The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-01-17

when Josh Kinney took Mary Man.
ming home after choir practice. He
was just the bass singer ard she the
organist, and of course he would not
let her go unprotected. Lower Cor
ners thought he was accommodating,
that was all.
Would she protest also when he
should tell her of his longing. of his
love? You, gentle reader, know she
would not, and Josh made bold enough
one night when the moonlight was
glowing on the hills to find out for
himself. 1t was not for others to
know what he said.
Not necessarily for publication, but
Just as an evidence of good faith."
said Josh long after when twitted
about 1t.
There came another night when the
moon was not shining. The little office
was as dark as the great world out
side and as quiet. 1t was Thursday
night, and the hand press was still
That seemed strange to passersby on
the road. They were used to hearing
the steady clack of the press on that
served closely, they might possibly
have seen that the door was standing
wide open and that over it was a
square white patch of something.
The next day-ah. what a Friday
that was for Lower Corners! 1t has
been written in great big letters into
the history of the neighborhood. By
some freak of fortune or misfortune
John Manning was the first man to
ride down the road past Kinney's Of
fee. The sun was just lifting its red
disk over the cornfields to the east.
He was whistling his favorite tune,
the one he had learned in the old days
when he wooed and won Nancy Cor
win. He spied the bit of paper over
Kinney's open doorway. He passed
through the latticed gate and up the
hill to the cabin. There he adjusted
his spectacles and read these words:
ITO subscribers: Walk in and get your
paper. The editor Is busy elsewhere" !"
Manning, consumed with curiosity
and never bashful about getting what
was coming to him. went in and picked
I'D a paper from a huge pile stacked on
the office table. He glanced over the
first page and then turned to Kinney's
editorials-he always liked to read
them even though he was not always
convinced by them. There was some
thing there this time that blanched his
face and made him totter to chair for
support.
His first Impulse was to tear his pa
per into fragments and burn the rest.
but instead he folded 1t up, thrust II
Into his pocket and hurried from the
Office.
"Drat bis hidew he mumbled to him.
self. "He might at least have asked
me. How'd be know what | might
have said"
In two hours every man, woman and
child in Lower Corners who could had
deyoured these double loaded lines:
"With this issue publication Of The
Sangamon Boy Is suspended for lack
of an editor. He came to you empty
handed; he has gone with the fairest
flower of Lower Corners, with the
queen rose of the rosebud garden OF
girls He hopes he has gone. too. with
the kindly wishes Of all this worthy
people. He bears with him no enmities
no regrets, save those that come from
the sense of work iii done. If he had
ideals and failed to reach them, 1t was
not because he lacked the inspiration
of your generous support.
Better The Sangamon Boy should
die in his youth than be cast waii
upon the world. OF him shall hold fol
myself the tenderest remembrance; tC
you l bequeath whatever of good ht
may have done. ! loved him the more
that he was only boy. just strip Of
lad who longed to be a man ant
WELD mans power. Pity that one 81
young should not have had a wiser
hand to point his way and guide hii
wavering feet. When you, my friends
shall read these lines, his life will have
closed. and mine-will have begun II
fuller measure Do you doubt m.
prophecy? Read:
"KINNEY-MANNING.- Married. June II, 4
| Springfield, at midnight, by Rev. John ingalls,
pastor Of the Grand Avenue NJ. E. church, at hi
| residence, Joshua Kinney and Miss Mary Manning
L
| mony MIR. and Mrs. Kinney left on the Alton TO
| Kansas City, where the late editor OF The Sangs
| mon Boy will give his entire time to newspape
| work. The bride is the daughter Of John Man
| ming, one Of the best known farmers OF Sangamo
/ county
Two hours after he had read thi
concise notice John Manning held II
one of his hands telegram from st
Louis signed MARY" 1t simply STATED
that she was very happy with tn
dearest man in the world"
| A cynical neighbor said Manning wa
conciliated by that statement abou
zone of the most prominent farmers;
but. whatever the cause, Manning de
clared that kinney is mighty loni
way from being the worst man in th
world."-Chicago Record Herald.