The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-06-13
/ WEhIHERCOCK LOVER
(Original.1


Mary Jane was the best servant
| ever had. She was young and strong.
practical. saving and withaI very pref
! ty. One day 1 was sadly disappointed,
| on my own account, at the discovery
| that Mary Jane had a lover, for az
| soon as she married her service with
| me would be ended However. I was
| not entirely selfish and resolved to
| give her a first rate wedding and sub
stantial presents.
what sort of man are you going to
marry, Mary Jane?" l asked.
deed, ma'am, he be a pretty fel-
low. with blue eyes and fair hair"
"Strong and of good characterT
"He bean't very strong, ma'am, and.
as to character, he's like a weather
cock-blown about by any wind"
"But, Mary Jane, how can you ex-
pect to be happy with such manT
"He do need some un to keep him
straight"
Weeks passed. during which Mary
Jane was very cheerful and prone to
talk Of her approaching marriage. I
began to lay plans for making her com.
Portable in her new home. Then no
ticed that she ceased to speak of the
affair and went about her work with
feverishness that surprised me.
"Of what material, Mary Jane"
asked. would you like to have your
wedding dress nader
"'Deed. ma'am, l don't want no wed
din Dress
"Is the affair broken offY
Eyes, ma'am"
"Tell me about it,
"There's not much to tell, ma'am.
Bennie is good boy and pretty boy,
and the girls all take to him like the
flies to the sweet things Twas no
fault of his. ma'am; no more twas
mine. 1t happened this away: Bennie
asked me to go with him to the gar
dens, where on Saturday nights they
have rows Of electric lights and music
and dancin' platform. So l went
with him. and we danced together
onct. and told Bennie to go and dance
with some other girls, but he said he
didn't want to dance with any one but
me. So we danced again together. OPP
posite us was girl that looked at
} Bonnie wistful-like. and every time he
| took her hand to turn her I thought
she was going to cry.
'Bennie.' l said, who IL the girl op-
posite?
81 was sweet on her onct.' he said
What made you go back on herr
asked him.
Weii.' he said. stammerin'. 4 liked
you better
1v,sf v,4fl H. - -
then. but when the dance was ended
! noticed that the girl as she went on
with her partner looked at him SO mel
ancholy that felt sorry for her. for
Bennie is that changeable l might have
been chosen first. as she was. and she
standin' In my place at that very mo-
} ment Pretty soon we set down on q
bench. and. lookin' round. there was
the girl sits beside me-
, You're stuck on my Bennie,' said
, to her.
! "'He was my Bennie onct.' she said,
solemn-like. She didn't fare up. but
: jist bore it patient
! "'What did you let him 60 for? I
J asked
81 couldn't help his goin'Y
: "'You might have brought him round
with stickin' a pin in him. Bennie
needs wakin' up. He ought to have q
strong woman for his wife,
"She didn't say nothin' more, but
jist put the corner OF her han'kercheer
first to one eye. then to tother. She
seemed to be a bendin' sort Of a girl.
and | wanted to git a pump and put
some strength into her | took Benn!e
, by the arm and moved him away, and
as we was goin' seen him lookin' over
his shoulder sheepish. and her eyes
was turned on him pitiable.
"'Bennie.' said I. you need a poker
In your back to stiffen you
"'What d'you mean by thatr he
D asked.
J. you've broken her heart
D "'Mebbe I have he said. sighin'.
4 "'Well. what are you goin' to do
r about it?'
s 81 dunno
"1'll tell you. Bennie. You 20 back
to her. Mebbe it's bad for you and bad
g for her. She needs a strong man, and
a you need a strong woman. for neither
o of you has any starch. But the grin
die of a broken heart II you don't 60
n back to her: SO you must
i "'What'll you do? asked Bennie.
8 "'Tll get along somehow
l. Just then we met the girl walkins
b with IL fallrr. and I says:
"'Bennies got somethin' to say to
!, You
# II pushed him to her. She dropped
, | the feller took Rennip'S arm and walk
l. ed away with him. Bennie lookin' back
u at me repraarhful. just went and
Ii set on bench. and they was walkin'
s round the room. once in awhile passin'
me. First time they both looked as IL
they wasn't hitched together right; the
= next time they was talkin': the next
time they was laughin'. Then l left
u the gardens | haven't seen Bennie
e since. But. OH dear. it's lonesome
q without him. and they won't git on to-
u gether at ALL because neither Of 'em
L amt got no backbone"
'e There was knock at the kitchen
d door. and in walked Bennie. He look
III ed very sheepish and hung his head
q where's your girl. BennieT asked
ar Mary Jane.
'g "Oh. she hain't no girl to tie to-" said
he Bennie. II want somethin' to hold on
to-"
II "You go right straight backw And
without ceremony Mary Jane pushed
De him out of the door and locked 1t.
- Bennie for once persisted, married
II Mary Jane. and she sustained him