The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-03

man, and Scotch brogue The representative Of
the last-named nation, indeed--a sturdy, rose
faced lad-stops before our industrious little wheel
whizzer aud tries to whisper something its buzz
ring will drown. Nothing daunted, he slips the
wooen band from its place in the groove, and
watches, in sort Of roguish resentment, her eff
forts to remedy the confusion
BE AVA wi ye, Andrew, ye ne'er-do-weel p
she exclaims, with half frown, and dignifed
wave of hand not quite so white as a city dam
sells, but quite as graceful in i,s gestures.
"Yell neer hearken TO me, Jessie y he pleads,
in extenuation. "Ane O. yer country aud kins-
folk, suld be higher to ye nor strange-folk~
{" Ye best ken for why no ~ returns Jessie, in
a very low, but decided, tone, turning her face
determinedly away, and taking up her broken
roll to join
"Mind ye no O. lang syne tO-night?7 persists
the repulsed swain.
90 the kirk in its bOnny box trim, and the
manse-and a. that ~
81 do mind me o lang syne, mayhapp she ex-
claims, suddenly, turning full upon him face in
which tender and resentful memories are strong
ly blended with rising tears.
A glance shot-.frem raT eyes. tArouga those
tears evidently disconcerts her would-be eloquent
companion but he pleads on, though still more
awkwardly.
sYe'll no hear my say, JESSIE YEN wear the
willow for ayeln
"Nae, mon! I'll bide nae word tonight nor
ne'erW she answers, gathering up her womanly
dignity, as she slips the band at last with harsh
vibration into its groove
Andrew turns away ruefully to his dormitory,
and the wheel swings faster than ever.
+" W hat blow p speaks the farmer, from his
chair, as he shrinks forward from cool draught
Of air. "Next Christmas Eve will find us in the
new house, if the summer prospers usp
7" 1t nae will be sac home-likep speaks Jessie,
half-regretfully, glancing about and above her
Mrs. Rathburn has seated herself with chop
ping-knife and tray in hand, and a countenance
whose mood of half-vexstion quite contrasts with
its expression Of satisfaction, half hour before
"Ah, you're always for old times and old fash
IONS yessle,a she answ ers, with marked empha-
sis in tone and in the fall Of her knife upon the
contents of her tray "Now, I'm for convenience
and comfort, and whole roof over ones head.
Young folks can afford to live on by-gones, but
old folks must look out for their liviDgw
II bide meier weel to change the old love for
the new y returns Jessie, strange sad express
siveness COMPRISING her lips and kindling her
still cheek.
Snap. goes her thread for the first time; and
Jessie bends to mend it with feeling of relief
in shielding her flushed face.
Better an you did, child ~ replies the good
woman, laconically; and the farmer shakes his
grave gray head thoughtfully, as he stirs with a
long poker the fading co0ls.
"Andrew ris' in huff to-nghtp puts in Da-
vid, slyly, from his stool
"You may look farther and fare worse, | tell
your exclaims her mother, more decidedly.
Andrew is likely lad, and better to do than
some could speak on! You keep to shadow
foolish girl %
Jessie drops tear down upon a plain gold
ring--her betrothal ring-that was welded to
her finger just one short year ago this very even
ing
"Pll ne'er be false to ii ~ she murmurs, low.
al wish you may ever see him alive, the runa-
gate ~ adds the other, in tone embodying some
anxiety and more contempt and Jessie bursts
into tears
"Don't be harsh now, Sally % says the farmer,
in peace-promoting tone. Jessie is likely
assie, and there's time enough to her yet in life
Don't get up a fret for Christmas Eve, anyhow
Jessie come here, child, and don't feel hurt ~
"Ye've rye been kind aud guide to me syne /
was my ain fathefs BARN !" che exclaims, choking
down her sobs into composure, as she leans over
the arm of his chair; and he strokes her bowed
head with his horny hand.
"Dear me p he soliloquizes breaking the 81
lence of few minutes, "when | was lad like
Dave here, Christmas was no more than any
other weekday and Popish enough would the
fellow have been reckoped who had marked il
out in his almanac, and chopped chip the less
for its comingW
"What's the use On asks Dave.
OTIS the morn O. the Saviour's birth time %
chimes in Jessie, reverentially.
"True, my girl, so they ssy--and if it be or be
not as some wise clergy opinionate, why, there is
no harm in judging it so, argue. We must beg
his blessing, and 20 to the rest he gives us. Put
by your spinning and skates, my children; and,
David, read the first chapter out of Saint Luke"
The simple prayer is said Dsvie has scamper-
ed up the ladder after his predecessors; the old
couple are snugly tucked into their curtained re-
cess and Jessie sits down alone with the blacken-
ing Goals. At first she bends her head into her
hecked-apron, and sits motionless on the hearth
them drawing it up with short sigh, she muir
murs, Ane twelve month syne but mauna
bide ihmkmgw
With one long glance at her ring, she draws
from her pocket pair Of worsted red and brown
mittens, tastefully and secretly wrought for a
Christmas present to Davie whose blue sock
hangs from the chimney pole, open-mouthed to
Santa Claus; and she commences narrowing off
the thumb.
She has watcher from above Davie is long
headed boy, and he has secret slumbering In
that head tonight which circumstances will
doubtless develop at present 1t only peeps out of
his shrewd, halfwinking left eye, which is bent
to the chink in the floor beside his mat-bed.
"Fd give q sixpehce to know what that Jessie
is brewing! II can't be for Andrew; no. there
he is snoring away in the Ion corner, as stupidity
as though she hadn't sent him up with flea in
his ear! IL can't be for that scape-grace Of a
Pierre, whom she loves better than her two eyes,
because he's beyond land and seas, and hope
he'll stay there wonder - he adds, pulling a
folded square from under his pillow slyly and
conseauenially, and, holding it to the Pickering
raw from beneath, "New York; he reads the su-
prescription curiously. " 1t can't be he, any
how be decides at last "f1er fingers must
therefore be stitching and maneuvering for my
honorable and distinguished self Hum! Pm
lucky chap wish she'd be done, though, hang
up her stocking, and give a fellow a chance to
pay her back in her own coin,o says he, tucking
the letter under bis bolster. "Heigho Pm tired
Of stretching my eyes open for her aud what-in-
the-world kind Of sight shall have at partridge
! Tomorrow Ughp as fresh blast ratified
against the chimney, and shook the snow-fakes
down the crannies of the roof he pulled his blank
ct over his shivering shoulders. "a time OF 1t
Santa Claus III have, poking down our chimney,
I'm sure II hope he'll not send the old roof rat
Ting about our ears Not stirring yet down
| there! Well, we'll I'll tuck in, and wake to the
| start OF her In the morning ~
David turns over to his straw pillow, and fails
asleep in three minutes time
Jessie, too stops to listen to the blast and shud-
ders invoiuntarily as the thought Of her betroth-
al night-a clear, calm, star-it heaven-lit night
comes over her, and she feels as If the whole
world had changed with her changing destiny
She fastens the last tapering thread Of the gay
mittens holds them proudly up in the freight,
and then hastens to fold and tuck them, with
huge red apple, into the gaping mouth Of the
overhanging stocking She softly bories the few
pale embers In an avalanche Of ashes and stoops
moment to muse over them
Forgotten! Nae, naei 1t mama be! 1t rama
oe| she whispers, fervently. OXIDES he wiz the
angels! Sure then he wad M leave me sac lane
y-he wad be nigh me, this trysting night sure