Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-09-09

and think of the bright future in
store for you and ma Come, let US
walk out 10 the cliff and look over
the sea together; afterwards viii
say goodbye 10 your father and
mother. Come, it will be our last
walk for many a day." putting his
arm about her, they went over the
familiar path toward the cliff
The sun smiled down on them be-
nignantly. The sky was all serene,
aud the blue waters of the bay were
leaping and dancing in thousands Of
tiny waves in the golded light.
on on the horizon, white sails
were seen, like minute dots on tlle
broad expanse-
Philip and Jessie stood on the elf
brow, looking silently over the wa
ter, each busted with their own
thoughts, and filed with mixed
emotions of pleasure and pain.
"Jessie, ''said her lover, Il would
like you TO come to the cliff every
morning, until / come home, and
think of my return. and how happy
we shall be together. j viii think
OF you, and pray for your welfare a.
the same hour, and il shall be still
another link TO bindus TO each other.
You will wear the basket always,
Iove?"
Always, Philip. Your every
| wish is a command to me. Every
morning will come to the cliff"
ssThanks, dearest, but l would not
be too eXacting- i do. not ask you
to come in sterms."
"God grant there may be no
storms until YOU return safe, Philip"
I -. 1la r,..us-ar.. l.rff coma
nv time grows short. ! must see
your father and mother a few mo-
ments.n
They turned toward the cottage,
and Jessie never forgot how blue the
sky was, that seemed to blend so
brightly above the sorTowful part
ing.
Ii was all over at last; the last
words said, the last kisses and ca
resses exchanged, and jessie, from
the summit of the hIll-path, had seen
her lover turn to wave her last
goodbye.
With tear-blinded eyes, the girl.
graspfsEg the little trinket Philips
had placed round her neck, made her
way to the cliff, and sat dumbiy thro'
the long, bright hours, watching the
mocking water, dotted with white,
distant sails, thinking only that she
was alone, and wondering which OF
the far-off specks was bearing her
love from his home and her. Only
as night came did she leave her post
and seek her fathers cottage.
Long and wearisome were the
days that followed, but in storm and
sunshine, Jessie was always in her
place on the summit of the cliff,
when the sun first lighted up the
waters of the bay, and when his
broad disc dipped below the west
ern horizon.
Her parents said but little to her
ON the subject, aware of her deep
attachment to the young sailor, and
furthermore, enlightened by Jessie's
reply when gently demonstrated
with, by her mother, cit was Phil
ip's wish" and no more was said
The days of storm and wind were
sore trials to the loving girl, and of
ten would she lie awake through
the long, night hours, shudderingiy
listening to the roar of the surf, and
shrek of the wind, praying for the
safety of the vessel which bore all
that was dearest TO her upon earth.
The days swelled into weeks, the
weeks went swiftly by, snd Philips
arrival was daily expected. Jessie
was scarcely ever absent from the
cliff, and every species of sailing
craft that came within her range of
vision, was closely scrutinized, as III
TO determine whether or not IL was
the sail she looked for; but her
watch was fruitless.
Uneasiness ripened into anxiety,
and anxiety was merged in dread,
as time passed, and still he came not.
Jessie's eyes grew hollow and her
check pale with her weary waiting.
But the end was at hand. One even
ing, as she drew near the house, she
heard strange voices within, and
lingering In the endeavor TO catch
the tones, she caught sounds of IA
miIiar works, Philips name, and
that of his vessel. looted to the
sDot, with straining ears, every syl-
liable falling like knells upon her
heart, she heard the voice relate the
intelligence of the wreck of Philips
ship, and the loss of all ON board,
with the exception of one man, who,
after drifting about for many hours,
was at length rescued by passing
vessel.
Jessie listened 10 the end, all
things growing darker as the tale
proceeded, then consciousness van
lished, and she lay like dead thing
across the threshold.
They raised her gently, and car
ried her to her low bed, deeply
| grieved to know that she had been
SO rudely acquainted with the sad
story they intended to have broken
TO her gently by degrees,
After long swoon, Jessie opened
her eyes, and returned TO a full real
| ization of her bereavement; but
when her friends looked 10 see her
break ont into weeping and wild
sorrow, they were amazed to see
her stony calmness, and still more
so, when she announced her inten-
ton of going into thS world TO seek
Philip.
''He is not dead. know lac is
not dead" was her reiterated reply
TO all expOstuiation. ''1f one was
saved, why not another! lam going
to seek him." and seeing it was use
lass to reason with the stricken
mind, her parents acquiesced, and
she started on her quest, only prom
ising to return If il were fruitless.
So the years went by. Every sea-
port town on the coast had been
trodden by Jessie's wandering foot
steps. In every harbor her thin,
pale face, with its wistfil eyes, was
familiar to the sbipTaasters, and
even the sailors had learned 10 look
upon her with pity
Often she would visit her homo
and old haunts, spending her hours
upon the cliff,
HWbere her dim ewes wistfully
Chased the white sails Ger the sea-
But her fancies seemed all at once
to have taken a new turn. 1t was
now the marine hospitals and sail
ors' homes she visited, and her sad
story having preceded her, she was
received everywhere, her gentle
ways and loving hands making her
welcome guest.
One day the hospital which was
her abode, received several new in
mates, some of whom had been Civ
en- over by medical authority, and
brought to the hospital to end their
days.
Poor, battered specimens of hu-
manity they were, and Jessie felt
her heart sink and rebel at the
thought that her Philip, if living,
might resemble one of these poor
wretches' As usual she assisted
the nurses in caring for the suffer
ers, and followed from cot to cot in
her kindly ministrations.
One Of sne nurses asked particu-
larry her aid in assisting her TO raise
one of the patients, and stood beside
her in an instant, bending over the
sufferer.
Nothing. in the attenuated figure,