The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-11-10
Written for the
OUR JESSIE.

Ofall sweet things in this world, Il young
zirl who ], Just becoming conscious of hcrwo-
manhood +, Ia me the sweetest; and of all
sweet .irl.. none could Doe Swcctcr than our
Jessie. -aading with her plump little boot on
me strap Of her huge Saratoga hold
ing it firmly. too, for there is strength and de.
termination in that small foot. though it looks
ike thing to be cartsscd by the sotlest OF
grass blade, and the lovingcst of field flowers
rather than like "a pioneer 10 scenes OF suffer
ing; from which las, may God preserve it.
Who ever on first bcholding face, found 1t
IN the least like the previous conception,
though formed from the most accurate dcscrip-
Ion? II | should tell YOU Of the large, brown
eyes, red lips and-wcll none of Jcssie'S nc.
yfuaintanccs ever call her hair red, though |
sometimes wonder if the charm Of It's color
does not lie in that very suspicion of the TT
5oocd tint which malicious person might
iiscoycr:-if | should describe all these, how
should convey to you an idea of the peculiar
expression. which lies neither in eyes nor in
hair nor in The soft glow of the smooth skin
nut i Just the blosSoming Of JcSsic's own lit
pc self?
As She stood there glowing with the excite
Jnent Of change and adventure how my hear
revclcd in the zcSt Of anticipation that shall
come To me hcnccforh only at second hand
For our Jessie was going TO boarding school
was about Ia escape from the mOnOtonouS SOci
ETY. of ovcrndulgent papa and cousin Patty
20 share in the community of feeling, the gen
crous impulses, the good resolutions and I'll,
defiance Of authority that make up the dclgh
Of schoolgirls life. How gaily she sale
goodbye TO old friends and places and trippc'
nto the car that was carrying away Il large
portion Of the sunshine of papas and cousin
Pattys life than they cared 10 confess. Sh
even smiled upon the conductor, who held on
his hand 10 help her, as if She thought him tn
magician about 10 speak the open sesame tina
should admit her into the charming world sh,
vas 80 eager To enter. What glowing letter
came back Ia us filled with the doing, an,
sayings and appearances of the person, an,
things about her After awhile they were lc,
frequent aud glowing, to w. sure, but then sh
was studying hard, and finally preparing 10
commencement.
All tina, was last !c;n. Til, year She pack
I'll her trunk very sobcrly, and the face tina
Vas pressed Ia the car window a. il passed In
platform on which we stood, was wet witt
tear, that she did not strive 10 hide For
know what ii i. to Dc homc,ick now" ,h
had confessed 20 me when | had been almo-
vcXcd with her seeming indifference about In
arrangements We were making for her comior
during ihc year "and when the world look
just a. blark "a, can be-. trillc more or lcs,
Of small account"
One thing She did show interest in indeed, br
in a totally different manner from that we ha
anticipated. When Nellie Edwards, moihC
told H. that her dan hicr WIS 20 accompan
Jessie this year, We thought she would be d
lighted. - the girls have been plavmatcs froI
babyhood. But She received the news with
jerk that ripped the ba,ting threads from III
shoulder seams of the new polonaise WI
fitting To her plump 1gurc. and declared IN,
if Nell Edwards waited for her e. in,roduc
her TO Rock Valley Seminary. she would wa
till She had more gray hairs than were /
Cousin Psny's new switch.
why, I always thought you liked Nellie,
Iveniurcd