The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-03-12


a glance; the tired girl had been
resting while her clothes were boil
ing had fallen to sleep.
He looked with an eye of pity on
the fair young girl, all too slender
for such heavy manual work, ana
then without necessary noise he
piled the dying fire with fagots, and
then Selling a pail near he filled the
waiting tubs with pure spring water
and cautiously retraced his steps
Meanwhile, Jette was far away in
the land of dreams. At first
these dreams were confused and
hazy, but after a while dream land
seemed to resolve itself into a Ger
tainty, and a small, slight, but coal
black gnome stood before her. His
eyes were like pointssof light, and
he seemed to be made of the glitter
ing coal Jette was used to seeing.
She gazed steadily at him, SO
strange, yet seeming so benign.
"Jette Hastings" the curious be
ing said, 81 am the coal sprite.
The time of your sorrow is short.
You will think that you are wrong
ed, but take that is offered you.
The coal sprite has come to your
assistance, and soon will bear
your burdens from YOU"
And now he picked ups her pail
and filed her tubs with the glitter
ing water from the spring.
She stirred slightly and opened
her eyes, and what was her aston
ishment to see a young man work
ing busily over her tubs.
Jette closed her eyes until he
had finished his work and departed
and then she sprang to her feet say
ing to herself
"What a strange thing, and why
should he fill my tubs2 He must
certainly be one of those engineers,
and is certainly kind hearted"
And then the vividness of her
dream drove all else from her mind.
"The coal sprite What strange
dream! And l can remember every
word it said, too" And she repeat
ed word for word the singular dream
and finished by copying it in her
note book.
Then she glanced at the well
filed tubs, and laughing softly,
said,-
"What must he think of me, tc
sleep in such an open place. L won
der who he can beP"
But she returned to the mountain
house that evening with a lighter
heart.
HAS the administrator beer
here?' she asked, when she me
Mrs. Hastings in the kiJcheR.
eyes; and he has decided to give
1 you the highest part, and it will bt
settled upon you by-and by"
"You Will take what the Law give
you," replied Mrs. Hastings sternly
'And the law gives US eighteen
months, and we have decided t.
wait it the entire time"
Jette felt very angry, but thu
words of the dream came back t.
her with strange face.
Take that which is offered you
You will think that you are wrong
ed but take that which is offered
you."
She crowded back her anger, and
made no reply.
When Leola came into tea that
night, flushed and triumphant
with Mr.. Fay in attendance, Jette
flushed hotly; but she remembered
that he thought her sleeping, and
so she feigned utter unconscious
ness.
The companions of Mr.. Fay
| joined him the next day, and the
work on the new road began; but
all his evenings were spent at the
mountain house, sand in some way
brighter days for Jette> Hastings
began also.
The young man spent almost eve
ry leisure moment by her side pro-
posing to give her lessons on her
mothers piano. Jette very grace
fully accepted, unawed by Mrs.
Hastings frown, and she progress
ed rapidly in spite of every obsta-
Gle.
One day Leola and her mother
held a consultation all by them
selves.
This must be put a stop to-"
said the young lady with tears in
her eyes; she fancisd she loved
Burt Fay very dearly. "She is so
set up learning to play that she
thinks she will come between US if
she can"
The MONDAY stage next day
held ayOung lady passenger. Jette's
passage had been given her to 3 rel
ative's in Virginia, and she had
been hurried away without time for
a farewell to any one. Her piano
and many others which were her
mothers had been left behind; but
she had nowhere to take them,
and Mrs. Hastings calculated on
them as her own prey.
About half way down the noun
tain side the stage stopped where
the work on the railroad was going
on, and passenger entered. Itw was
Mr.. Fay, who smiled pleasantly
when he saw Jette. 'Ah, Miss
Jette," said he, sit is pleasant to
have agreeable company. am go
ing down to Dudley to send the en-
gineer up with my engine, the
Coal Sprite;' the rails are laid half
way up now; we will soon be as
high as the mountain house"
r''What did you call it?' asked
Jette, recalling her dream.
THE Coal Sprite,' with the car
which carries our engineering out
it," said he, smiling. "And you
are probably on a shopping expedi-
ton to Dudley. May L wait and |
return with your"
"No," said Jette, swallowing
lump in her throat, 81 am going |
away forever, Mr.. Fay, to my uncle's !
in Virginia"
esT. - fbi. enIJop T.+4o ~ - /