Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-03-11
TALES AND SKETCHES.
IEWsV 1 WON WV NNnnE.

Jessie Hale was the mcrricst, prettiest,
most provoking daughter of Eve that ever
eXisted-at least, | thought sO-though per-
haps Was not an impartial judge, as must
confess | was deeply in loye,--and, in fact,
l don't believe could remember of time
when was not in love with her. Ii certain
ly was not when IL yUungstcr of twelve
took her under my especial care, feeling
prouder OF my curly-heuded charge than |
could now of mine of gold : nor when a
tall awkward boy of sixteen, first ventured
to ask for her company home from church /;
| or still later, when after four years absence,
l returned to my native town and set up as
a surgeon in the house where DR.. Moore 5
name had been since my earliest introduc-
ton.
Oakdale was a remarkably healthy place,
or else the good people felt little afraid OF
trusting their lives in the hands of such q
young scapegrace as they had known me to
be, for somehow my horse and gig found
more employment in carrying Jessie Hale
to ride than any more profitable business
and it is certain more of my time was spent
in Mr. IIale's pleasant parlor than in either
study or practice of medicine Some of the
neighbors silly remarked that must have
very sick patient there to occasion such
frequent visits; and | was certain that if
had 40 patient there, all the patience | ever
had was required there at times for of all
the tantalizing little wretches that ever fas-
cinated and provoked poor fellow-until
he could not have told whether he was in
the body or out Of it-Jessic Hale was the
worst.
And there was William Tremaine-
standing six feet in my stockings, big
enough to have known better, that is sure
led about by that little elf, coming and 90
ing ut her every beck and cali, as if l were
great simpleton, as in truth | must have
been, for after playing yours most devoutly'
for six months, l was no nearer winning
than ut first. Open-hearted aud caudid she
was on every other subject; bug just !et me
speak of love or marriage, and / might as
well talk to a stone wall for all the sense |
could get from her, no matter how cautious
ly might approach the subject, she was
always ready with some off.hand answer as
from what wanted as the equator from the
poles until | was almost in despair, but
more eager after every failure. 'All is fair
in love and war; or at least | thought so,
and resolved to try tie result of strategy on
my ~illful little lady-love.
One fine morning, rs we were about start
ing for ridc,on horseback, and was as
SlStiLS bliss UcSSlc into luc slle SaQule, ncT
horse commenced rearing and kicking at an
alarming rate; of course the jagged bits of
iron had cautiously inserted beneath the
saddle had nothing to do with it. BY the
time she was fairly seated he had became
perfectly unmanageable, throwing her vio-
lently rom the saddle; OF course | caught
her before she touched the ground. No
sooner was she in safety, than, with deep
groan, l staggered back against the fence,
my right arm hanging helpessly by my
side. Ii took nicely, for Jessie was beside
me in moment.
80 WILL" she said piteously, "tbat terri
BILE horse has broken your arm and what
will you dol Poor viii poor win ~
How like rascal felt at the sight of her
distress but | was not going to give up
then so answered, with another terrible
groan, at is nothing dear Jessie; would
suffer thousand times more to feel that |
had saved your precious life"
"But oh, am SO sorry What can he
done for you2" she said, in such touching
accents that half repented.
THE end justiies the mealI.' thought.
The end accomplished certainly did. My
answer was in voice low and faint, rs if
was just dying.
"Only tell me that you love me, Jessie,
darling it will soothe my pain more than
anything else in the world" And then,
like the great .simpleton that was, put
tba, right arm around her, and never dis