Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-07-09

per. i didn't exactly calculate on doiu
this, but Mary looked like she wanted
to, so | did. They tried to make me
dance, but don't know how. It was the
| openin' of new summer hotel, you
know. A young fellow that set next to
me at the table, and was mighty polite
in handin' me everything, said he was
gonter be there at the hotel for some
time, and that we mus come round
often. OF course, l asked him to come
see us, TOO. He was pretty glib talker.
When we was lcuvin' and tellin' every
body good-by and promisin' to come
again soon, l heard a lady from New
York say to another one: Wouldn't
she be queen with the right trainin'?'
We got in the spring wagon and drove
home, and she was jes' all excitement
tellin' me what time they had that
day and how / ought to learn to dance.
1t was beautiful night, and it made me
so happy to know she was cnjoyin' her
self so.
1.-TWO days after some ladies drove
round in their carriages and asked her
to go to the springs with IN again. She
said NO. but when she seen l was anx-
ious to have her go, she went with them.
They drove back after supper, her and
the two ladies and young man, and
they all told me l ought to have been
there. That night she seemed kinder
unresless. She talked heap bout the
nice things they'd all said bout her at
the springs, but mostly talked bout
bptt- nil "a would 1,a ,e -
travel an go to New York an every
where, an she said we ought to read
books an the like, an that lady there
said what she needed was cultivatin'. |
didn't like this, talkin' bout her like
she was field to be plowed up, stead
of flower ies' to grow an bloom nat
ural, an when l told her this she jes'
laughed and slapped her hands over my
mouth. She went to the springs right
regular for time, then she wouldn't
60 no more. Somebody sent her some
books, Sour or five of m. She COM
menced to read enc of IN out loud to me
one night. Twas a nice story about
some rich folks, some artists, and how
they was lovin' each other, and the
things they wen: to. but while | got to
iilin' the pesky books after awhile,
told her all the time that it was ies'
stories, and that there wasn't no such
folks in Paris or New York or any
where else. Since she was teachin' me
a-readin' out loud, took to teachin'
her, tellin' her what thought bout the
books. told her that life was reality,
and that even if there was such people,
they wasn't no better off than us, cause
there's advantages an disadvantages
everywhere, an it all mounts to bout
the same, an everything in its place is
the best. That's the way I'd write if / |
wrote books.
"Maybe il was readin' in them durn |
books bout the fashion an the wealthy,
or maybe it was them people at the |
springs put foolish notions in her head, |
or maybe it was jes' cause she come to |
know she was too good an pretty for
man like me, but anyhow she COM
menst to pine an droop like a flower |
that's witherin'. I'd beg her to go to |
the springs an enjoy herself like she
was invited to do, but it warnt no use.
She wouldn't do it, Arter bout week |
If this thing that same lady from New
York drove up 70 our gate and asked |
Mary to come in and pay visit to her at
he springs. She wanted her to stay as
ong as she would, and then Mary did |
agree to go and stay week, maxim the
condition that L was to come to see her
very day. It's a 2TResome time I had
hen. didn't go to see her but three
lays, and every day it seem to me was
than before, so l thought
better not go no more and let the chile
njoy her visit. 1t look to me like the
larder | try to please her the more
hings would go wrong. Wimmin folks
5 curious little things, stranger, and
wkward fellow like me don't know jes'
low to handle 'em. had done mort
raged my farm again an went in town
md brought her silks and dresses and
gloves jes' the right size, and when she
ee m she jes' cried an said | was too
rood to her. Then got her a piano,
)ut nothin' would suit. This was befo'
he went for the last time to the springs.
he things is all at home now, but I
ever wants to see them agan, an if
|
lothin' else to say now, but that lef'
cause l couldn't stan the sympathy and
he talkin' of the neighbors after got
his letter"
Here he paused and took from the
inside pocket of his corduroy coat a
quare envelope addressed in a round,
'irlish hand. The faint odor of violet
achet which had once permeated the
'ages could still be detected, though
mingled somewhat with the aroma of
obacco, 1t read:
II hope that you will understand and for
i've me, Jack, although 1 know that God
eT7r will. l was never happy with you,
I'D never was able to make you happy
! noble, unselfsh man like you deserves
better wife. When you get this Will be
ar away Don't try to find me, for you
ever can. MARY"
After the correspondent had read aud
eturned the letter, both men were
ilent. They watched the little knots of
fR,.a n,,l -. 4