Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-11-03
By w. D. WALLACE.
JESSY.
A Tale Of Old Loadsn Bridge.

".
palaces and gardens which, from Whitefriars to
Westminster, adorned its banks; the six-oared
eanopled barge has given place to the smoky
steamboat; the waterman q occupation, by the
erection OF 80 many bridges, like Othello's, ." is
gone; the spirit Of romance has fairly vanished
rom tne now impure, gaseous and % tortured
sueami In word, everything has succumbed
10 the march Of triumphant utility.
tnlngs were not always so. As still, on the
waters tnat wash the marble palaces of sea-
porn venice, music nightly sounds, and love
Dreathes his sigh, So in the good old times that
snan never come again, did the gallant gliding
over the unpolluted stream, WOO his mistress
Love designations were made there The higb
ana the noble did not consider il deroyatory to
tnelr dignity TO touch the guitar; the woman's
silver voice was heard, making yet more smooth
Ine unVexed and transparent bosom Of gentle
Father Thames"
The moon sheds food of light upon the single
orldge, which, spanning the noble river, bore
on Its granite shoulders hundred houses: LONG
shadows were east eastward; the tide rushing
through the arches, created a slumberous
SOUND; the GiObe Theatre, on the bank side
Wnere Snakspeare persOnated his own immortal
creations. had closed its doors; when an indi-
Sldusl, who had lately stood within the walls
OF that temple Of Thespis, proceeded TO the
nearest stairs, and springing into his wherry,
roEed leisurely out into the stream.
Ine gallant whom we are about to describe,
E.s
sex, Raleigh, ana the choice wits Of the day,
ala not belong to the aristOcratic class; yet on
MS person and bearing, natures nobility was
stamped That lofty forehead spake of intel
iectuai superiority; the eye, though subdued
and somewhat d0wncast through the minds
abstraction, had that searching glance which
caH read mems souls; tie brOws were drawn
from their natural arch almost to straight lines
and gave to his physiOSn SnOmy an expression of
sternnesS, which, however, was redeemed by
the humOr that luTked around the thin -Iipped
handsome mouth the jetty beard was short
and peaked cOnical hat, with a single feather
adorned his head his doublet was slashed and
OF the finest brOadclOth; his rufles were of rich
Flanders lace and the hilt Of his straight
sword-a present from the Queen-was set
with rubieS. And this was the eer-staIker of
etrattOTd Oh -AvOn-this was Shakespeare
The great dramatist was now in the summer
OF his days, and, if we may be allowed the met.
aphor, the aloe OF bis renOwn had begun to put
forth those leaves, the beauty and freshness of
which have endured for three centuries. &C.
MUS, ss regards its alteration of the sex, is
sometimes content to feed On dreams of ideal
beauty But at this period Of his life the Bard
of Avon, it would seem, was not satisfied with
Worshipping fantasy. Petrarch and bis pla-
tonics afforded nothing suit to his tempera-
ment, and be yielded to ths passions that will
enthrall ordinary men. Love for an object
warm breathing, living, had kindled the fire
plastic fancy TO this lovely incarnation of all
bis poetic dresmings-this sweet palpabIe
shrine OF the immortal spirit; and to pour forth
hls loye-yoH and to press the lily hand OF his
sweet Jessy, did Shakespeare, on the night in
question, urge his wherry down the Thames.
Jessy was the daughter Of the despised peo-
pie VINO regard Abraham as their great prOgen-
itor. Her father was an usurer and jeweler.
and hung out his sign on the Old London
Bridge. 1t was just above the third arch from
the city side, ere one Dutchman Morris had
erected his water works, that old Manasseh
dEelt. There were but tEo things in the world
dear unto him-his money and his daughter
From her extreme loveliness, Jessy had OBJ
tanned the soubriquet of the Beauty of Lon
don Bridge Many Of the iIlustrious of her
tribe had sought her hand in marriage; but
Jessy was deaf to each overture Several
Christians, also, offered to lay their riches and
their titles az her feet; but here Manasseh an
grily lnterposed, since, from principle as we'll
as INCLINATION, he bitterly losthed the follow
eTs OF one whom hs nation stigmatizes as the
false Messiah. Yes, the Jew would have act
cd, II possible, sterner part than Virginius
ne would have strang!ed his beloved and only
cniid' ere he seen hsr polluted by an union
Eith Christian.
shakspeare Fherry giided on and in few
minutes, having entered the deep shadow Of
the arch, be landed On the wide, projecting
starring Jessy sleeping apartment was far
aoOfSs bul loc SiIl, unklONn 10 her father. had
the Key Of lower chamber, which opened upon
small balcony; and thence let herself down
into the arms of the enamOred poet
Shakespeare resigned his sculls to his young
attendant, Who knew his duty too we'll to listen
10 t1e conversation OF the lovers. The beaut-
iul Jewess was wrapped in a velvet mantel,
bordered with miniyer. Her large dark, pas
senate eyes were now raised TO the heaven
spangled with stars. and now fixed in melting
tenderness on him who sat by her side And
thus they glided On-sOft light above murmur-
ing waters arOund-cOnyersing IN tremuIOus
whispers, and experiencing in those stolen mo.
ments OF reciprocated affection all the bliss that
man Is capable OF wTinging from the aeetir y
hours Of this fevered existence
We shall not detail at length the CONVERSE
ton which passed between Shakespeare and mis-
Jessy Thus nightly had they met and breatbea
their VOWS Of faith; and in each Others pres-
enee mad forgotten the world and its cold re- |
strictlons Jessy only tTembled lest her father
snOuia ulscoVer her amour: for rarely day
passed without Manasseh's bitterly reyiIing.
and heaping curses on the Christians
III thou dost love me- said Shaksnesre
pressing the maiden's hand, :. thou wilt meyer
sgan enter the habitatiOn Of one Who harsh
bigoted, and cruel. is unworthy to call thee
daughter Jessy dear one, fond one, true one
nee WIN me this night; l will protect thee
agains, thousand fathers This bosom shall
be thy home; and, in return, thy love shall be
my paradise"
Not yet, said the girl, timidIy; :" I will
pray to him-I will strive to bend his will
ana perhaps be will relent. Moreover, harsh
though he be, love my father. and vould NOT
desert him in his old years
sweet one, distress not thyself-be true to
thy yow-cOntinue to love me. as | worsbip
thee, and, whatever betids shall be happy.
Inc moon had nearly set, and a deep gloom
was falling over the river. Jessy WAS s6xiors
70 return and the wherry shot back TO the
oides' AS they approached, Shakspeare per
.s esIsa me hgure Of man standing on the broad
starting beneath the Jews residence
1t 10 only \ waterman love. ,ba,. L. :;
gone he has sprung l doubt not, into his
Jessy trembled, but the man had indeed dis.
appeared around the buttress, giyino than,
reason TO believe that he was no Other t6an -
individual named. The beautiful Jewess xas
lifted by Shakespeare out of the vherry: the
starring was damp through the splasbing of tbs
.stns ude' and he threw his rich doublet on
the wood work f1r trs 0irI a., sIa,, -, ~