Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-23
Euening Story
JENNY COMES BACK.
Rx Osborn Jones.

i
BY Osborn Jones.
I Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate. }
In the romance of Jane Bradley and
Samuel Smith sentiment was in abey'
ance. That had all gone before In
plenty and it would come again. But
the wedding was but ten days OFF and
there we're more important things to
do than to pass the time in lovers
dreams There were time tables to
consult, there was furniture to buy
and there were trunks to pack. And
all this had to be done after O'Clock
at night. for Jane as we'll as Samuel
believed in sticking to work till the
very eve of the wedding.
Samuel and Jane had been boy and
| girl together back at Blair's Corners,
and Samuel always assured Jane, and
no doubt believed himself that back
in the days when he used to pull her
braids of auburn hair and trade chest
nuts that she could not climb to get
for apples from her uncle's orchard
he had been in love with her. He liked
to think about it that way - as long
secret romance. She was his saint. to
whom he had dedicated all his sentl-
ment from childhood. And even IL Jane
did smile little as he made these pro-
testations to her, and though she did
lrecall the raven-tressed Nell and the
cherub-faced Molly that had come and
gone in those county school days. she
was considerable enough not to men
ton them.
But she knew that the first time
Samuel really accepted her as the
saint who should occupy the niche in
the shrine of his heart was after she
had come to the city. He had come
cityward because Blair's Corners did
not seem to afford him opportunity for
the making OF living, and when
James uncle and guardian had died
she. forgetting Samuel for the time,
also came to the city, dug up a cousin
for chaperon and found position as
a stenographer. The fact that fate led
her to find her first employment with
the concern for which Samuel worked
was the real crux of the matter And
the fact that she came Just at the time
when Samuel was most homes1ck
made him greet with especial warmth
the girl that hied from the Corners. +"
Two years had passed since Jane
first went to work. and SO there had
been leisure enough in the unfolding
of the romance and time enough for
the deliberate feathering Of the nest
in the shape Of small uptown apart
ment They had just picked out the
dining room set, and they sat shop
weary in the concourse Of the big de-
partment store while Jane checked on
from her methodical little list of the
items that they had bought. AS she
checked her eyes noticed those Of
Samuel following the little figure and
exquisite plumage OF little city bird
that strutted by them in the crowd.
Striking girl, isn't she?" suggested
Jane. It was James way to refuse to
iet Samuel suspect her Of jealousy.
| Striking. yes" agreed Samuel. bit
annoyed with himself and just trifle
piqued that Jane should willingly see
his eyes follow another woman. He
didn't at all see through James meth
DDS. Striking little girl, yes; but not
the sort Of woman man wants to
marry
why, Samuel, she looks perfectly
respectable. I'm sure. don't see why
man shouldn't marry the kind of
woman he admires. Most men do"
"You don't understand" Often Sam
uel liked to assume much deeper and
more intricate knowledge Of human
nature than Jane could have. You see
man of my temperament may ad-
mire that sort of girl in one way,
but he knows that it Is the quiet lit
tie country mouse, that most men
don't notice in crowd, that will
make him the best WIFE,"
Jane didn't in the least admire be-
| ing called country mouse, especially
as she had rather extravagantly in.
vested in new hat and suit that were
! the Quintesence OF city sophistication.
Besides. Jane knew that men did
notice her. She liked to be noticed
and she knew that Samuel enjoyed
seeing other men admire her But
Samuel went on:
ITS always been the memory of the
little Jenny I used to know and the
fact that you are still that little Jen-
ny that had made me think Of you
/ even when those other women may
have attracted my passing notice"
Jane especially hated to be called
Jenny. In the city she was Jane. and
she frankly liked the city better than
the country and that reminds me-"
Samuel went on, latter We are married
am going to ask you to be more like
that little Jennie and less like Jane Of
the city. am going to like to see you
dressed in the simple frocks you used
to wear with your hair parted neatly,
and no cosmetics but pure fresh
water To feel that such wife is wait
! ing for me at home will be greater
happiness than to think of gayly
decked city bird OF paradise. Even IL
l do watch them, as no man can help