The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-04-01
Ives were untrue l would not believe

her chestnut braldS or hair dropping
over her fathers knee.
Poor child !! Could she have but
forescen the weary months of waiting
for the letter which never came from
those far Off Southern hills, the hope
deferred which maketh the heart sick,
that were in store for her, she might
have been sorry, that she had not
died then and there, holding fast to
that firm faith in Harry Ives fidelity.
James Gray ling, crafty, patient
man, bided his time. 1t came at last
when the tender green OF the hill side
shrivelled and grew brown under the
starry silent frosts of the hitter De-
cembcr nights, and the keen wind
rushed with thundelou swells thro'
the lonely pine forests in these wild
solitudes.
Daughter, it's the dearest wish of
my heart, said farmer Atterlv, sol
emnly, as he sat with Bessie in the old
silent room. "I'm getting well on in
years, and If ! could see you married
to some good and true man before |
am taken away, l should rest easier
in my grave. James Grayling has
been almost a son to me these months
of trial and trouble. He is coming
for his final answer tonight. Let it
be YES
Bessie shuddered. That year of
sick, wistrul grief had changed her
into pale, fragile girl, with large
frightened eyes everroving from side
to side, as if vainly seeking for some
thing which never came.
wait, father she murmured eager
ly, rs if pleading for sweet life itself,
wait a little longer, only little long
err
i have waited, Bessie. 1t is
year or over since Henry Ives has
sent you word o: message. He may
he dead; better dead than q scound-
rel ! But James Grayling has been
as true as steel to me all this time
He deserves you, Bessie; and when
you're once married, you'll learn to
love him. Shall we say this n month
for your wedding, my daughter?'
That night Bessie laid her cold
hand in James Grayling's eager palm,
and said yes, drcamily, to what ever
he proposed. What had life for her?
AS well he James Grayling's wife as
anything else, since God willed that
she shonld live and suffer on, and the
! dreary path of years lay spread out
before her listless feet.
The old smoke stained walls were
wrcathed with feathery gar!ands of
cedar and pine, with the scarlet her,
ries Of the mountain ash glowing here
and there, the great fire roared mp
! the chimney with festive sound and
the neighbors were gathered around
father Atterlys hearth stone, for
pretty Bessie was to be married that
night.
She don't look like bride ought
to somehow whispered Mrs. Deacon
Jennings to her companion, Mahala
Bird. She seems to me jest like one
o. them white snow wreaths lying
down in the holler yonder.'
Maybe it's that white dress said
Mahala; 'but she does look like q
corpse. Land O Goshen! what he l
sayin'? 1t amt good luck to be talk
ing about corpses on wedding
night !
For the pretty bridcmaids had Just
led Bessie in, robed in pure sheeny
silk, with oeraneums in her hair, and
not a vestige of color in her cheek.
There, don't she look SWEET said
Susie Jennings. Is it time to go in
to the parlor yet?'
'Massy, no child! said Mrs. Jen.
nings, mot for an hour. Why, jim
Grayling hasn't come yet
SO Bessie sat down in the midst Of
the assembled maid and matrons, and
played with the white flowers in hel
boquet, thinking who knows what?--
Perhaps lonely grave under the
cruel Southern stars; perhaps of 6
woman who had willed her lovers
heart away.
Somebody spoke to her; she look
ed up, aud all of n sudden her fright
ened eyes traced figure beyond the
open door opposite to which she sat
a figure hurriedly pressing through
the crowd.
Where is she? ! aciH see Bessie
wedding or no wedding. Who has {
better right than ~
The next moment the pale, whit,
robed bride lay like fair still statute
in Henry Ives arms.
Stand off, l say he cried fierce!y
Let no one come between me and tli'
woman i love. / have earned her tC
be my wife--earned her by wounds
upon the battle field of the country
she loved. Do you say she Is to b,
married to James Grayling? Wha
t has James Crawling done with all TIN
letters sent to his care--with all tn,
messages / entrusted to himS Sh
had better be in her grave than mar
ried to James Grayling. Mr.. After
ly, you are just aud good man
| Judge between me and the treacherou
r fox l fancied my friend
\ Harry, Harry' faltered the oil
; man, Il never dreamed of this. Tel
= us about it, my boy, for my old hea'
swims.'
+ And Harry Ives, still holding Bes
sic to his heart, revealed the story G
4 his own truth and James Grayling'
1 duplicity. When he had finished lh