Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1887 — BROUGHT TO TERMS. [ARTICLE]

BROUGHT TO TERMS.

A deluge of steam anti a strong odor of burning sugar greeted the entrance ot John Kerr into the larm house kitchen on a sultry September afternoon. Jumper, the watch dog. unheeding his master's greeting, bolted through the open door-way to escape the hot shower of berry juice,While poor pussy, not so fortunate, was dancing a dainty quickstep to her own musical accompaniment—suddenly transformed by hot splashes of fruit into a semblance of her feline cousin, the leopard. A young girl, flushed and frantic, was struggling to remove the kettle of boiling preserves, of which her brother’s strong hand quickly relieved her, “Oh, John,’’ she exclaimed, with, a panting breath, “I’m all a-hubble, just like the preserves.’’ Then, catching up the big gray cat, she began briskly rubbing its bespattered fur. “When will this confounded mess be over, Jennie? For nearly three weeks we’ve been pickled, canned and preserved, until everything seems to taste and smell of spice, sugar and vinegar. Aren’t you afraid you have undertaken too much w hile mother’s away?” “Not at all. I’ve been very particular to follow my recipes. Mrs. Sadie Cooper has given me some useful hints, and I have a little judgment of my own. But you have a letter; when will mamma be home? Such a long visit! But what a lot I have done since she went away!” “Yes,” said John, dryly, glancing at the floor where pussy now sat, laving her wounds with an expression of melancholy reproach of her large, celestiallooking eyes, then reading from the letter in his hand: “Will reach the city at midnight. Don’t fail to meet me there.” “Why, that is to-night. Bless her heart, she’s coming at last! But John, it’s such a long drive! You will not get back before to-morrow—and —and we are expecting company, yoli know, this evening.” ’ “We are not expecting company,little sister. I don’t think Tom Maxwell will notice my absence. And I will stop and get Mrs. Cooper to come over and stay with you until morning. Her husband won’t mind keeping house one night alone; somake me a cup of tea, for I must be off.”

“Oh, dear, I wish I could go, too! Tell Sadie she must not fail to come, I won’t stay here without her.” John and Jennie Keene were the only children of a widow owning and managing the comfortable dairy farm upon which they had been born. Mrs. K«rr had been visiting an only si°ter, living in a distant city.and during her absence Jennie had made some wonderful household experiments with a view to entering an establishment of her own in the near future. But she loved her happy home, was coy and willful, and persisted in h^-Refusal to name the wedding day. .

Her lover had grown impatient; to night was the anniversary of their betrothal, and he had vowed to have it settled before their engagement entered its second year. Jennie had declared that she would not be badgered into anything— she i would die firot; and knowing her lover, she felt a strange foreboding for tonight. John drove off in the bld family carriage; and by the untidy kitchen was carefully put to rights, Mrs. Cooper arrived with her baby and her matronly dignity, and Jennie felt some what reassured. *he ti» d back her yellow curls with a _ V-iUe riobon, tne color oi her shy .drooping eyes, and met her lover, who appeared promptly at eight, the curves of her scarlet lips marked by a sharp line that indicated the firmness of her resolution. Tonj Maxwell played with the baby and kept up a light, running conversation. until the little one becoming fretful, Mrs. Cooper, in spite of Jennie’s remonstrances, made it an excuse to retire. Bht her absence did not alter hismanner in the least. He chatted away upon every subject until the clock struck eleven; then, stopping suddenly in the middle of some gay bandinage, he said: “Jennie, it lacks just onehour of mid night You know my decision. When will you marry mw?” i Utter silence followed his question. “I am waiting for your answer,” he said, at last. “I shall not hinder you from waiting,’ declared Jennie, a ring of war in her tones. - “I shall waitno longer than—” “There! that will do. You need wait no longer!”

And here Jennie succeeded in feeling very much abused, and after some sharp, bitter words, the usual vocabulary of a lover’s quarrel, she angrily tore the engagement ring from her Anger, and haughtily dismissed the one who had dared to suggest that there might be such a thing as men’s rights. He offered to remain in the house until morning; but she scorned his proffered protection,and he could do nothing but leave her, saying: “You will be sorry for this, Jennie.” “I will call you back when I get sorry,” she said, lightly. And. bidding her good-night, he was gone.

Then, and not till then did she realize it all. Her anger and pride gave way to a sense of loneliness and regret as she recalled every word of the stormy interview, and a nervous fear almost paralyzed her as she rose tremblingly to lock the door behind him. The ticking of the clock sounded like the strokes on a blacksmith’s anvil. A thrill of terror chilled her blood as a mouse scampered across '■he floor. Her little, cold hand had barely reached the bolt, when—oh, horror of horrors! —a deafening report sounded somewhere at the back of the house, and, no longer paralyzed in tongue or limb, with wild shrieks of terror, she bounded up the stairs. “Oh, Sadie,- Sadie!” as another and another report sounded, “some one is shooting through the back window!” Vigorous strokes on the bed-room door aroused the sleeping mother and child. “What is it? Oh, what is it?” exclaimed the former, as Jennie fall almost fainting into the room. “It’s flring! listen —there!” as still another report sounded through the house. “Oh,” screamed Sadie, “it is—it is— Where is Mr. Maxwell? Oall him!” “He .is gone!” wailed poor Jennie, wringing her hands. “Gone? The scoundrel! and left us here to be murdered!” “It wasn’t his fault. I sent him away. Oh, what shall we do? The hall door is unfastened — There! I believe I hear some one coming up the stairs. No, it is only imagination. Thank heaven this door has a double lock!” By this time Sadie had a window open and was screaming murder at the top of her voice. ■ ’ “No one will hear you but our assassins!” wailed Jennie, her voice almost drowned by tne shrieks of the baby whose piping treble was piercing in the highest extreme. “Let us set tire to the house!” suggested the frantic young mother. “Somebody may see the light and come to our rescue.”

“Oh, Sadie, that would never do! The dinner-bell in the yard can be heard over a mile. I will go and ring it.” Jennie had suddenly grown calm and brave. She felt she was to blame for their unprotected situation, and the hope that her discarded lover might hear the bell and come to their rescue strengthened her limbs as she hurried down the stairs, acroes the yard and seised the bell-rope. The alarm rang out in the midnight air and the vibrant tones seemed to promise protection. She felt calmer as she retraced her steps; and Sadie, knowing her light footfall, readmitted her to their retreat. Tom Maxwell was walking moodily up the road to his father’s house when the distant music of a farm bell sounded on the air. “Strange!”• thpught he. “Is it some ghostly binquet celebrated at midnight?” But with a thrill of anxiety: ‘Surely the sound comes from the Kerr farm-house. Something is wrong there.”

And t(truing instantly he retraced his steps in bne ; fourth the time he had aken them, in moody sorrow, a few minutes before. The house was not on fire, as he had feared, but the hall-door stood wide open. Shouting loudly, he was answered in faint, grateful tones; then, almost without knowing it, he had the frightened, penitent girl Tn'Tiis arms, and Sadie was explaining the cause of their alarm.

Reassuring them, he took a lamp and started upon a tour of investigation. The parlor, hall, and kitchen revealed nothing, but in the pantry four inno-cent-looking tomato cans stood' upon a shelf, and their contents were scattered over the floor and adjacent furniture. Tue mystery was explained. The tomatoes whiih Jennie thought so snugly “put up” had taken a notion to see the outer world, bursting their bonds with a lou 1 report that sounded, to the overstrung nerves of poor Jennie, like the firing of a gun. Tom tried hard to suppress the laugh that escaped his lips when heannounced tlie result of bis search. -. By this time the house was half filled with the neighboring farmers and their families, in every stage bmishabille, the first one appearing being Harry. Cooper who now had Sadie and the baby both in his arms. A general shout of laughter arose, and in the confusion that followed Tom drew Jennie unresistingly to the parlor, which was unoccupied. He closed the door and then pointed silently to the clock, the hands of which were almost meeting at twelve. . “In three months,” she said, mmply.

“That will do,” was the gravely spoken answeY. *> And Jennie’s downcast eyes did not see the rascally, triumphant smile quivering on the lips that pressed a kiss of reconciliation upon her blushing face. “It served you just right!” said Mrs. Kerr, the next morning upon hearing Jennie’s confession. “And now for your wedding dress.”