The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-03-09
JANE ANNE.
A Story Of South Wales


| } A Story of South Wales. ;
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"Stop you here, come the fair" said
the mistress Rersuasively, pausing for q
moment in her work.
81 won't" said Jane Anne sturdily
and her answer was accompanied by the
harsh clatter of a milkpan upon the
stones. The mistress sat feathering in
the doorway of the house place, and the
white down from the half piucked goose
which lay across her knee blew about in
the light breeze and settled IN her gray
hair.
BE you going 10 be married, Jane
Anne"
"Yiss; Johnnie George an me did think
to IL so be as he can hier hisself to o
place what has a cottage"
"Well. WE'LL" said the mistress YEARLY,
II do wonder at you, do, an him SO
Eighty"
"Ain't more Eighty than most men be-
said she. rubbing milk pail briskly with
coarse red sand. IAN anyways l will learn
him to be steady ownct we be married."
The mistress sighed. She knew it was
had made up her mind. Jane Anne, she
also knew, was q treasure as farm serv-
ants 20 and was not likely to be replaced
in hurry.
A day or SO after Jane Anne left the
little mountain farm early in the morn
ing while the mists yet hung white on tie
killsidcs. She had long way to walk to
the country town where the hiring and
l. Il 4 l..
tucked up her skirts, for the deep lanes.
where the branches Of tangled hazel and
blackthorn met over her head, were
damp and muddy with dccaying leaves.
and Jane Anne had on her best dress.
She was a comedy lass. with her rosy
checks and bright eyes. The way was
lonely, but as she descended to more
populous regions she overlook another
servant girl, also bound for the fair
"Morning, Pol" said Jane Anne pleas
antly. II thought your missus wass not
let you go to the fair?"
"Yiss, so she did say, but | ruined
away" said the other. half awed at her
own holiness. She had timid. deprf'
eating air. She looked as though she
had been driven whittier she would not
all her life.
81 'ouldn't go back neither If was
you" said Jane Anne. You amt got
no spirit to let folks drive you like they
does. | be going to be married." size
added. with blush.
"Lor" said Pol There's lucky you
be. An so many gals have 'ontrd t"
have Johnnie George. lie be 50 good
looking an so smart. There waSs wan
gal he wasS keep company with fore he
coined to Jenkinses, she did break her
heart for him. Polls voice was lowered
and impressive, and Jane Anne listened
with dawnnS wonder
"Yiss, sure" continued Pol, pleased by
her companions attention. There's
times she did go most crazy an freed
herself in the WATERWAYS, indeed
BE she dcad?" asked Jane Ammo
gravely, and her bright face was clouded
"Noa, don't b'lieve what she be, but
l heard say as she be bound for the
churchyard, for he have broke her
heart"
II doan't believe in broken hearts my
SELF" said Jane Anne, trying to shake
off the unpleasant impression the other
words had left. Hearts doan't break
none SO easy. Maybe they do crack
sometimes like. But there, it is easy to
talk! Ii Johnnie George hadn't took up
with me, he 'ould have had somebody
else. He is always q chap to go along
wi gal. He'd never have KEEP to that
gal, she living miles away an him over
to Jenkinses. There iss not wan chap
but what | could have had for the arst-
ing" with proud toss Of her head. but
I liked Johnnie George best O the lot. an
| had him, an maybe If ! doan't marry
him now | shan't never"
At the town gates they net the tickle
Johnnie George. He was radiant, but
bashful, and had rather sheepish air.
Jane Anne promptly took possession Of
his earnings and. after dealing him out
some small change for pleasuring. in
vested the rest in the savings bank.
"For IL | doesn't" she said you'll
spend II all or have it stole from yo' be-
fore night, IN then whatll Us keep house
with?''
He had no answer to this problem.
though he would have preferred to keep
his money. He was in some awe of Jane
Anne, but he admired and was proud of
her. This off her mind. Jane Anne set
tied steadily to enjoy herself. Booths,
wild beast shows, shooting galleries and
cheap jack stalls filed the narrow, cob
bic paved streets of the usually quiet
little town, while in n more open space
near the church roundabOuts aud swing
boats were attracting large crowds of
farm lads and Iasses. Above the din of
shouts and laughter came half frighten-
ed, shrill screams from the girls in the
swing boats and, half drowning it all. the
constant roar of the orchestrone playing
popular airs with untiring vigor. Jane
Anne entered with zest into all the
pleasures of the fair. Johnnie George
thought he had never seen her so gay.
But still the thought of the girl she had
heard of that morning haunted her. AS
II in answer to her thoughts her eyes fell
on a slight figure standing q little back
from the crowd. She seemed to be alone,
and she leaned against the church wall
In a weary and listless attitude, but she
was watching some one in the swings
with close attention.
Jane Anne followed the direction OF
her eyes and saw they were fixed upon
Johnnie George She was about TO cross
aver and speak to the girl, when the
sAowd moved. and she lost sight OF her.
All day. amid the shifting, noisy crowd.
Jane Anne kept a sharp lookout for ner
rival. 1t was getting dusk when she saw
her again, and naphtha lights were be-
ginning to flare on the cheap jacks stalls.
The crowd was getting roughcr, nnisicr,
more hilarious. Here and there drunk
en- man rcclcd across the street. The girl
was standing near fortune tcllcr'S tent,
and Jane Anne left Johhnic George and
went up to her.
"Yo' he friend o Johnnie Georges?
said Jane Anne. accas:iug her abruptly.
The girl shrank Eaci; before Jane
Anne's rough greeting. "hc was smaller
than Jane Anne. with large. soft. pafhct.
ic eyes and very fair hair. She WAS pref
ty, but in more fragile way than Janr
Anne. She looked Ike u flower that had
been beaten down ay heavy RAIN:
Tell yer forturc?" said the gypsy wo,
man behind Jane Anne.