The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1922-10-27
JACK AND JILL
BY MoLLiE MATHER
" .@ - - - - . - - I. - ~s'
70. 1879. Western Newapaper Unionl

grumbling to himself, that he should
have been chosen to make the steep
trip up the hill, instead of Thompson !;
Thompson always did have the easy
commissions. Then, his boredom was
somewhat lessened by the unexpected
sound OF woman's voice, singing 1t
was not SO much the song, which
cheered Jack, as the note of girlish
laughter that went with 1t.
The laughter and the song, both
came from the direction of a big
white farm house.
girl could be seen, sitting on the
veranda, holding a small boy In her
arms.
Jack and JILL" sang the girl, went
up the hill"
To get cup of water" shouted the
small boy, gleefully.
This engineering job In the noun
tains brought to him loneliness, and
little of woman's companionship, and
the woman's soft laughter brought to
him renewed courage.
Maybe / can stick 1t out, after ALL"
he reflected, ''if there's honey place
near by, where they'd welcome q fell
low. Maybe the girl--no, she isn't the
boys mother, l heard him call her
some name.
Lonely Jack drew up his car, as the
two came near. His wistful smile
brought forth no response from Miss
jill. He considered some reasonable
excuse for speaking.
Can you tell me-" questioned Jack,
hopefully, IF there is road leading
TO the right, at the top of this hill?"
Il cannot" the young woman briefly
returned. II am only visitor here
myself" She went on her way, but
Jack persisted.
Perhaps Laddie could tell me-" he
suggested.
The girls tone was impatient
"Dickie is too small to know anything
about direction" she said.
Jack rode on, forlornly. but he made
+, last effort
I'D be glad to drive you and the
little boy up" he said.
Walking up" Miss Jill firmly re
piled. us part of our game" And the
road, when Jack got there, led neither
to the right nor left, but straight on
A spring bubbled by the roadside, and
he rested beside it's coolness. The girl
arrived presently, leading the child
Together, and ignoring his beseechine
4 hn Will
water, and sat, to enjoy it.
'I hope" said Dickie, that you
never Will go home to the city, Jill
even when Mamma comes back. You
think up such nice games, and Gran'ma
likes you, too. She says 1t was pretty
good Of you to offer to stay with your
friends child, when she went way Of
to California Did you and my
Mamma used to go to school together
Gran'ma says you did. And Gran'mt
says she wishes there was some yount
company for you out here. so yor
wouldn't get lonesome, with only me
Do you get lonesomeW
mo" denied Miss JILL "Oh no, In
deed" but Jack saw the laughing darl
eyes suddenly grow misty. He hat
thought them pretty before, but IL
their mistiness he was filed with {
wild desire to comfort. To tell tn,
girl just how he understood. R-h'
thought, disconsolately regarding he
! from his seat In the cart might onl.
be possible TO meet her properly. Blu
there were just workmen back at th'
camp-all strangers like himself.
Sing" demanded Dickie, ''sing Jacl
and jill, as we go down the HILL" The
girl sang, liltingly, as he had frs
heard her. Mischievously, half wa.
down, with a safe distance between
she turned to wave to him.
Then, Jack never could tell how /
happened-trying to follow hastily
perhaps making too quick a turn Ii
the deep rutted road-his car turneC
turtle and he knew no more.
Dickie screamed, He's falling
He's falling down hill Oh, Janet
what shall we do?"
RUM" she ordered. run as fas
as you can, and bring Joe from th'
field" Janet herself was running t
the aid of the unconscious young man
She was bending over Jack when BIZ
Joe came hurrying to drive the In
jured one back To the house. Jane
rested the broken head against her owl
shoulder, her handkerchief stopped
the flow of blood.
Grandma had the spare bed ready
In his silence. poor Jack could no
know the anxiety of the small groul
around the bedside when the docto
examined his wounds.
THANK the Lord !" exclaimed Grand
ma, fervently, when the physician as
sured them that Jack would recove
with good care.
II will give the good care" offere,
Janet, cheerfully.
Truly. Jack had found friends
friends at last on the lonely mountain
side-friends-and the girl he loved
Day by day this love was proven. An
slowly, and surely, In the soft eyes
his faithful nurse, Jack read love Il
return.
They sat one evening, hand in hand
when little Dick entered the room.
"Grandma says" announced DicR
that when Mamma comes home, yo
are going away, Janet; and she say
that Jack is going away, too. Are yo
going with him-to marry him!
Dickie stopped to hum his favorit
song:
Jack fell down and broke his crow
are you going TO marry Jack?"
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