, 1864-01-23
[FRoM WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDERS. I
Perseverance,. d.

VuSiJJ cNcn US IL HUI UOTut ulin lnlOuku Juo
expense of paying out his scanty earnings
for the education Of nine children. WANTED
three days Of completing my thirteenth
year when left the school, but then l had
begun to read Homer in Greek-I had read
Horace in Latin, and was acquainted with
Euclid. My father was proud Of me-my
master was proud Of me, for l had perse-
vered. 1t was seldom that the son Of
cotter, or the son Of any one else, left the
school at such an age SO far advanced.
] have said that left school three days
before l had completed my thirteenth year,
and on the day that did SO Twas to become
tutor in the family of Colonel Mortimer,
of the Honorable East India Company's
service. was to be at once the playmate
and instructor Of two children; the one Eve,
the other seven years Of age-both boys.
But his family contained another child
Jessy Mortimer, a lovely, dark-eyed girl
of fifteen. The sun Of an eastern cline
had early drawn forth her beauty into ripe
ness, and although but two years older than
myself, she was as a woman, while l was
not only mere boy, but, if might use the
expression, something between what might
be termed boy and child; and certainly
at the very age when children are most dis
agreeable to persons Of ripper age, Yet,
young as was, from the very day that l
beheld her, my soul took up its habitation
in her eyes. Twas dumb in her presence I;
l opened not my mouth. was as whis-
per, a shadow in the family; piece Of
mechanism that performed the task designed
for it. 1t was presumptuous thing in the
son Of an humble barn-man, to fix his eyes
and his heart upon the daughter Of an East
India Colonel, and one two years older than
himself; but the heart hath its vagaries,
even as our actions have. tidO"l
For the first two years that I was in the
house Of Colonel Mortimer, / may say that,
savo in my classroom, my voice was not
heard above my breath. But, as my vol
untary dumbness became more and more
oppressive, so also did my affection, my de-
yotion for Jessy become the more intense.
Indifference between our ages seemed even
to have become more marked, and felt it.
Yet l began to think that her eyes looked
upon me more tenderly, and the thought
increased the devotion which for two years
I had sileptly cherished. There seemed
also music, spirit Of gentleness and u
kindness in her voice, which FIRST inspired
me with hope.
Thus did,fye years pass on, and during
that period / hardlyventured to lift up my
eyes in her presence; though throughout
that period ! had said within my heart,
Jessy Mortimer shall be my wife, and that
was q bold thought for the son Of barn
man TO entertain towards the daughter Of
awealthy nabobs Bat throughout my whole
life 1 had endeavored to put into practice
my, fathers counsel concerning perseyer-
aIce; and most Of al was I determined 70
follOw.it in. the subject which was deepest
IN my heart. ah7 sl's -
/ remember the first time Lever spoke to
Jessy When / say the first time 1 spoke
to her, / mean the first time that my soul
spoke to her through my lips. For more
than Eve years We had exchanged the COM
mon civilities Of society with each other;
but the language Of the heart is ever sealed
volume when the cold fashioned ceremonies
Of society have 10 be observed. .i
But TO proceed. 1 was now upwards Of
eighteen, and the children under my tuition
were to be removed to q public school. IL
was no disgrace to me that they were to be
50 removed, for knew it from TIE begin
ming Of. my engagement. Yet | felt It as
disgrace more than disgrace because
that It would tear me from the side Of Jessy,
onWhommyeyes Observation-Disclosures
/ had no wish to be q teacher-no ambition
to become minister; and her father had
procured for me situation IS q clerk to a
broker in London. But 10 me the thoughts
Of departure were terrible. Everything
within and around the Colonel's establish
mont had become things that I loEed.l ]
loved them because Jessy loved them be-
cause she saw them; touched them, was
familiar with and in the midst Of them.
They had become . portion Of my home.
/ was unhappy at the thought IF leaving
them; but, beyond every other cause, my
mind was without comfort at the thought
Of, leaving her---itlwas, hopeless, desollte.
It was Ike causing memory by force 70
perish in my heart Z s''2 !. ,ls, 3. s;..a ,ss
I In afewdays I tookmy departure towards
London ! carried with me the letters of
which het father had given me.
The broker TO whom he recommended me
was Mr.. Stafford. He received me civilly,
but at the same time most coldly, and point
ing with his finger 10 the desk, said, You
will take your place there .p tss ~
y u =. -.