The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-10-29

they nave HOW IOohsh young peOpl
are"
They passed, hut I heard the words
1 thought of Uncle Oliver. "Marr,
on mere salary2 Madness, absurdi
tylF
1t is this, II want TO hear i
sung I stammered, and snatched {
-iece of music at random from be
side me. II admire it So"
"Then cousin Ruth must sing it.
am not German scholar said Jes
sic for I had taken up song in the
= language which I knew nothing about
+ by mistake.
J After this l was very prudent. !
worked for my grand object, wealth.
I I planned out all my future, and 1 kept
Jessie as it were in sight. Always a
dear friend. I never betrayed my love.
Time enough for this when prudence
permitted.
At every step made felt an i'm
pulse which prompted me to end the
matter then and there, but 1 refrain
ed Jessie still remained unmarried.
She was safe-when | chose I might
have her. She was a girl to grow
Ibandsomer with womanhood. When
she was twenty-six she was wonder
fully beautiful.
Then my Uncle Oliver took me in
to partnership, complimenting me
highly as a prudent young man when
he did so. 1 was little bold by this
time. had been anxious about many
things. I had been fearful that the
partnership would not come, but here
it was at last. I had been waiting
for this nine years. l could marry
now. I could at last be happy. I
put my head down upon my hands
and cried with Joy. 1 allowed my
self to give way to impulse for this
time it did no harm just then, and
no one saw me. Then dressed my
self and went in the dusk of the eve
ming to see Jessie.
I was such an old friend that the
servant opened the door as one of the
family. Jessie was singing to
herself. A tall young fellow, whom l
had never seen before. stood near the
piano. Grandfather Ashburton slept
in his arm chair. evidently believing
himself wide awake all the while.
"Captaiu Hawthorn-Mr. Pafter
leon-Mr Patterson, Captain Haw-
thorn" and | bowed.
7 could have smiled more naturally
had the naval officer been less hand
some and many years older We
talked as people talk when thrown
topether-of a thousand different
things. | waited for Captain Haw-
thorn to go he fingered. Itgrew late.
I would have given the world for
an interview with Jessie that night,
but it seemed impossible. We took
leave together at last, the clock strik-
ing eleven as we departed. When we
had turned the corner, bowed adieu
as the Captain skirted the block, and
stood before the same house we had
inst left again. I suppose the SER
wants had all retired for the night,
for Jessie was fastening the shutters.
I ran up the steps. "Jessle, said |,
"Jessie. forgive me. 1t is late, I
know, but must have one word
ade of the balcony, and went into the
pa~lor.
Grandfather Ashburton was not
there. We were alone-my beautl-
ful Jessie and I. 1 sat down on the
sofa. she looked at me smiling. L had
never seen her look so happy.
"Jessie." said I, ~ want to speak
to YOU as I could not before Captain
- confound him. I am taken into
partnership"
"I congratulate you" said Jessie.
az have loved you since we met.
You remember the time? For nearly
ten years I have waited to be able to
marry. Now I have achieved the
step at last. I have been taken into
partnership in a rich and respectable
firm. I can live well-elegantIy. |
have struggled with my heart so long
i have foreborne so long-oh. Jes-
sic. turn to me and give me your hand,
and tell me that you will be my wife J
otherwise all this prosperity is worth
less to me-"
But Jessie did not give me her
hand. She drew back from me, turn
ing very pale.
''I hope you are mistaken in your
feelings" she said, "for I cannot re-
turn them
"Jessie. II cried, "don't say that
have loved so loDg-so deeply l have
striveu against ny own heart! have
worked for this so long. Oh, jessie p
And then I told her how often
words of love had been at my lips.
and I had forced them back. Each
time remembered so we'll. so vividly.
She was pale as death when I cess
ed. but she put me back when I would
have taken her hand, with a motion
of her own.
"As YOU say, you have been pru-
dent" she said: abe so still, and say
no more. You arc too late. IF you
had spoken on that Christmas night
which forget no more than you, I
wonld have answered differently. 1
loved You then
"Then love me again. I moaned,
Glove me again ]"
She smiled.
"If life and eternal happiness de-
pended on it, I could not" she said
9Th at night when you we're gone I
wrestled with myself. I tore my love
from my bosom and trampled en- it.
trampled it TO death. No woman n
who-is worthy of the name will love
man long who does not love her"
She smiled at me little scornfully,
I thought.
"Your great prudence prevented me
from knowing it." she said "That
Christmas evening ended all the folly
on my side. You have been nothing
to me since that moment but what you
are nova friend. You can never
be anything more"
"Jessie." I cried, "I shall 60 mad /;
if you could say you never cared for
me, it would be bad enough but TO
own that you have loved me, and to
show me that of my own act l lost
that love, is too much to bear. I will
i L >.