Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-01-04
CHAPTER v
Tho Miniature

Tho Miniature
II happened that the Reverend Don
Md Maxwell committed careless To-
discretion. When he went to his
room to prepare for supper. he found
that he had left the miniature Of
ssrtain young lady on the mantel-
piece, having forgotten to return 1t to
tts hiding place the night before. He
quickly placed 1t in its covering and
locked 1t up in his desk, but not with
out many misgivings at the thought
that Mrs. Burke had probably discov-
cred 1t when she put his room in or
der.
He was quite right in his surmise,
for just as she was about to leave
the room she had caught sight Of the
picture, and, after examining 1t care
fully she had exclaimed to herself:
Him! HIM! 30 that's the young wo-
man is IT. In q gilded frame set with
real glass rubies and turquoises. /
guessed those letters couldn't come
from his mother. She wouldn't write
70 him every blessed day; she'd take
day off now and then, Just to rest
mp a bit. Well, well, well! So this is
what you've been dreaming about;
and mighty good thing too-only
the sooner its known the better. But
] suppose Pll have to wait for his rev.
erence to inform me officially, and
then I'll have to look mighty surpris-
ed! She's got good face, anyway;
but he ought to wait while. Poor
soul she'd just die Of loneliness up
here. Well, suppose it'll be my bus
iness to look after her, and 1 reckon
I'd best take time by the fetlock, and
get the rectory in order. 1t isn't fit for
rats to live in now"
Mrs. Burke's discovery haunted her
all day long and absorbed her
thoughts when she went to bed. If
Maxwell was really engaged to be
married, she did not see why he did
not announce the fact, and have it
over with. She had to repeat her pray
ers three times before she could keep
the girl in the gilt frame out of them;
and she solved the problem by pray
ing that she might not make fool Of
herself.
The next morning she went over
70 Jonathan Jackson's house to see
what her friend and neighbor. the Jun.
ior Warden, would say about the mat.
ter. He could be trusted to keep 81.
lsnt and assist her to carry out some
provisional plans. She knew exactly
what she wished and what she intend
ID to do; but she imagined that she
wanted the pleasure of hearing some
one tell her that she was exactly
right.
Jonathan Jackson was precisely the
person to satisfy the demand, as his
deceased wife had never allowed him
to have any opinion for more than
nfteen minutes at time-if it diff
fered from hers: and when she had
made a pretense of consulting him,
he had learned by long experience
to hesitate for moment, look Judi
cially wise, and then repeat her sug.
Eestions as nearly as he could remem-
Der them. So Jonathan made a most
excellent friend and neighbor, when
any crisis or emergency called for an
expert opinion.
Mrs. Burke had been an intimate
friend of Sarah Jackson, and Just be-
fore Mrs. Jackson died she made Hep
Eey promise that after she was gone
Fhe would keep friendly eye on JON
athan, and see that he did not get In
to mischief. or let the house run
down, or "live just by eatin' odds and
ends off the pantry shelf any old
way" Mrs. Jackson entertained no H.
lusions in regard to her husband, and
she trusted Hepsey implicitly So, af-
ter Mrs. Jackson's mortal departure,
Hepsey made periodic calls on Jon.
athan, which always gave him much
pleasure until she became ipquisitive
about his methods Of, housekeeping;
then he would grow reticent.
Good morning, Jonathan" Hepsey
called, as she presented herself at
the woodshed door where she caught
Jonathan mending some of his under
clothes iaborousIy.
well, DECLARE" she continued,