Smyrna times., 1876-12-13

shown too much preference to some smooth
tongued stranger and made her old friends
jealous she told me of it. If fell in love
which | did in those days about once a
week-Jessie was the recipient of my rhap-
sodies, and if any one of the young men of
the neighborhood succeeded in getting his
courage up to the point of proposing to
Jessie-not very rare occurrence was
the first, and generally the only person,
who knew of the poor fellows overthrow.
Heretofore we had agreed charmingly,
but now we were at open issue, and Idelia
Vaughn was the rock upon which we split.
Of course, when l told that young lady
(twenly-six is not too old for young lady
is it girls?l that was her slave and would
wish no higher mission than to escort my
being to the fullfllment of her highest
desire, told Jessie of it the next day,
whereupon she gave me the little bit of her
mind, with which have opened my story
As my cousin founced out of the room
there came ring at the front door, and
Grey EndIcott came in.
Grey and | were old friends-we had
been boys together-and had every reason
to believe that lie had a very tender affec-
ton for Jessie. He used to see her every
year or two-not oftener-and be singularly
attentive to her sister when he visited
Milestone Centre, where she lived, or when
she went to see her friends in the city
where he had, fguratively, pitched his tent.
The visit over, they would separate, and
both be much given to signing and medita-
| ting for week or two.
Grey would spree it pretty stoutly after
such visit, and my poor little cousin would
fiirt with a pertinacity worthy of better
cause than sheer desperation.
Her affection for Grey Endicott was the
one sole thing she never confessed to me
l strongly suspected that Grey himself re
ceived that part of her confidence.
Just now he happened to be on a summer
sojourn to Milestone Centre, and he anc
Jessie were going it very strong. The frs
words he said on entering were:
Glow dye do, my old boy. Where's Mis-
| Jessie?''
''Just gone out-i'll call her.
found her in an adjoining room befor,
the glass. She had heard Greys voice, O
knew his ring, and quite naturally discover
ed that her collar was little awry, or he
hair was coming down. 1t was one of Jes
sizes peculiarities that her hair was alway
coming down.
When we entered the sittingroom agail
Grey took Jessie's hand as pious Hindo
might take hold of his pet idol.
This interesting religious ceremony owe
he stated the object of his visit to be tn
arrangement of party to 60 to the Tide
mill House-a favorits watering-place abou
twenty miles off, where parties frequentl
went for jaunt. A gentleman an
his wife-friends of Grey Endicott-wsr
going, and wanted some young folks to a,
company them to make it pleasant. Wit
this idea they had commissioned Grey I
make up little coterie.
} "If Miss Jessie will accompany us, and
you can get some agreeable young lady t
accompany you," said Grey to me, 81 thin
we may have very pleasant time"
/ Charmingl Miss Idelia and must g,
2 of course, thought. pictured to myse
the delight we should have in wanderin
r by the shore and picking up shells an
enjoying the fresh," as the French say,
e sitting upon the front piazza of the It'd
. mill House in the moonlight. We must g
J, and Idelia should write poem on ii
), sojourn.
r My cousin Jessie interrupted my medit
tions with what seemed to me like a vol
J. malicious and uncalledfor remark.
e 'If you take that Vaughn thing | won
go"
Grey looked imploringly at me, but I W
determined, and merely retorted:
''Then my dear child, you will not 60
'r By some means unknown to me Cir
l. succeeded in persuading her to change h
n resolution and to accompany us, even
"that Vaughn thing was of the party.
At was very persuasive fellow-was Grey F
O. dicott-especially with some folks.
10 The morrow was fixed upon for our tr
c. which was to last two or three days. '
e. got together large assortment of fshi
as tackle, baskets, etc, and Grey laid in
ly ample supply of cigars.
e. "For," said he, take my advice a
IN never smoke a watering-place cigar-it "
IN be something to haunt you on your dea
t bed, if you do"
n Two stages bore US to South Milestone
~ two miles from the Centre-and Sun
Is sort of single barreled steamer bore
x the rest of the way. Miss Idelia Vaug
ty and myself occupied one stage, while Gl
and Jessie made themselves miserably HI
by, with Grey's married friends, in
=" other.
;" When we arrived at South Milesto
'e' and assembled on the pier, Grey confront
us, and, much to my establishment, hand
my cousin over, to me, and walked N
DIV Idelia on board the boat himself Al
er, followed with Jessie heard him say.
Nh 81 don't know as you are acquainted W