Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-10-24

She tp1s mice, she sh0ud % mine =
Death seemed not 50 inexorable ~
Fate. In vain. in vain. her home soa,
away. she worshiped In another TEN
Pile now. l found myself beside heI
grave, and heard The mutiled earth
fall upon he coffin lid. and saw her.
who loved itso well. from the sweet
sun light all shut out was n COW.
ard before my fate, longed to flee
and escape from the. persecution ol
grief. but Il seemed that suffering had
only the power 20 wound and not to
kil me. l los, all consciousness oil
the lapse Of time. and when reason
resumed her sway | found myself 90 =
sick bed, in Jessie old home. kindly
tended TO life and health by her moth
er. who was 10 be my mother now
Il was long time before ! was abl.
TO sit up. and when l took my place
at the table for the first time. | saw a
vacant seat. and knew II was for the
memory Of Jessie. A low chair stood
beside the window pane, aud a little
child's stocking hung upon the back.
and the sunshine fell upon tho chair,
and made a pleasant warmth there.
One day l took my book and sat
me down on this inviting seat. Jcs-
sizes Mother came. and wlthnn appeal
ing look, lead me away: That Is Jes-
sizes chair" she said "Ihere shs lived.
aud there she died" II was the frat
time tho dear name had been spoken
between us: In the rawlings Of my de-
lerium she had learned tho story OF
my love aud hopes and she loved me
for my great loves sake. I cried out.
"tell me how she lived. and how she
diedl" and Jessie's mother answered
through her tears. "Aiter your sud
den and mysterious disappearance
from the University. Jessie grew very
melancholy and restless. Cor you know
sir that she died for love Of you. and
she said she mus, 90 aud seek you. But
wc were very poor. and when Jessie
was idle, We had no bread. Jessie's
little stockings we're famous though.
and the mothers came praying her to
knit stockings for their darln . feet.
and Jessie began 10 knit again. She
sat IN that chair. beside the window
lattice. where the sun made pleas.
ant light about her. aud where she
could see the li.tle church spife point.
ing to heaven. and there she Sat and
knit day by day, and year by year,
livr cvus,n came second time and
begged her to become his wife. but
Jvssis answered she could never mar.
~ any one. and her cousin went away.
and did not come back any more. =
From seeing her al the time, |
did not observe that she changed slow.
ly though surely, but when the moth
ers came again for their little stock.
lngs they said, "Jessie 10 growing
paler and timer. she works too much
she should 90 out more and take the
air." But Jessie only smiled. and
s'sld she was quite we'll, and kept on
knitting. But she grew TO look
so fr~iI, that began 10 feel uneasy.
and consulted Dr.. II. about her. He
came 10 see her, aud said she had
heart disease. and medicine would do
her no good. | thought he only
mocked us, for | knew my dear child
was INDEED heart sore. but she was so
cheerful and accomplishing that Il did
not seem to me she suffered any phys
ical pain. On sundays she would get
the Bible you gave us. and in her low
swfet voice read the holy promises OF
God to me, and every morning she
read that psalm which says "Tha,
Christ Is the good shepherd and will
lead his lambs through green pastures
and by still waters" She was very
quiet always, for YOU know. sir, knit.
ing is very thinking seork. but her
thoughts seemed 70 DO pleasant
thoughts and were reflected 10 her
faces by faint smile like light dim
" shining through a vase. An! she
was very lovely as she sat with the sun
falling on her golden hair. making a
glory all about her work. | almos,
worshiped her. and felt that an angel
was numbered with my household =
One day I went from homo to fetch
some work. Tho sky was blue and
bright. the tender grass was spring.
iug. the young lambs we're printing
the meadows with their little feet, and
all the air was fragrant with the
coming blossoms | fastened home.
and said 10 Jessie. "come mv child
Let us 90 out and walk in the field.
and breath the fresh air. and enioy
the bounty Of nature" for | saw tina,
she was weary. and had dropped he,
work and sat With her head bowed on
her folded hands. with the sunliyh,
pouring over her like a heavenly ben,
ediction Iwent up to her and tool
tho stocking she had dropped-i wa,
fuished-6oisbed with her Young life
for INV child was breathiuS the air
and walking in the fields Of heaven
enioyiuu the bounty of God forever
| | tneeled down beside her and claspet
NV dead la,nb in NV arms and | prav