The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1878-01-25
Jessica leland's De-
CiSiOn

Must it be, then, that our happy,
happy summer is to end thus?
Jessica Leland looked up into
the glowing, handsome face bend
ing eagerly above her; but her
lover saw no satisfactory answer
in the sad but resolule face. He
turned away with an impatient ges-
ture, but the gentle touch of her
hand on his arm restrained him.
1t would not be right Geordle,
to tie you down iu your young
manhood to a burden which it Is
best that should bear alone My
affec ion for my mother will make
my CONTINENT by her sick bed less
irksome; but you have not grown
to love her all your life as | have
done, and you would be almost to
tally deprived Of my society. The
doctor says it may be a case re-
quiring constant nursing for years,
while another attack may take her
from me at any moment. ND.
Then who could be so fitting a
comforter in this great affection as
one who loves you with his whole
heart? You need not fear that |
should grow weary. One look at
your face would pay me for hours
of wailingl Try me-the Gordons
a.e loyal race. 1t is a matter OF
pride 10 Us all that from the found~
ing of the family we have not the
recreant to trust or false to a lady
love.
Jessica looked at him again,
thinking what noble face it was.
The eyes so dark in their blue as
to be taken for black-the broad
iorehead-the straight, evenly PEN
cllod brows-the clear cut lips,
shadowed by a silken mustache-lor
Geordle was barely twenty, al
though six feet tall. and massive in
proportion to his hight. But though
her heart pleaded strongly for him
she persisted in her refusal.
g.! shall never marry, Geordie.
You must forget me. You are too
young TO griere long.
Say that i'll wait-ten-twenty
years-no matter how long; and
come to you-you will reward me
for my patient fidelity.
No! that would be binding you
to me, perhaps for your whole life.
1t would be TOO selfish. Goodbye.
She lurned 10 go.
Jessica! Love! do not part from me
% coldly! Let me take with me he
memory Of one kiss, that | may feel
n my heart that you are not indiffer-
en, to me, though SO cruel.
Jessica hesitated, then she put up
per pure lips, murmuring, 0 no! not
.ruel! You will see it in its true
light sometime, as Georde caught
Ter to his breast in lingering, pas
'ionate embrace.
The girl could feel that every fibre
y his strong frame quivered with
motion, and it was with difficulty
eat she could restrain herself from
Crying out:J
Stay, Geordie, l love you! / love
you! But in her intense abnegation |
of sell she still kept silent, in an
other moment she was alone, her
lips thrilling to the ever-to, be-re-
pressure OF her lovers |
first, and alas his farewell kiss.
When the cause for self,contfol
existed no longer, the girl gave way.
With a long low cry she threw her.
self prone upon the floor. and moaned
o my darling! my darling! if you
only knew how every throb of my |
heart made answer to your appeal;
but could not let you be sacrificed!
Time wore on unheeded. Then |
the repeater on the mantle struck
the hour, and Jessica remembered |
that she had duties to attend to. |
She hastened to her mother, whose |
illness, caused by a sud.
ien stroke ofparalysis, had caused |
her to refuse The young lover, whose |
devotion to her through The summer
rad made her life like q beautiful
idyl. Her darling widowed parent
should never be neglected for a |
stranger, though her
heart should break at parting.
But she was made of more endur-
ing material than that. In the calm
face which bent over her invalid,
and smoothed the hair, from her
forehead with such tender touch,
,hara uae look of noaca Cba