Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-03-06
JESS AND JOHNNY.
By Annie Hamilton Donnell.

Copyright, 1900, by the Author.
Miss it? Johnlyl That he will!
He's too likely chap-goin to be fore
man. certaln-to be wastin himself like
that. Bgosh, man, it'd be the ruina-
tion O. Johnny"
"You quit comm down on Jess, Tim
Bradlee! There amt no other girl
tendin looms to these works.
"Oh, Jess is good enough; she's all
right. l wouldn't look further myself
if l didn't have my little old woman
already. Jess Is oil right, but there's
the little un and the granny. That's
where Johnny'd miss it."
Yes. sure; there's the little un and
the granny"
The second voice had dubious notes
In it. There seemed no room for fur.
ther argument.
Mornings, ut the Liberty wooden mills,
the men stood round In little groups Of
threes or fours, clinklng their dinner
pals as a needless whet to their appe-
tites. 1t was q breach Of etiquette In
the unwritten code Of Liberty woolen
mills law to open the dinner pals too
soon. The girl operatives collected In
the open windows or by themselves out
In the yard-all but Jess. Jess went
home at noon, though it was a long
walk back and forth. She shot past
the two speakers now. her 1.-the, beau
tiful figure balanced straight ahead.
OF course she had heard. The little
shabby man who had taken her part
fdgeted nervously.
You'd ought to watch out. Tim" he
muttered.
"Watch out" retorted the other.
"You can't watch out for comets scoot-
in acrost your tracks. Jess Is a reg'lar
comet"
The barren road. thick with white
dust and scorching with stored up sun
rays. stretched away from the great
looming bulks of the "works" as II
making a bee line to escape from them.
Dimly. at its terminus. one could dis.
tlnguish the rows upon rows Of little
houses hanked by two big boarding
houses that made up Liberty. Liberty!
The name was such a mistit. 1t was
the one thing wanting in the little set,
tlcment-liberty.
Jessie Bnney-or just Jess. as every
one called her--sped down the hot
roadway. She was going home to the
little IN and granny, and trying to
outrun Johnny. Both spurs urged her
on with equal incentives. She knew
johnny was behind-she could hear
the pound of his big feet on the road,
muffled by the carpet Of white dust.
She was so familiar with the sound.
Ahead-way ahead-the little un was
waiting. Jess was familiar with that
too. The tiny, stopped figure always
waited.
"Jess, Jessw Johnny called, pleading
ly. A little flavor Of Injury was In the
sound of his voice. 1t was most q
pity. after Drawing the mems jeers, to
be treated this way. Johnny cherished
the sweet memory Of three red letter
mornings when Jess. like the little I'm.
had waited. He made the most OF
them-it seemed so likely they would
have to suffice for him.
"Jess! l say, Jess"
The girl forged ahead steadily. "But
there's the little I'm and the granny
that's where Johnny'd miss it," sound
ed In her ears. She had known 1t be-
fore-yes, yes, certainly-but the mems
voices made it distinctly clear to her
now. The reiteration in her brain
There's the little un and the granny
the little un and the granny"-only un-
derlned it.
"I've found it out in plenty O. time" "
Jess congratulated herself grimly. Her
thin, handsome face was set in lines of
pain. The pounding steps behind
changed their time abruptly. With a
squirt Of speed Johnny shot by her, and
faced her in the dusty road.
"Jess, little girl" he said humbly.
His good, brown face was wistful In
its pleading. You'll let me speak to