Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-12-25
'@~~8 -
JENNY.
S~Ao~As~s~e~~s~s~e~
4 CHRISTMAS sTORl

II Dunno what IN creation 10 GIT
your ma for Christmas, Mandy" and
Jason Hogarth looked at bis daugh-
ter inquiringly as if expecting her
to suggest some suitable gilt.
But she was busy st that moment
testing the condition of cake in the
oven by thrusting broom straw in
to it, and when she had risen to her
feet, her father said
81 got her nice silk umbrel with
silver handle last Christmas; paid
four dollars and seventy-nine cents
for it !; and I'll be switched if she's
had it out of the case it come in but
one solitary time an then she know
ed it wasn't goin' to rain. Beats
all how savin' your ma is of things.
There's the silk dress pattern / got
'er two years ago this Christmas,
not even made up yit. / want to
git her something this Christmas
that she'd have TO use and enjoy.
What kin you suggest, Mandy r.
His married daughter, Amanda
James,, now stood at her molding
board rolling out pie crust. She
was dumpy little body with laugh
ing blue eyes and good humored
expression of countenance.
But now look of determination
came into her face and she turned
suddenly and faced her father, with
her back to the table and the rolling
pin held in both hands across her
checked Bingham apron.
"You want me to tell you what to
get for ma--a Christmas gift, pa r.
ayes blamed If ! know what TO
GIT"
II can tell you in one word, pa"
"You kin +? Well, TIL git it Il it
don't come at too high q fgger.
Never had better crops in my lite
than I had this year. My onions
and terbacker'll bring me ia 5000
more'n / expected to git for 'em, an ;
the razberry crop was something
tremenjus an | didn t have to sell a
quart for less'n twenty cents. Your
ma done her full share of work an
Pm anxious to git her something
real hanson for Christmas. What
shall it be p
His daughter locked st him atead.
lily for a moment, and Their said
slowly and distinctly:
Jenny"
A snllen frown took the place OF
the kindly smile On his wrinkled
face. His eyes flashed ominously
and his voice wns harsh and cold. as
he said:
"Hayen't ] told sou Mandy, new
er to mention that name to me ~
81 know that you have" replied
Mandy, with gathering courage, "but
/ never said that / wouldn't do It,
and when you asked me what I
thought ma would like for a Christ
mas present, l just told you what /
knew she'd like best. She'd rather
have my sister Jenny than anything
money can buy"
Then she added, undaunted by her
fathers frowning yisage:
II firmly believe, pa, that ma is
shortening her days grieving for
Jenny. She just is / am going to
say my say while I am at it, wheth-
er you like it or not. ! know that I
owe you respect, but owe my own
and only sister something, too, and
one duty is just as important as the
other. fiji
Swat minnit, Mandy her faith
er said, rising and buttoning up his
oyercoat. when your sister Jenny
disgraced the family by up and run
ming away with Will Martin an mar
ryin' into that good-for.nothing
Martin family, | said that I'd never
own her as my daughter ag'in, an 1
never will, ! said that she should
never cross my threshold ag'in, an
she never shall ~
II know that the Msrtins are q
poor, shiftless lot, on that Will WAS
rs trihiDg as any of EN-. Like
enough it was born in 'em to be so.
But there never was anything bad
about 'em, an he's dead an gone
now. An when l think of poor
Jenny workin' the way she has to
over there in Hebron TO support her
self an two little children, an you
with plenty an to spare, / know il
ism T right.
II can tell you now, father, that /
go to see Jenny every time / go to
Hebron, an if We weren't 30 poor
ourselves, an il my husband b inys-
lid mother didn't have to live With
us, d bring Jenny an her children
right here to live
I'D never darken your doors az in
III Won did her father re,,lied.