Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-03-22
Hepsey Burke
A Sister to David Hdru11a
By F. N. Westcott
By F. N. Westcott
CHAPTER XIX
CouIeur do Rose


Nspsey had been 10 busy with help
nnx tho Naxwells that for some time
10 opportunity had occurred for Jon.
athan to press his ardent suit. Since
~ first attempt and its abrupt term.
nation, he had been somewhat be-
v11dered; he had failed to decide
wAether he was an engaged man open
- congratulations, or rejected suit
N - bs oondoled with. He tried to
0ean s1aotly what she had said. As
AeAr a. hs could recollect It was: "Ill
SlAnk It over. and perhaps some
1Ay-" Then he had committed the
AAiscretion Of srasping her hand,
nsastng her to drop her stitches before
- had ended what she was going TO
~. He could have sworn at himself
= think that It was all his fault that
- had stopped Just at the critical
Snement, whom she might have cont
nllttsd herself and given him some
yeal encouragement. But he consoled
hnsslf by the thought that she had
evidently taken him seriously at last;
and 20 to the perhaps some day. he
added, in imagination, the words Il
vin take you; and this seemed reas.
saable.
The matter was more difficult from
~ very fact that they had been on
such intimate terms for such long
time, and she had never hitherto Civ.
sn him any reason to think that she
cared for him other than a good neigh
hcr and friend. Ever since the death
e his wife, she seemed to feel that
10 had been left an orphan in q cold
and unsympatheuc world. and that it
was her duty to look after him much
% she would a child. She was In the
habit of walking over whenever she
Dleased and giving directions to Mary
Mcclure In regard to matters which
abe thought needed attention In his
house. And all this had been done In
tho most open and matter of fact way,
% that the most accomplished gossip
IN Durford never accused her of max
ing matrimonial advances to the lone
some widower. Even Jonathan himself
Pad been clever enough to see that she
regarded him as much as she would
IN overgrown boy, and had always &C
espted her many attentions without
misinterpreting item. She was a
born manager, and she managed him
that was all. Nothing could be more
unsentimental than the way In which
she made him take off his coat dur.
ing a friendly call, and let her sponge
and press it for him; or the impera,
tive fashion in which she sent him to
tho barber's to have his beard trim
med. How could man make love TO
woman after she had acted like this
But he reminded himself that If he
was ever to win her he must begin to
carry out the advice outlined by Mrs
Betty; and SO apparently unsuspectine
3epsey would find on her'side porch
N the morning some specially fine
Ds1n which had been placed there af
toI dark without the name of the don
~. Once q fine melon was accom-
panied by bottle of perfumery; and
HGain q basket of peaches had secret
Cd In its center package of toilet
Boap strong enough to kill the grass,
40 Hepsey remarked as she shifted al
when bushel of potatoes arrived or
the scene in the early dawn, and witt
It canary bird in tin cage. Wher
Hepsey saw Jonathan later, she re
marked casually that she guessed
she'd keep the potatoes; but she did
MT need canary bird any more thar
turtle needs tooth pick; and ht
had better take it away and get hi,
money back
However, Jonathan never allowed
her occasional rebuffs to discourage
him or stop his attentions. He KEEP
. close watch on all Hepsey's domes
tic interests, and il there were any
small repairs to be made at Thunder
Cliff, a hole in the roof to be mended
orcthe bricks on the top of the chin
ney to be relaid, or the conductor pip'
to be readjusted, Jonathan was on tn,
spot. Then Jonathan would receive II
return layer cake with chopped wal
nuts in the filling, and would acCep
II In the same matter of fact way II
which Hepsey permitted his service
as general caretaker.
This give and take business Wen
on for some time. AT last il occurre,
to him that Mrs. Burkes front pore
ought 10 be painted, and he conceive
the notion Of doing the work withou
her knowledge, as pleasant surpris
TO her. He waited long time 70
bome day when she would be goin
over to shop at Martins Junction.
when Mickey usually managed to b
taken along,--so that he could do In
work unobserved. Meantime, he co
iected from the hardware store val
ious cards with samples Of differen
colors on them. These he would con
blne and recombine at his leisure, Il
the, effort to decide just what color
would harmonize. He finally decide,
that rather dark blue for the bod