Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-03-23
HARD WATER.
..T,ha,ll live to rue it. /"


"Well, Aw cannot go again my feel
in's. Aw cannot help not lovin thee. ="
"Naw, an tha' cannot help lovin
someb'dy else, con ia? Tha'll live to rue
it, Aw tell thee, an so will that hupstart
tha's sect thy heart on-mind that. "
The girl addressed blushed family,
but did not hang her head. Rather she
lifted it, with proud look which, de-
spite her working shawl, plain black
hat and somewhat pasty white COM
plexion-the common heritage of mill
girls-lent something queenly to her
whole appearance.
Had you seen Rachel Swami on Sun
day as she walked, with her Bible and
hymnbook, to the Methodist Sunday
school to teach her class you would
scarcely have known her. Dressed in the
latest style-or the latest that had per-
colated to the provinces-from the
"tips'' in her hat and the fall" which
expressed rather than hid her delicate
features, to her neat little shoes, she
looked, what she was, a lady. And had
you seen her, at the chapel door after
evening service, without ado or even
greeting beyond mutual look of salts
faction, meet pleasant faced young
man and walk away by his side, you
would have been in possession of the
secret-no secret now-that James Sum
ner, assistant cashier mt Messrs. Peel's
mill, and Rachel Swami were ''keeping
company.
Jim Sumner had started life as half
timer and little piecer; but, naturally
an intelligent lad and great favorite
with the schoolmaster, he had, in spite
of the great disability of beginning to
earn his living at 10, made such good
use of his opportunities that he was
early taken into the office and was
not quite looked up to- by right think
ing folk as man who could addle
(earn) his brass 'out taskin his coat
off. :" Moreover, he was junior chapel
steward at the Methodist chapel, and
altogether man any girl in that place
might be proud to keep company
with.
That Rachel was proud of her lover
everybody knew. They had only ''made
it up short time ago and had walked
in public less than fortnight when the
above conversation took place. The man
for such he considered himself-who
threatened to "mal1' her rue' was con-
siderably older than herself, and an
"overloolzer'' at the mill in which they
all worked. He had long forced his ut
tentions upon Rachel, who, while Civ
ing him no encouragement, had not alb
solutely repulsed him until she heard
that he did Il little private bookmaking
among the youths and young men in the
great mill. Until then she had regarded
him as a decent fellow and shrank from
hurting his feelings hoping he would
desist in time and give it up as bad
job. She did not know Jabez Smethurst.
He was the sort of man whose love can
turn to bitter hate, and now, both
against the girl and the man he deemed
his supplanter, his rage burned fercely.
law M fair miserable at my work,
Jim, now, - said Rachel as she walked
with her lover from his mothers cot
tage along the embanknent of the great
reservoir.
''Why, how's that, my lass? Aw
thought tina Wur all rect now an grade
ly set up VII four looms an averagin 10
an q wik, for, though Jim was an
assistant cashier, he dropped, like his
lady love, into his native Doric on all
familiar occasions, ian tha' towd me
| that even thy cross grained owd aunt
could speyk civil now"
"Aye, Aw was fain enuf, Jim, but
Eh, lad, Aw can hardly tell yo', Awe
kept it to myself for days, but Aw can
not bear it no longer. Th' overlooker' s
/ ta'en one o. my looms off me an says
he'll TAX another if Aw don't mend my
work. "
"Dost mean Jabe Smethurst? Aw'n
see that rect meier heed, Rachel" And
as they had passed the railway station
which stood at the upper end of the res
ervoir and were in a somewhat secluded
place he put his arm around her waist,
| drew her to him and kissed her fondly.
"Say nowt, Jim. It'll do no good.
| CATER thinks weel o. Jabe. He hearkens
to him as if Jabe knew everythin an him
nowt An it does look as if my work
was bad, for he gives me such bad
soarts at Aw con on'y do half what
| t'others con, an my aunt says who'll
gle me tn key o. tn street il Aw cannot
/ addle more nor little wench. It's piece
work, tha' knows" F."
| "Aye-we1l, e'er heed, my lass. Kis-
mas'll soon be here, an We'll get wed as
coon as tn New Yer comes in. Aw'm
gettin 60 week now, an Aw'm prom
ised rise Wi tn New Yer. +"
|
a month had passed. Poor Jimi All
his fair hopes seemed blighted. Bromley
Bros, firm IN the neighborhood with
whom Messrs. Peel occasionally did
business, in checking their handbook
found themselves debited with an
amount paid by check to Peel & Co, for
which they could find no corresponding
item in Peel's account, and, ON making
inquiry from them, found that there
was no account of its receipt in their
cashbook, nor did such am account sp-
pear to have been paid in the usual way
| to their credit at the bank Evidently a
check had been drawn and paid of
which the books of neither firm had any
record Itwas a sum under s1o- But as
the youth who ran between the mill and
| the bank in the adjoining town of Black
| brook appeared too unsophisticated to
transact such fraud, and as Jim sum
| nor was Immediately responsible for the