Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-09-09
PEACH STONES.
BY cLEPHANE RIrcHIE.

/ lie was brown and stalwart, with
merry blue eyes, and jovisl, hearty
voice; she was a little chipsparroW
of a girl, with wistful look, and
quiet tone and movement. His
name was Philip, and hers, Jessie.
They sat together on \ rough bench
outside the door Of her fathers
house, eating peaches, and merry
were the words that passed between
them.
"Wilt XIII thvself eating peaches,
Philip?'' asked the girl. .-rhe bas-
ket is nearly empty, shall ] I'LL il
again?"
'sNay, no more now, Jessie. These
may be the last peaches / shall eat
for many q day. There's no fruit
like these, for richness and flavor,
and no maiden in the world so fair
as she who brings them tome"
''No fiattery, Philip"
/ ''Sober truth, darling; don't for
get the promise made so little time
ago. Can any peach be sweeter TO
me than these!" with a playful kiss
on the red lips.
tSWho knows what may happen
before the time comes TO redeem it,
The cruel seal dread IL. Stay at
home with me, Philip"
Little prophecies Of evil what
is there to fear? The sea is my mis-
tress, next to you. My ship is stout
and new; only one voyage more is
needful; then i shall come home TO
be with you always"
"But dread il, Philip"
''NO more, my desiing. See, here
are two peaches remaining. l have
a thought; we viii eat them 10 my
sure return handing her one as he
spoke.
Pretty Jessie's lip quivered, slight
ly, as she swallowed the golden fruit
in silence, but as she raised her hand
to cast away the stone, Philip stop
ped her.
"Wait a moment, Jessie. l have
not told you all my thought. will
make a basket out of each stone;
YOU shall wear one, 1 the other
They will be little nementOes of to-
day, and a seal of my promise to re-
turn soon. What say you, Migno-
mie2"
''If it pleasCs you, Philip, it will
please me-"
$50 be it, then, and tomorrow,
when ! come to say goodbye l will
''To sail so soon? o, Philip, Phil
| ipp'
II thought you were brave girl,
Jessie: what does this mean2 You
have never moaned about my voyage
before; and now this, the las, my
darling, / should think smiles would
be more plentiful than tears. Come,
/ frHfr.l~ - N.nf - !. a.
in the future. Let everything be
bright and joyous against / come
home: and let the thought be with
you that it is my last voyage. See,
the sun is going down, and l must
leave you. l will come tomorrow,
early and bring the baskets. Good
night, sweet one"
lie kissed her as he spoke, and
rose. Keeping bravely back her
tears, Jessie returned his caress, and
stood watching him over the hill,
until he was out OF sight. Then she
| turned and entered her home, full of
the sorrow and dread of coming
separation.
Philip and Jessie were both fisher
mems children. They had played
| together in childhood, and as they
| grew older, shared mutual conf
dences, until the friendship had
ripened into love.
Philip was a successful and pros
perous young coaster, and part own
er of the vessel in which he sailed;
but the prospect of still more adj
vanta0eous employment on shore,
coupled with Jessie's dread of the
sea, decided him to abandon sea-
faring life.
Only one more voyage was neces-
sary, ere he could take up his new
emplOyment in earnest; and he was
surprised to hear Jessie's expressed
| feeling in regard 20 it.-she, who
| had hitherto seen him depart with
out word.
Somewhat vexed at her super
| stitiOus folly, as he termed II, but
net a whit daunted by her forebod-
ings, he completed his arrangements,
and then set TO work on the peach
stones he had brought away with
him. Using knife and file with dex-
trous fingers, he soon had the fairy
baskets fashioned to his thought,
mingling with the grating of the file,
unuttered thoughts and loving wish
es, frightened by the hopes of a rosy
future, of which the fragile toys
| were souvenir and token. Finished
at last, polished with sand paper,
until they shone again, and daintily
vanished, Philip laid them careful
ly away and sought his chamber
His drems were of Jessie and the
sea.
The golden sun woke him betimes,
and hurrying through his last prep
arations, grudging every moment
with loves impatience. he was soon
on his way to Jessie's home. The
petite figure was waiting for him al
the summit of the hill-path, the sun
light on her hair, and the iovelight
in her eyes. Philip thought, for the
first time, almost with a pang, OF
the long separation that must elapse,
and the days that must pass, ere he
could greet again the shy, tender
maiden, or read his welcome in her
loving eyes.
But he put away all these feelings
as unworthy of him, and resolved To
look on the bright side, if only for
Jessie's sake, during the coming
parting; so putting on his sunniest
look, he met her.
They walked on for little dis
lance without speaking, when Philip
broke the silence.
"A penny for your thoughts, Jes-
sic. Where are your good wishes
for the prosperity of my voyage?"
! She looked up, and he saw she was
struggling with her tears.
my love, my darling, must chide
you. Ny brave little sea-maiden,
why do you weep? Jessie, l thought
you were as bravo a fisherman's
daughter as ever trod the shingle in
storm"
THAT was long ago, Philip, but
now have such dread of the sea-
the cruel, treacherous sea. | fear
for you, Philip, feel no good will
come to you from this last voyage. y
Distressed at the turn the conVer-
sation had taken, and hardly know
ing how TO beguile her mind from
the idea that evidently possessed it.
Philip endeavored to turn her atten-
tion to something else, and for that
purpose, produced the baskets he
had made the evening before.
She uttered cry of delight as lac
placed them in her hand. They had
brought about the diversion desired,
80, Philip, how exquisitel'' She
cried; "and one is for me?''
Eyes, and the other is mine, Here.
let me put it round your neck" lac
continued, drawing from his pocket,
a fine, silver chain, on which he pro-
ceeded to string one of the baskets
she passively asserting.
Now, jessie" said he as he fin.
ished, Il viii wear mine in the same
way, and they shall be pledges OF
our love and faith in each other.
viii replace it, when 1 return, bv !
} gold cross, if do we'll"
"Never miEd the. gold, Philip; SC
you come home safe and unharIneo