Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-02-14
ALIEGANY

still love and happiness for her yet.
And then bright face crowned with
curly brown hair would come before her,
and she knew that neither the hand
some house nor the comfortable income
could ever fill her heart if Charlie left
an aching void there.
Suddenly, like gust of wind, there
swept into the little sitting room tall,
broad shouldercd young man, in gray
tweed suit and slouch hat, which lat
ter article found a resting place upon
the floor, as the giant braced himself
before Jessie in an attitude of grim de-
tiauce that sent thrills of glad music
into her heart.
"Will you have the kindness, Miss
Markham" )" said tire intruder, towering
in his six feet of manhood over Jessie's
low seat. to tell me what you mean by
the absurd letter Polly handed me? !?
Was it not understood that you and |
were to share this cottage with your
mamma until l attained sufficient legal
eminence to warrant the purchase of Il
brown stone front in New York? Was
| not del,lded in the belief that your
presence in the culinary department of
our establishment was to reduce our ex-
pcnscs to the limits of our present in
come? Was it not represented to me
that my present hoard was sufficient to
meet the requirements of two in this
domicile? In short, Miss Markham, in
what way was 1 ever led to suppose
that the fortune of your spinster annt
was to influence in the slightest degree
your matrimonial intentions in regard
to myself? | pause for a reply"
Jessie stood up, her hands meekly
folded together, and her happy eyes
downcast till the long lashes kissed her
cheek.
" Please forgive me this time, and I'll
the laugh dimplcd her cheek, danced in
her eyes, and rippled out clear and sweet
upon the air.
d" Oh, Charlie. Charlie !! I knew
you never thought of Aunt Jessic's
money!
"And you" said Charlie, holding her
off at arms length, "you can have it all
if you give ne up
"A AS if | loved money better than
you," said Jessie, nesting now in
strong arms wrapped closely around
her.
1t seemed, however, as if Charlie
was actually afraid of the money that
was so temptingly near Jessie's grasp,
for he commenced a series of interviews
that bore entirely upon the subject of
an immediate marriage.
What is there to wait for" he
would ask, and then enter upon calcula-
tions of his present expenses and those
nf IN f,,f Il al
that there was decided saving for both
in uniting their incomes.
You remind me-" said Jessie, "of
the Dutchman who said he could al
most support himself alone. and it was
pity if two of them could not do it
entirely"
But, though she laughed at him, Jes-
sic was quite willing to admit the force
of his reasoning and one bright June
morning, six months after Aunt Jessie S
death, there was wedding in the vii
lage church, and breakfast in the cot
tage for few chosen friends Among
these was Aunt Jessie's lawyer, for the
will stipulated that the sealed codicil
was to be opened at Jessie's wedding, if
she preferred love to money.
The bride was little paicr than
usual, when, with solemn face, the
New York lawyer broke the big red
seal. Visions of John Garland hold
ing drunken revels in her aunt's house
fitted across her mind, and then she
looked into Charles face, and oven
her own crept an expression of perfect
content
The will was opened, and found to
contain only letter directed to Jessie,
and short, legally y-worded formula
making herself and her chosen husband
joint inhcritors of her aunt's fortune.
Tearfully the bride opened the letter
from the dead.
81 do not" she wrote, "tapprove OF
the money power in family being en-,
tircly in the hands of woman there,
fore, you will find, dear Jessie, that
half of my fortune only is yours,
the remaining half to go to the
husband who has proved he loved you
for your own sweet self, not for your
fortune"
During the wedding tour of the young
couple, Mrs. Markham, at their earnest
solicitation, took an atfectionate fare
well of her pupils, and removed hel
household treasures to the New York
mansion, to which, in due time, came
Charlie and Jessie to brighten the long
silent rooms with their happiness, and
established that loving circle which
makes home of any house, however
grand or however humble.