Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-10-24
BR0OKVILLE FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA. r

lgreatest satisfaction. and when she
looked at me. as she sometimes did.
IL seemed as though my mother look.
el down from heaven. My longing.
hungry heart took her in. thought
Of her by dav. and dreamed Of her
By night, and was filed with content,
This singular child never spent any
time ut play with her schoolanatee; du-
ring play time she sat and knit, but
she hid pleasant smile. and kind
word for all. WAS much loved by her
school fellows and was q fhvoTite
with our teacher. OF whom none OF as
we're jealous. She came 10 mo one
day ut recess as | was working "a
problem in algebra. and asked me in
n pretty timid manner. ''if | would
show her how to doa sum- MIR
had showed her once. but she did not
quite understand. and was afraid he'd
think her troublesome II she went TO
him again" | took her little slate.
but my pleasure and confusion were
so great hardly knew what | was
doing. She sat down beside me aud
resumed her knitting In such a friend
" way. that soon ftIt rcassured. and
showed her how 10 do the sum which
had 40 puzzled her little head. After
this she came to no with all her arith-
metical difficulties, and we soon be.
come great friends. Her name was
Jtssica Ray; she was tho only child
Of widow who lived 10 n cottage just
beyond the village church. Tney
were very poor, and Jessie knit and
her mother did plain sewing for a liyli-
hood. But after awhile Jessie left
school. and only saw her at church
where she came every Sabbath with
her mulhcr, but. though | looked at
heralI the time ofsersice she did'ntlook
towards me until the benediction was
pronounced. and then as she STEPPED
from her pew. she raiiod her eyes to
mine, with shy glance which made
my heart leap into my throat. lived
on this look until the next Sabbath.
and | waa thus easily satisfied be-
cause my heart had been starved 40
long that a little lo,o went great
way. Ono Chrisinas eve | met Jes.
sic at Nurses. she camo with n little
parcel of childrens' stockings, OF her
own knitting, which Nurse was to
distribute for her. II was late when
she left home. and II waa now quite
dark and she said ehc must hasten
back. but Nurse said. mo eiay lit.
tic Jessie. here ia master Paul. he 10
going with you ,o-be sure" | march,
cd, with aswelling heart. beside her
to her mothers cottage gate, and she
asked mo 10 come ~ aud see her
mother. | went IN and Jessie said,
"mo,her here Ia Paul who was 40
kind TO me at school," aud Jessie's
mother kissed me just ~ my poor
molher used to do. She said Jessie
could not come TO school any more
that winter. and | saw that they were
very poor. and All jessIe's ltlle stock
ings were needed TO help huy bread.
So ] said, | will come OF evenings aud
teach Jessie. II you will let me. With
tears Of 10y Jessie's mother consented.
oh. she did not know how glad was
to come. That night Jessie took her
iirsl lesson OF me. aud then | ras up
to the village to buy Nurse Christ.
mas gift Ikncw just what she want.
ed. SO | bought her great bible with
large print. and then ! purchased some
lit,le articles Of dress which thought
would please her. My guardian. who
WAS very kind. allowed me liberal
supply OF pocket money. and rs he
knew was not addicted 10 boyisL dis
sipa,ions. he had given me double
allowance in consideration Of the holt.
days. thought would like to get
Jessie and her mother Christmas
gift too. carried Nurse her pres
ents aud made known my wish. She
told the to get Jessie's mother bible
like hers, and get Jessie some books
too. for that would please them better
than anything else. and she promi-
sed to present them and conceal the
name OF the donor. She did so, but
when l went to Jessie's cottage again
she gave me pair OF nice. warm
gloves. Of her own knitting. for The
said I've knew you had sent the books
although Nurse would not SAY so. -
Thus several years passed, and low
ed Jessie more and more every day,
but did not know how dear she was
to me until / went from my native
village to distant University. | had
been absent three years. when l was
recalled by my guardian, who was on
his death bed. l did not arrive ia
time to see him before he died. /
was now twenty-one. and my own
master. Ny step-father had died
about the time | went to college. AT
ter the funeral of my guardian. |
! went to see Jessie. How she had
, changed in three years the beautiful
child was transformed in the beauti-
, fuI woman. She was very fair, her
hatr was oil pale golden color,
her eyes were darkIy blue. with pen
siye mist over them like fleecy clouds
! in summer skies. She had sweet
, smile, low voice and gentle step.
: do not know that at this time. she
: was conscious Of her affection for me.
but Love. sleeping in her heart. was
: dreaming heavenly visions, and like
an infant. slumbering in its cradle,
j.. stirred and smiled on the invisible
whispering angels, At my approach
: the marble whileness OF her cheek
: warmed and lighted up with the Grim.
i. son glory Of love. there was tremu
i. lous gladness in her voice. light il
her eyes that proclaimed the fulnes,
I Of her soul. / walked ON .iptoe hap
t piness. my heart seemed mounting 1
: golden ladder, and all my hopes. Tx,
e singing larks. flew up to the yer,
d gates Of heaven. | went back to col
= lege. where l was to remain two year
:. longer. and then. l thought. on m,
g return. Jessie shall become my wife
u and il God give me children, 1 will b