The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-02-03
JeSSie'S NeighbOr.
BY LOUISE CHANDLER MoULroN.

they were such near neighbors tina
she looked over, now and then, witt
sort Of idle curiosity. The Orkney
were rich people. Mr.. Orkney ownet
the great, handsome house wheri
they had lived ever since Jessie coulG
remember. It was spacious house
and il fronted on s stately street
where all the houses were elegant ant
substantial. But Jessie's own room
was at the back. She had chosen i
to go out a little from under hel
mothers wing, because it looked into
the garden.
You don't often find gardens il
connection with city houses but
back of the Orkneys was a small, but
very choice one. Such lovely flower
grew there A great bed was full O
lilies-of-the-valley, early in May, in
deed sometimes before April wa
over /; and then in June there were
roses in greater variety, and with
more fine names than / can stop Il
tell. Jessie loved flowers when 6
child, as some children love theil
dolls, almost as If they were human
She had no brothers or sisters, anC
she had fashion of making friends
and companions of all sorts of things
that came in her way. When she
was little toddling girl, hardly big
enough to reach her hand up to a rose
bush, she used to talk to her roses by
the hour together, with a sweet and
tender simplicity, as II perfectly sure
that they understood her. When she
got old enough to have her pretty
chamber looking into the garden all tC
herself, she was happy indeed.
The room was fitted up with every
prettiness that taste could suggest and
money could buy for Jessie was an
only child, and what was all the
money, with which papa Orkney's
great pockets were bulging, good fol-
if not to make his only girls life 8
dream Of beauty? Back of the gar.
den was q passsge-way just wicd
enough for the carts that came with
ice and vegetables. Beyond this were
the small back yards of street OF
humble houses, and then the houses
themselves. The one of these just
opposite Jessie's window had been oc-
cupied for several years by a man
and his wife, whom Jessie used to say
she had got tired Of looking at. They
were commonplace, uninteresting
people in appearance. The woman
had a sort Of aggressive neatness
about her. She used to come out and
attack the back door steps, and the
path leading to the gate, as if here
were an enemy whom she would con-
'quer or die and then go in leaving
everything spotlessly clean, but with
q hue OF depression, as il low in
spirits. Sometimes the man would
make his appearance outside-a stolid
respectable, hard-woIking man he
seemed, but with no interests in life
except to get his days work done, and
no pleasure except to look solemnly
out of the kitchen window, as he sat
there resting after his task was over.
Jessie used to wonder, in the uncon-
scious arrogance Of her happy fortunes
and her bright young beauty, what
God made such people fer, and Why
they didn't get tired Of lie aud go out
of it. They just got something to eat
and to wear by working all the time,
and enjoying nothing-why would il
not be just as well if they they stopped
eating and wearing and working al
together At any rate, she wished
they would move away, and some
one come in their stead for whom she
could entertain a more friendly feel
ing; for neighborliness was a sort OF
instinct with Jessie, and she liked to
make friends of people, just as she did
Of flowers and birds.
At last it seemed as IL part of her
wish was likely to be realized. Not
that "Mr. and Mrs. Sobersides," as
Jessie used to call them, had moved
away. No, Mrs. Sobersides had just
scrubbed off the steps as if she thor
oughly enjoyed her victory over them,
and Mr.. Sobersides had been nome to
dinner, and sat for a few meditative
moments at the kitchen window.
But there was a newcomer. Better
yet, 1t was girl-a girl who seemed
about Jessie's own age, and who was
apparently to have the room precisely
opposite hers, for she was moving
about there, hanging up dresses in
the closet, putting one little article
here and another there, making home
Of the place as girls do.
Here, at last, was something pleas
ant for Jessie to watch besides the
garden-a human flower, in bloom al
ready, this wild, raw March day, be.
fore even the very first crocus had
peaked up its daring little head. Fol
the newcomer had, Sc Jessie thought,
g lovely aspect. She had soft, dark
hair, not crimped after the fashion of
the time, but waved as only Nature
could have waved it, and making the
Ioveliest setting for the clear, pale
face, with its large, thoughtful, al.
most sad gray eyes. The girl wore
the deepest mourning, land that helped
to touch and attract Jessie's tender
heart.
"I know should like herr Jessie
said, having run to her mother with
the tale of her new interest, as she al
ways did run to her mother with ev.
erything.
Mrs. Orkney smiled.
"You are quite sure ?" she said
"Why? Because her eyes are gray,
or because she wears such deep mourn,
ing, or because she is new ?"
"All Of them, perhaps" JESSIE an
sweTed, laughing. "I'm so tired oi
just the same girls. All they think
about is their new gowns and the
brothers,"
Jessie blushed as she spoke. fFThe
brothers" was the funny phrase by
which she was won't to indicate the
young men, who formed so frequent
subject for discussion amony her "set'
of girls. These gentle youths wert
70,
the girls, and that may have suggest.
ed. Jessie's designation for them. She
was a truly delicate girl, this winsomt
Jessie, with q hidden fountain of 70
nance somewhere in her natur,
which made all light nonsense abou
beaux, all playing at love affairs, ab
horrent to her. And over this fac
mamma Orkney daily rejoiced. Sht
was very proud of her one daughter
this happy mother, and you would Sc,
that she had some reason for being 81
/ IL could make q picture of the cir
as she stood there in her careles.
grace.
She was almost sixteen for sh
was born In June, like her own roses
and with the next June would com,
u6E bl4tceutu OiEluUays cue WAS IAll
and slight and blonde, with q com
plexion Of that perfect creamy whit
which grows radiant under gas-light
Her hair was gold-not pale, bu
bright, and it was like a halo abou
her forehead fine, fluffy, radian
halo, which meant hSir-pins owe
night to be sure, but was none tn
| less beautiful. Her eyes were not tn
washed-out, pale blue you see oftenes
with such a complexion, but deep il
color as English violets, an
in moments of excitement, whel
the pupils dilated, looking perfectly
black. Her mother used almost {
tremble, some times, at the though
OF the temptations and dangers whicl
would beset this beautiful darling @
hers, two or three years from now
when she should exchange school 70
society. But there was an innat
purity and strength, an unspoile
I - w.1fnffrr Aa