The sun., 1862-05-14
CHAPTER I.


ilt lttur'NNlh util h'IA tlNI hV N'F ifN'l VII
saie that night, and nov -hc was rcwardiut her
scli with hall hours comfort.
The tca-kettle Vet sang ON the stove. AM thr
large, on'enicnt kitchen had a quiet and home
like aspect.
Tab6y the great ;rcv cat. purrcl in hcr .i,.
isliciiou at being aliuwri to lc upon thp shirt
Of les>,s lusey -wooscv tr,,k. Shc wa.
very tonl ot lc-,ic-.u mi,h so that
out Of regard to her feelings .hr never tric'i To-
get at the beautiful canary hirl which alw,, ,
hung IN It's rather cluusy sy-oukiug, hut ven,
roony cage. III the lightcst AMI most alrcca hlc
corner ui the kitchen. Tins hirl WIS thn pct
and darling OF Jc-sic'- heart. II was wiie-awake
now. AMI watching, with lis round black EYES
its little mistress. a. shc read. PERHAPS IL
Thought Jessie was pretty creature t1 loU', ~.
though 50 m'auly clad. If 10, ii thought not
wrong TIL. !ittlc maiden irLs cxoc.lin,. far
though only piupcr Orphan-a hIlc bound
girl, without brother or sisicr, or hin lthat she
knew In the wide world
She was ui slender, but not fftll form at
delicate but not weak constitution. Her lark
auburn hair ALWAYS kept ,dt close To her head
turned up with intense desire to curl, and wth
Indignant remonstrance at the shenrui.
which rcndscd doing 50 impossible her skin
too purely fair Tor any exposure to dafhru. or
10 matcrialiy iuJurv, shune white aud pol shc!
through the rents Of tie old linsey-wu,ls'y. or
ignally intended to button at the wrist, gud At
The throat hut whose sleeves were rent away.
helpless condition; and her eyes. large, dark,
soft and very expressive, (Ib', to .hld, II
Tire was called ford were 1t rare
and excellent beauty. Her mouth wa,
full and rosy, sweet. firm and not
unmr,hiul in it, expression. The pretty iarc
was pale that night, Ms 1t generally was in rc-
pose hut 'he rich blood only waited occasion 10
make the white checks glow like bright carra-
tions. Jessie sat with her feet ON the stowe
hearth and her elbow or the pine table, secured
white by her own small hadl., the candle hv
whose light she read showed tha, she was pleased
and interested.
The clock struck nine. Jessie started. II
Wust not read much longer" said she. 'Why
doli't Eric come, | wonder just then there
was a sound Of harsh woris and scuf-
fling overhead then wild outcry,
and heavy falling noise uron the stairs
and the next instant, jus, as the WORDS
''What are they doing p0,c :" passed Jc.-
tie's lips the door leading from the Stair to the
Kitchen was burst open, and n lad OF about four
Teen years came tumbling, all in II heap, into the
room.
why Eric Eric. how did YOU come to fall ?"
cried Jessie in terror lest he might have broken
his limbs. She caught hold, and tried to lift the
boy up.
''lle flung me down, H.. hateful oil wretch" 4"
The boys voice was nearly chokcd by passion.
He rose and dropped into the nearest chair.
Jessie regarded him with palld face and flash
ing eyes. "fluny you down !" echoed she.
"Yes, he did and she was the cause Of II.
j shall shoot that woman some day, kqOW
shall. Here have been running all day in the
coid anu -ieet, ana moi anic even 10 sr' nome u"
my supper, ana 'fat iazy bo',with no'ihng 10 90
but go to school, has lett the wood for me to
split. When she told me to come down and
eplit it, said | was half sick with headache.
ana asked Don !" lie couinn uo {" ihs'eau " ,,l''
He said, les, Eood-hatureu enough w
nothing against bob-Dnt his mother spoke up,
IN her mean, eon'emp'ihir way In.fe hou
See now s'"",s - ne never NniiiS
20 uu as hu ,,, '.,r "'i
Us no',,hg pu. w'i""" "o ne,et,' ,'.h,
began 10 pe'iow W nv, sprung HP 'auS'',
Suhen anu hlchcu ',e' a'i' !" o," ai,' nune lI''
heaa,one uown s'nts; ,,n; WIN !" III! sour, 's,-
:ie, Una, ne hau kllleu me ior nm N'k my
HE, aha men, lefhaps' 4" m'S,t nave 20, N.Y'
lhe ilu' qune exhausted, u,olpc1 h,I h'au
npon 'he ,ao.e, am eroanen anu i, sohi',, a. nS
1nough h's poor n','e S''mus' 'ra'ne WouI" ht'I-
aly 1urs' assunlef' oh ny h.", my
ssan ,ah h,,, hf ensLc' "a asJ nl"in LUZ ~ w. "
osn III, "e''y steam ''''''''' were going 'nS''e
A.. Al, ;,,1 ,,,r.,,. ,..,.ao,..,,...,
nnH ~ W.. " wv POI, n'".
1850, ,sr 60, ,o, !, AZ, w. W. '',
ceiJa .'''' =. n'r ..tn ' .,'
boys hair and ' " poEs Ss"S 'o him ss in s
zones, thoueh 'h.re "as nor much oi Iomt"rt
That she could Just then think 10 say.
VIII sP'it the "o"i' near can a. well
es not, ior AIN great deal stronger than You.
You shall st here and warm your feet and eat
your supper. We saved some 9ood srppsr Tor
You, dear, ana plenty OF It, and will soak your
Seei ir You, bye-anh,bye, ana CONT, your hair,
snd we will go to bed III peace, in spite o them.
bet Erlc wonli not allow her to spit the
WOOD. W TN all MS remaining strength he went
gh that task, ami returned to the kitchen.
- shiVerihE from head TO loot, and his
eered so he could hardly speak hut
Jess,e obnged him TO swallow cup oi strong,
not tea which she had made and to put his feet
INTO hot water. Then she stood beside him a
hc reclined IN 'he ereat chair with his swollen
eyes close. his tkce oil livid from distress,
and her, she touches, A. she con'ied his
mar ~ sr.2Pothsa 1t back from his hot brow,
Been q 10 ci-lIn away his pain.
=, Graduaily the tears ceased to drop, and when
the good little girl said, coaxingly, Now,
don't You think you can eat a little, dear Z" Eric
said. " How W you manage TO save this nice
beei steak y
"Oh, don't bo asking questions, if you please.
" YOU Ike it. eat 1t will 40 YOU good. Your
mead would not have achcd So had you not been
80 hYnx9. SEQ here-hcrc is a nice slice of
che s.Whs nSd 9 Hy on, osn Portion for Eric
,,o'',.Sx a. A. E'i you are, Jessie. believe
seem v" so ,US muSb aII ~ naa !, not been for
So&x;'" eee'n ~ i ',HJn y, 'hc my brother Roland
y rc nv rs was In 49, us"i 0''er than and you
I'M ,,;,s Erin l,I, ho .,. :,