Smyrna times., 1886-03-24
JesSie's ParIor,

An orchard, the branches heavy with |
golden apples, here and there N'ruddy
windfall," half-hidden in the long
grass. and at the foot of the most richly
laden trees a young girl, half-asleep,
with an ill-used book flung carelessly
down, and indolent white arms thrown
above her pretty dark head.
"Jessiel"
She made sleepy little movement,
indicative of annoyance at being inter
rupted in the middle of her siesta.
Jessie l sayw
Miss Jessie rose slowly, and picked
up her book She was tall, straight
girl, of about eighteen years of age,
witlra rather pale face, and gray eyes,
fringed with long, black lashes. These
eyes were her greatest charm. A little
white gate divided the orchard from the
garden, and Jessie passed through it
with exasperating slowness.
Wasthere ever such q grill" thought
her sister. her elder by twenty years, at
least-the daughter of her fathers first
wife.
Caroline had loved her young step
mother, and when she died had tried to
take mothers place to the tiny, dark.
eyed baby she left behind; but jessie
had proved very troublesome charge
"Well," said Jessie, interrogatively
looking at Caroline standing in tn
doorway, with her sleeves tucked mp
and her stout arms covered with houl
"What is it, Caroline ?"
Come and move your rubbish out @
the front room
What for ?" asked Jessie, in undii
guished astOnishment.
because fathers going to let it to
young fellow from London"
Jessie looked indignant. Her parl'
with the piano in it, to be let to son
horrid man, and all her pretty belon
ings to be banished TO her little be
Ioom Oh, it was too bad!
carrie" she said, chow could yc
advise father to do such a thing
never thought we should have to take
l.
where to?" asked the rather matte
of-fact Caroline.
Jessie bit Der lips, and went indoC
20 remove her books and needlew0
from the little parlor that had be
regarded as her especial sanetum eV
since she had entered her teens.
never occurred to Miss Jessie Il
money was rather scarce with her fatf
Just now, and that the lodger wOI
briug grist to the mill. She regar,
the whole thing as conspiracy to m;
her feel uncomfortable
They might have consulted her,
Thought forgetting that she ne
troubled herself ia amy way with
affairs of the household. How
wished she could have her piano carr
Up-staiFs; but that was impossible
vas the chief ornament Of the room,
her father, she knew, would not 81
her TO take it away.
Il shall hate him; know slit
she told herself, thinking of the lod
For the first two or three days
kept carefully out of his way. and
Leith remained unconscious Of the
that he was under the same roof wi
pretty girl. But he made the disco
one afternoon. When wandering thrc
the orchard, with his hands behind
hack, he came suddenly upon a sl
girlish figure, in brown holland, a
hat shading her eyes from the
Wonderful eyes they were-sO
and dark, and utterly bewitching.
was gone like fash, but her i
fingered in Mr. Leith's memory.
He was not very talkatiye
int he began to cultivate Caroline
bricks acquaintance, and soon I
that the girl in the brown holland
was her sister. He grew so fri
that Caroline ventured to ask hi
take tea with them in the kitchen
afternoon. The farmer was quite
ing but Jessie objected most strC
and threatened not 10 come in to
all ltbl
Beside" she said, "what d
gentleman wantin farmhouse kite
However. Dir. Leith seemed
much at home there. and deli
Caroline and her father by his
flashes of wit He did his best 10
tllat afternoon. but was It only
behe6t of the farmer and ais
daughter or did his eyes wander
direction of Jessie's slim figure
ceald not iHde4iand Why Il 81
lie girI always avoided him.
LAD wished b arouse his inter
could not Aaye devised o belte
Her reserve piqced his cnriosi
iaefonn4 lerpretty fass coming 2
bpa ena de raaY % pages
ff1
DAee AZ eeai ~ 5 iong walk.
z fefae IS tle twilight he
g aaa islneel n Iisl
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