to sentiment over
much Her life had rot been OF the
kind that tends to foster sentiment
Her mother aud father had died be-
fore she could remember, and her
grandfather, with whom she lived,
was her only relative.
John jenkins had likings for PED.
pie Just as he had for houses. Heliked
both Just as long as he could control
them and make them profitable.
When a house ceased to yield him
sufficient revenue to pay for the
MONEY invested IN 1t, that house was
sold. When people about him ceased
to he useful to John Jenkins he
simply dropped them and forgot that
they existed. His only sou had been
a disappointment to him be ause he
was not successful Ia business, and
when his father wanted him to
marry a rich wife and try to get
even with his luck, young John dared
TO have d%i1erent views, and married
one of HE fathers clerks.
She made him a good wife enough,
hut somehow nothing prospered with
them. The old man seemed TO lOr-
get that he bad ever had a son, and
finally young John gave up tine strug-
gle and died. Ills wife, who was a
meek and obedient creature, ny
no other way out Of 1t, died to-.
When old John heard OF it be
s-id,-
s'I'm not surprised; not a bit They
we're too shiftless to live And then
he said not another word, nor did he
show any sign Of emotion.
Some one wrote to him about the
habu, asking what should be done.
Send her to me-" was the old
mans answer.
.tTll take care of her until she is
old enough to take care of herself"
So the baby was sent to aer grand
father, and she was taken care OF just
as were the young animals on his
farms. Some one was paid to do ii
who knew how, and the some n was
given this Instruction.
'.Let her have plenty Of good, plain
food-no sweets to ruin her teeth and
stomach. Dress her in clothing that
Is clean and comfortable. No folly,
mid. II she is sick, cali a doctor.
When she Is old enough send her to
school, and let me hear no more about
her.
This course of living suited Sarah
we'll enough. She had no romantic
idea that she was being oppressed by
q cruel grandfather. She vas well
housed and fed and decently Cad.
She was allowed to go to school, and
would nave been allowed to play, nc
doubt but Sarah did not care to play.
She was a solemn sort of child. The
woman who took car OF her said she
was stupid. But this was a mistake
Sarah wasn't stupid.
When she was II years old she went
one day to 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 Jenk'
iDs, what do you want?"
"You advertised for a business
manager" nswered Sarah, 'and
have come to ask for the place"
you? What do you know about
-,husiness?"
Nothing. practically. Theoret
ically, 1 know all about 1t, for l have
Just completed a business education.
/ cannot say that / shall not make a
failure; but l should like to try"
Him" grunted old John. "Thlnk
sou would like to experiment on me.
do you? That's exactly what your
father thought His experiment was
not a success"
"Then you don't care to engage
me?" said the gill.