American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-05-15
vol. XIV.

ali ne had. He's crazy aa Job-crazy,
call il Plenty of pretty gals, and
healthy, smart widows, and he sees nc
one but that pale, slim, little thing that's
inst eoae Out into the mud and she :
why, of course, she's lost her senses, OF
she'd have him. Works like q slave to
keep herself and the child, lives in q
rickety shanty, wsiring and waiting fol
drowned man 20 como back again. Why
everyone knows Charlie Lester was
drowned in the Sphynx. There wasn't q
soul saved, not one, 3 Il was IN the pa.
pers. Now, the bottle was found with a
letter in it, writ by some one just before
the ship sunk. And she's waitin' for
him YETI
master. We'll, poor soul, she'd only
been nafried a week when the Sphynx
sailed: that makes difference"
sob, yes," said the farmer.
Z. Then, their parcels being ready, they
went out to their wagons, and Mr.. Fair
john having stared out into the rainy
night awhile put up his shutters and went
to bed. Meanwhile the woman plodded
on through the mud. Walking off her
disappointment" she said to herself. 1t
was one she should have been used to,
and now the absurdity of it seemed to
strike her for the first time in all these
years.
They laugh at me-" she muttered to
hersslf. Il know they laugh at me.
Perhaps am mad ;sbut they don't know
what love is. Charlie wouldn't have left
me like that. If he had died he would
have given me some sign; aud yet-yet,
n he were alive II would be stranger
still. No, no; they are right am
wrong. He must be dead"
Knd rs though the news had just been
whispered to her she ciasped her hands
to her foEehead,s gave cry and sank
down on her knees in the road.
She kneit there a few moments and
then arose. In this interval the wind
had Blown the clouds from the sky and
the moonlight lay white upon the path
and lit her on her way to her poor home.
There at the door sat a man, a strong,
determinedslooking fellow, who arose as
she approached and held out his hand.
Here You COME" he said, "tired to
death, worn out, sill on that ,fruitless err
rand. Jessie Lester, can't you give up
this nonsense and think of theliving a
hslef Think Of me, Jessie, orjust half
az do tbinksf-ysu.n she said az am
very sorry youshoulds be SO good to me
whed l-must seem SO bad toyou."
soek her little heodof and Isaned her
bead weerily against the-wa1 of the
A6use and the man arpse and crossed
Overland eat down beside her.
GIVE Il s03ter resting place. essie, :"
he said Sshere on my heart"
She Looked ont Into the night not at
FsJob," sls said, Il begin to think you
are right, fhat- he went down in the
SPHINX with the rest ten years ago. But
wh8 good would Isdg ypd? What do
you vel 70 marry mefsff"
The man drew closer still as he
answered:
Before you. were married to Charles
Lester 4 loved yoa- While you were a
ten years since that vessel went down
I've leved you. "A man must have the
woman he loves if he gives his souLfor
hers,i .ss. - - Xxx
:. What. q horrible thoughtp said she.
!" His soul"
a should have said his life, !" said Job.
/" don't want to shock you. But you
don't know what il would be TO me to
9ayeyou. And then I'd do everything
for your boy"
Yes:" she answered, 81 know you
7ssrs IVES : pause. Then she gave
him her hand s---gi.s,--r -
Jot," she said. very softly, /" rshalI
pretend nothing don't feel, but know
I've been crazy all this time, and if you
want, pe you may have me. Its very
soou OF you 70 love me So. -
And thus Il sseemed to have ended,
thatten years watching and waiting, and
there was uiumphsin Jobs eyes as he
turned Awsysand left her with his first
kiss upon her lips. But at the. end of
the green lane he paused and looked
back VI - ks 81
Eto1d her the truth, he said, when
told her that when a man loved a.
u rthe price were his soul itseH.n - -
And then he drew from his breast "a
!etter with q great red seal upon. it,
! ,o ,"a - Z. 1or moment and MD It
away again.
ried! EVERYONE At McKibben's Corners
knew that now. Jessie Lester went no
more TO the postoftice for her long-ex
pected letter Job was furnishing his
house-had furnished it, for on the NOR
row the wedding was to take place. And
1t was night again. A month from that
night when she had come for the last
time, as everyone thought, through rain
ana muo, 10 make her sadly-foolish
4uery, she was sensible at last-very sen
sible. She had chosen the substance IN
stead of the shadow. =
8 Ana now 40 wess,d ssnh. -
a wetter one than that otber-iansr tno
for MI. Fairiohn had closed the store .
and vaa comooundino for h;useif wha,
he called a fnioht- can'rof somc fra ora,,t
iioi,or warm water lemons and &C.,, ~
and was supnine it nv the stove w,5sn
there came uponhis door = fee i5ie knock.
and when. being repeated, he heard it,
else "A c,tTo that - T.ss;o 7 800. ~