Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-04-09
HARD WATER.

"Well, Aw cannot go again my feel
has. Aw cannot help not lovin thee :"
NAV, an tina cannot help lovin
somebody else, DON tap Tha'll live to rue
1t, Aw tell thee, IN 80 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 1t, with a 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-
tips" in her hat and tho fall" which
expressed rather than hid her delicate
features, to her neat little shoes, she
looked, what she was, lady. And had
you seen her, at the chapel door after
evening service, without ado or even
greeting beyond a mutual look Of satis-
faction, meet a 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 at Messrs. Peel's
mill, and Rachel Swami were keeping
company.
Jim Sumner had started life az ahalf
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 "offlce" and was
not quite looked up to- by right think
ing folk as man who could addle
(earn) his brass out taklin his coat
Off" Moreover, he was Junior chapel
steward at the Methodist chapel, and
altogether II 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
1t 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 "mak' her rue" was con-
siderably older than herself, and an
''overlooker" at the mill In which they
all worked. He had long forced his at
tentions upon Rachel, who, while CIV
ing him no encouragement, had not alb
solutely repulsed him until she heard
that he did little private bookmaling
among the youths and young men In the
great mill. Until then she had regarded
him az decent fellow and shrank from
hurting his feelings, hoping he would
desist In time and give 1t up M 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.
"Aw'm fair miserable at my work,
Jim, now, said Rachel as she walked
with her lover from his mothers cot
tage along the embanltment Of the great
reservoir.
"Why, how's that my lass? Aw
thought tina wur all rect now an grade
ly set up WI four looms an averagin 10
an o WIKI" for, though Jim was an
assistant cashier, he dropped, like his
lady love. into his native Doric on all
familiar occasions, "an tina towd me
that even thy cross grained owd aunt
could speyk civil now"
faye, Aw was fain enuf, Jim, but
Eth, lad, Aw can hardly tell yo', Awe
kept it to myself for days. but Aw can
not bear 1t no longer TIL overlooker's
ta'en one o. my looms Off me an says
he'll TAX another IL Aw don't mend my
work.
"Dost mean Jabe Smethurst2 Anvil
see that rect, ne'er heed, Rachel" And
az they had passed the railway station
which stood at the upper end Of the res
ervoir and were in q 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 IL Jabe knew everythin an him
nowt. An II does look AZ IL 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 If Aw cannot
addle more nor little wench. It'spiece-
work, tina knows.'
"Aye--well, ne'er heed, my las. Kis.
mas' II soon be here, an wen get wed ~
soon AZ tn New Yer comes In. Alvin
gettin 60 week now. an Aw m prom.
Used a 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 &c 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 an account ap-
pear to have been paid In the usual way
to their credit at the bank. Evidently
check had been drawn and paid Of
which the books of neither firm had any
record 1t twas sum under Ri0. But az
the youth who ran between the mill and
the bank in the adjoining town Of Black
brook appeared too unsophisticated to
transact such a fraud, and as Jim Sum
ner was Immediately responsible for the
current cash Of the firm, he was held to
b morally responsible. il not Actually
criminal, and, according to the innas-
mortal custom Of the firm. chad TO 60. I"
Poor Jimi He did not wait to meet
his chapel folks and intimates. He Just
kissed his widowed mother, who would
not have believed "owt again Jim" ON
the testimony of an archangel. and went
out into the frosty air, straight TO the
station and away to town 80 miles
distant, 70 make fresh start His
sweetheart was still in the mill He
ought. Of course, to have waited for her