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

You. but II won't be dainty work. Can you
help pile lumber, or take II TO the yafts, or
cut down q tree, il necessary
Certainly can, and will b glad 70 do
il"
don't say but what you may work your
way to something better, but that h the
way you viii have TO begin. am afraid
ayes, it wiii," said Bernard, eagerly.
II wish could prove to you how anxious
am to 60 to work"
aDo YOU sec that row Of four barrels,
ranged out there, ready to be shippedv
Eyes, SIR"
That sloop has come IN sooner than
was expected, bat those barrels ought to
70 on board of her this afternoon, and all
the hands are busy"
"Tll do itw said Bernard, smiling.
He went out in high spirits and began
rolling the barrels up the gang.plank. eager
to show Daryl that he was not afraid of
work. He was accustomed to handling
heavy weights at the gymnasium, for his
amusement. But, before his present job
was half done, he found out the difference
between work and play. When 1t was
three -fourths done he wished he had let 1t
alone. When the last barrel was on the
sloop, and Bernard went back to the ofi1ce,
Daryl noticed that the brightness had
died out of his eyes, and the old,
sleepy look had come back to them.
"That was well done, Leyburn, said
Darryl. "You will make splendid work
man. When will you be ready for up the
river"
Il haze t.7uix decided to go. must
think it over"
"This is Wednesday. must know your
decision by Saturday.
"What has come over young Leyburn ?"
asked Daryl of Jessica, when he paid visit
10 the old farmhouse that evening. "He
came to me to-day to ask for work. And
then he related, with a good deal Of humor
the adventure of the barrels. 1t was well
they were out on the porch with no light
but the stars, or he would have seen how
Jessicas eyes were sparkling with pleas.
ure.
81 told him if he would 60 up to Maple
Bend he would find plenty Of rough work
to do, getting out lumber. He was all
eagerness, before his tussle with the barre
but very cool afterwards. He Is to decide
on Saturday, but fed so sure he will not
go shall say nothing to anybody"
"But | will" thought Jessica. II
would not encourage him by any hope Of
my loving him. But I will give little
push--just to start him off, l will tell
everybody in town."
And she did. That is, she told half
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 word did hesay of either
love or lumber. The next day he was con-
graduated everywhere, and everybody he
met wished him good luck.
81 had halfdetermincd not to co." he
thought, with vexation. But Daryl has
spread the report about, and pow I'll have
TO go up and give it trial. shall find it
horrible business, | know"
----
Nv.
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 theash- trees,
leaned forward and listened, BIS if she
would catch from the ripping waves some
whisper of the life up there at Nipple Bend.
They had flowed down from that I'M
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 tie precious
lumber Of that region, but they paused not
on their slow course, and Jessica's mind
was filed with discontinued thdlghts.
Bernard had not returned since first he
went up, now nearly year Ago, and he
had not written her a letter, or sent her a
message. His uncle's family had told her
that he wrote to them in good spirits, APP
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-laborer. She sometimes
questioned Mr.. Daryl, but he would
merely reply: "The young nan is doing
pretty fairly" which was certainly mot
very enthusiastic praise Mr.. Daryl had
good reason for his reticence, for he re-
membcrcd how she had spread the report
of Bernard's going to Maple Bend through
all Perkinsville, while the matter was
still undecided, and sitter he, Daryl,
had told her he should tell no one.
"It's strange" thought Jessica that after
noon for the hundredtt time, that Ber-
nard never writes to me! am afraid he
is not doing well. ! wonder If he was
foolish enough to literally believe that l
did not love him, and never would love
him! Or it may be be has learned to love
work SO much he dent care for anything
else. A pretty result Of my advice! But,
l am not sorry Iaroused him from his
lethargy, even II never see him more!"
Here the gray eyes filled with tears,
which might perhaps have fallen but for a
sound that now struck upon her rs-the
quick tramping of footsteps through the
long grass and daisies. Her heart beat
fast, but she would not turn her head.
II knew would find you under the ash
tree"
Bernard" And now the head turned,
and she held out both hands. He squeezed
them in very uncivilized manner, that he
surely must have learned in the lumber
region.
"How you are changedl" she exclaimed.
She saw at a glance that the great brown
eyes were alight with active thought; that
the mouth was firmcr, and the whole bear