Year: 1876




BIBBS: \ LOVE STORY.


There was no doubt about it-John
Weare was perfectly wretched that night.


He had quarreled with Jennie Bell, and
he wasn't going to make it up. The fact
was she gave herself too many airs, and
he didn't mean to stand it any longer
He didn't care if she was pretty that
was no reason why she should let half a
dozen fellows at time hang about the
shop or stroll in one at time and, lean
ing on their elbows, chatter and smrk
and smile over the counter cadets and
officers too, wild young fellows who only
did so for their own amusement and would
no more dream of marrying her than
they would of inviting her to the ball
that was coming off next month. To be
sure, he was only common cavalry SOL
dier, but then he had been in the service
good many years now, had an excellent
character and good trade at his back,
and moreover his father had died not long
since and there was the cottage all ready
for Jennie to walk into, and they might
settle down at once if she'd only be SEN
sible. Jennie acted as shop-woman for
her sister, Mrs. Evans. A very poor little
shop it was, very small and badly stocked,
for Mrs. Evans had only managed to get
a few pounds worth o: things with what
had been subscribed for her in the garri-
son after the fever had carried off her
husband. The speculation answered well
at first, for many of the officers wives,
knowing what an industrious woman Mrs.
Evans was, made point of buying their
tapes, and cottons, and sticks of sealing
wax Of her. Then Jennie's pretty face
was seen behind the counter, and the shop
was filled from morning to night with
officers and frsky young cadets, and the
original customers took flight-though
Mrs. Evans did not know it, for she, be-
licving the business was safe in the keep
ing Of Jennie, worked hard ut the dress
making, (she had three children TO sup
port and the shop alone would not do it.


The officers were not profitable custom
ers, for they only went to tlirt with Jennie
under the excuse of buying penny paper
or perhaps asking for timetable. Jcn
ME made the most trim and pretty and
obliging of shop-women, and the place
itself was always a pattern of neatness
but the officers wives did not care to go
and buy their thread where they were
evidently interrupting a filtration, and so
the business continued to fall Off and
Mrs. Evans began to get quite unhappy
about it. Jennie-pretty, kind hearted,
thoughtless Jennie-had no idea that she
had anything to do with it, or she would
have sent every one of her admirers off
Mt pace that would have astonished them.
She had been only too delighted, after
her brother in-law had died, to come from
Devonshire and live with her sister at
Woolwich-not only because she was very
fond of her sister, but also because she
had wished many times to see John Weare
again. She had made his acquaintance
when her brother and he-for they had
been in the same regiment-w station
ed at Plymouth, and she had paid them
a flying visit with her father. John had
told her then that he was tired of the SER
vice and wanted to settle down, and she
inwardly thought that he could do no bet
ter than ask her to settle with him. He
had been very attentive when she came
to Woolwich, and gradually established
himself on the footing of lover till he
found the shop always flied with officers
and cadets. At first he was shC of ap-
pearng before his superiors, then he got
jealous, and at last angry, for he felt and
knew that they meant her no good, and
besides it was doing real injury to the
business of the shop. At last he spoke
his mind and told the coqucttish Jennie
what he thought, and was snubbed for
his pains.


"If you think | don't know how TO
take care of myself, Mr.. Weare, you are
much mistaken, ard don't want any one
to tell me what's right or wrong. l know
for myself"


d" Well, Miss Jennie, ] didn't mean to
give ofense. | only told you what |
thought"


"Then you might as we'll have kept
your thoughts 10 YOURSELF" she said with
little toss Of her pretty head" unless
they had been nice ones" she added
He heard the aside, and picked up his
courage.


"lt's awfully hard, too, when one that
really cares for you can't get near you,"
he pleaded. Just then Jennie caught
sight Of Captain McGee, tall and hand
some man, with long whiskers and red
nose, coming in the direction OF the shop
with bunch of flowers in his hand. She
had heard John Weare's last words, but
she was secretly Of the opinion that he
ought 10 have come up to the scratch be-
ore," so she thought a little jealousy
might do him good.


"Oh here comes Captain MeGee,"
she said in a delighted tone.