Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-08-25
ONLY A SUMMER DREAM


gladness, and sunshine, and young girl
tripping up green lane edged with a
trimly-clipped hedge, her berry basket
swinging from her arm, and her dimpled
face crimson with health, and exercise,
as she danced into the tidy door-yard of a
cosy farmhouse, singing as gaily as the
thrushes in the dewy meadows by the riv-
er side. Her blue Bingham dress was
damp with dew, and chung to her figure
like wet rag; her hat was battered and
torn with brambles, but underneath its
tattered rim danced pair Of blue eyes,
that shone like stars, and curling down
about the ivory-white throat were rings of
hair that looked like waves of yellow gold.
She was as lovely a picture of beauty I'M
adorned, as one could imagine: but when
is pure, Supplemented young girl not
beautiful? And Jessie Harper, in spite of
her seventeen years, was as guileless as a
little child, and as the waxen lilies she
loved to gather from the perfumed waters
Of "Lily pond"
'Mother, y shouted the fresh young voice
as she entered the breezy hall, ''theress
not a berry in the clearing; but the lily
buds are just open"
Jessie paused in charming confusion:
for stranger stood in the cool hall talk
ing to her fnother-a stranger, young and
hansome, although his delicate face lacked
the hue of health
"This is Mr.. Jannings. our summer
boarder, my daughter" said her gentle
faced mother, with a disappearing glance
at her daughters flushed face, and dew
wet garments,
sMr. Jannlngs?" cried Jessie, with the
frank lmpulsiveness cf a child, as she laid
her dimpled fingers in the thin palm of the
stranger, "Why, 1 thought Mr.. Jannings
was old, and-''
"Ugly" laughed Mr.. Jannings, as he
gazed admiringly into the lovely face,
thinking in his heart what very sweet
and piquant face it was.
Eyes, just that!" laughed Jessie, with
drawing her hand with vivid blush, and
darling out through a side door like a
frightened bird.
s'She is such child" was the quiet
mothers apology, as Jessie disappeared
among the vines that clustered about the
kitchen porch, singing, whistle and I'll
come to you, my lad "And all the COM
fort we have"
Mr.. Paul Jannings gazed at the CULVER
ing vines that hid Jessie's sylph-like figure
from him and thought it must be rare
comfort, indeed, to have such face as
that forever at ones heart-stone.
He had more than once rebelled against
his physicians orders, "a quiet summer at
some country farmhouse" but if this
young. girls company was as charming as
her face, he did not dread the languid days
and silent purple twilight hours that had
been such a horror to him,
AS for Jessie, she was too much bewild-
cred by Mr.. Jannings' youthful appearance
to think clearly on any subject. She had
expected him to be old. ugly, equity and
whimsical-all her mothers former board
ers had been that-but instead, she saw a
tall, graceful, youthful man, with the most
| bewitehing velvety black eyes in the world,
not too i'll to be cross, or helpless to excite
all her womanly sympatbies in his favor.
But she resolutely avoided him all that
day, only singing softly to herself. when
she knew he was resting on the lounge in
the parlor; and when all her evening work
was done, went off by herself, down the
path that led to the lily pond, leaving Mr..
Jannings to enjoy his cigar on the shady
portico. But Paul Jannings' sharp black
eyes caught a glimpse of white dress dis
appearing through the shrubbery, and in
an instant his cigar was flung into the
grass, and he was following Jessie at a
swinging pace.
81 declare I feel stronger already,' he
said to himself, as he drew in great mouth
fuls Of the delicious evening air. An in
crease of strength he rejoiced in, moment
later, for when he reached the bank of the
pond, Jessie was standing upright in a
frail shell of a boat, which by some mis-
chance or other, struck projecting root,
and capsized, hurting Jessie into mass of
water-lily plants, whose fbrous roots held
her down. Paul leaped into the water and
drew her out, painting and halt-smothered.
"What did you follow me for?" was Jes.
sizes petulant query, when they reached
the bank.
"To save you from drowning, sup
pose," was Mr.. Jannings' reply as he
leaned heavily against a tree. for the sud
den fright and exertion had almost mas.
tered his strength Jessie was vigorously
wringing the water out of her dripping
garments, but she glanced up earnestly
into his pale face, the weakness in his
voice alarming her.