Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-22

from those who pretend to be our friends
and neither letter nor message have yot
sent me-
Il was waiting for 'something Of my
own"
"You see have not forgotten certain
conversation under tho pollard willow
yonder."
Jessica turned away her head II dit
not say you were not to treat me with the
ordinary politeness of an acquaintance"
II know. resolved to see you no mole
TO speak to you no more, until should
have retrieved my manhood. l went to
see Daryl who told me of his lumber bust
ness at Maple Bend, where I could
get work a. . common laboring hand
It was rather q staggering offer
and / took q couple Of days to consider
it. I 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
purposely spread around him to force him
to 20, but, like discreet woman, she
held her peace.
lizard work it was" continued Bernard,
after pause, "and dreary and disagree
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-I 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 l was
promoted to part Of the business liked
<l,n I'd hot 40
in pretty fast, by selecting the proper wood,
and measuring the lengths, etc. But, l
need not tell yOu all that, and how one
thing led TO another, until now hold quite
an important position, with fair salary, a
good knowledge of the business, and the
prospect of doing better still. And, be-
sides these, have the funniest mite of a
house that looks ~ If the wind had blown
it together, and might at any time, blow
it apart, and yet it is snug and tight for
ALL"
"You have, indeed, done wonders, Ber-
nard. knew you could do anything you
wanted to do"
"If l had got nothing from my work
but the consciousness Of independence and
manliness, would consider myself fully
repaid"
"Of course you would!"
"But then you see got something more
than this, and I still expect something
worth more than all"
ooh, you dol A mill Of your own, I
suppose" :.
"No, you little, demure witch, you don't
suppose anything of the kind. Would l
have come down here in our busiest season
for that? No, came to look for jewel
without which my life will be nothing
my Jessica's love. Will you refuse to lis
ten to me now, darlingy
There was no need for words; Jessica
turned her blushing, happy face to Bernard,
and he clasped her in his arms.
"At last! he said, rapturously. ooh,
my dearest, have waited long for this. If
l we're not so happy would reproach you
for having been so cold and cruel to me.
But, you love me at last"
IL will make confession TO you now,
Bernard: loved you all the time"
"My darling And you let me think
you did not care for me. Why did you
send me away without the least glimpse of
hope for your lover Why did you tell
me you despised met"
"No, no, Bernard, mover said that"
"What you did say amounted to the
same thing, and you would not even soften
it by saying that you would try to love
me-"
"What security would I have had, that,
after you had won me, you would not re-
lapse into your old self ! loved you, but
I wanted you to be worthy Of my loye;'
"You are mine now, at all events" And
he held her more tightly.
But" he said, thoughtfully, "what will
you do up there in that rough region. away
from your old friends, and you will not
have the comforts you have now in the old
farm house?"
II would thousand times rather be up
there than in your uncle's fine house.
But we have plenty Of time to consider all
that"
"Not so much timei I can only stay
four days, for we are very busy just now
and we ought, by all means, to be married
by the end Of the month"
The head was quickly raised from the
shoulder "Why, Bernardo Arc you
cra1ys" :,
"By no means. What In tho world Is
the use Of our waiting! We have known
each other all our lives, and how do you
suppose l can take the time to come phi
laundering down here every week. In fact
ought not to be here now, but made q
confidant Of Daryl, and ne took compass
sion on me. At the end Of this month he
thinks they can do without me for week
and then we must be married. 1t Is not SO
bad up there after all. It Is beautiful
country, and wc have little society. The
superintendent wife, and the wife Of the
engineer live there in funny little houses
Just like mine; and they are both ladies'
And there are good many cabins dotted
here and there in the woods and the labor
ers' wives are nice, kindly women"
Jessica laughed. "You will mako il
cut sort of Paradise, expect, if | let
you 60 on. But may ask If you had that
house built because you felt 30 sure OF
me?"
II did not feel at all sure of you, but
could not help little feeling of hope.
did not believe you would care so much
about the life led II you did not love
me the least little bit However, the house
was already built. Ono of the members OF
the company used to live in it. Every
thing seems 70 havo happened just right
for us"
"You take too much for granted, Mr..