The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-12-15
Jessica's eyes were sparkling with pleas.

DCii'l HC "Oulu llIu plenty Vi IOuSu WOI n
to do, getting out lumber He was all
eagerness, before his tussle with the barrels,
but very cool afterwards He is to decide
on Saturday, but feel so sure he will not
go l shall say nothing to anybody"
but | Will" thought Jessica. I" |
would not encourage him by any hope of
my loving him. But l will give a little
push-juSt to start him Off | will tell
everybody in town."
And she did That is, she told half a
dozen carefully selected individuals, and
they told all the rest, that Bernard Leyburn
was going up to Maple Bend to learn the
lumber business 1t was not until Friday
that this report obtained general circula-
ton. Thursday evening, Bernard visited
Jessica, but not a word did he say of either
love or lumber The next day he was con-
graduated everywhere, and everybody he
met wished him good luck
Il had half-determii ed not to 60" he
thought, with vexation. " But Daryl has
spread the report about, and now I'll have
to go up and give it trial. l shall find it
a horrible business, | know"
The first day of summer. The brown
gables of the old farm house lifted them
selves out of a sea of Towering peach-trees,
and red and white apple blossoms. The
waters of the river crept stealthily up the
| white beach, and murmured low and softly
Jessica, on the bench under the ash-trees,
leaned forward and listened, as if she
would catch from the ripping waves some
whisper of the life up there at Maple Bend.
They had flowed down from that UNI
known, blissful land, and yet they would
not give to Jessica one word Those YES
sells floating past with the sluggish tide
were, no doubt, freighted with the precious
lumber of that region, but they paused not
on their slow course, and Jcssica's mind
was filled with disconnected thoughts.
Bernard had not returned since first he
went up, now nearly year ago, and ne
had not written her letter, or sent her a
message His uncles family had told her
that he wrote to them in good spirits, ap
parently, but that he said nothing about
his business and they believed and hoped
he was fast getting cured of his folly, for
they understood that he worked like a
common day-laborcr. She sometimes
questioned Mr.. Daryl, but he WOULD
merely reply: "The young man is doing
pretty fairly" which was certainly not
very enthusiastic praise. AIR. Daryl had
good reason for his reticence, for he re-
| IllclHUeTeu HOW SuC Udu SplCdu
of Bernard's going to Maple Bend through
all Perkinsvlllc, while the matter was
still undecided, and after he, Daryl,
had told her he should tell no one.
Its strange" thought Jessica that after
noon for the hundredth time, that Ber-
nard never writes to me! | am afraid he
| is not doing we'll l wonder if he was
foolish enough to literally believe that /
| did not love him, and never would love
| him, Or it NAV be he has learned to love
work so much he don't care for anything
| else. A pretty result of my advice But,
| am not sorry | aroused him from his
letbargy, even if never see him more!"
Here the gray eyes filled with tears,
which might perhaps ave fallen but for
sound that now struck 1pon her ears the
quick tramping of footsteps throms' the che
fast, but she would not turn her head.
Il knew l would find you under the ash
tree"
Bernard" And now the head turned,
and she held out both hands, He squeezed
them in a very uncivilized manner, that he
surely must have learned in the lumber
region.
"How you are changed" she exclaimed.
She saw at glance that the great brown
eyes were alight with active thought; that
the mouth was firmer, and the whole bear
ing of the man, resolute and manly.
If he has not succeeded, he has not
given up" was her mental comment. She
made room for him on the bench.
And you, not at all YOuare the same
Jessica | left! l do believe this is the
very dress you wore when last saw you"
"How can you be expected to know one
| white dress from another!
at is not your wedding-d dress, hope.
You are not married, Jessica?"
mo, | am not married. she said, de-
murely
Thank Heaven for that What have
you been doing this long time?"
The same old round of duties. Sewing
and helping mother with the housekeeping,
the children with their lessons. There is
no end to woman's work, you know. Only,
| don't believe you know anything about
it."
II know you were always as busy as a
bee, and | used to think you must cOnse-
quently be unhappy. but have learned
better than that, now"
'.Indeedl And pray what have you been
doing that you were ashamed to write to
your old friend?"
did you expect me to write to you?"
1--WE generally look for common courtesy
from those who pretend to be our friends,
and neither letter nor message have you
sent me-"
Il was waiting for something of my
own"
"You see have not forgotten certain
conversation under the pollard willows
yonder"
Jessica turned away her head. II did
not say you were not to treat me with the
ordinary politeness of an acquaintance"
81 know. I resolved to see you no mole,
have retrieved my manhood. | went to
see Daryl who told me of his lumber bust
ness at Maple Bend, where 1 could
get work as common laboring hand.
1t was rather staggering Offer
and | took couple Of days to consider
it. l was at first somewhat inclined to
back out of the scrape, but at last | sum-
moned up the necessary fortitude, and
went"
Jessica thought of the report she had
prrposely spread around him to force him
to go, but, like discreet woman, she
held her peace
lizard work it was" continued Bernard,
after pause land dreary and disagree
able, helping to get the lumber to the ,afts,
and down to the vessels This labor lasted
for three months, and if it had not been
for my positive determination that nothing
should force me back to the old life-and
for one other thing think my endurance
would have given way. AT the end of three
months, the business Increased SO rapidly,
and so many hands came up, that | was
promoted to a part Of the business liked
very well-flling out the ORDERS that came
in pretty fast, by selecting the proper wood,
and measuring the lengths, etc. But
need not tell YOU all that, and how one
thing led TO another, until now | hold quite
an important position, with fair salary,
good knowledge of the business, and the
prospect of doing better still. And, be-
sides these, have the funniest mite of
house that looks as if the wind had blown
it together, and might, at any time blow