Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-08-11
JESSIE'S ANSWER.
BY JEFFIE FoRBUsH HANAFoRD.

with wavy mass of brown curls clus-
terlng around broad forehead, turned
from the window and confronted his
pretty listener.
Jessie Southern lifted her bewilder-
ing dark eyes to his face and smiled
gently.
Not now, Chester; am too young
and besides, never want to marry and
settle in this dull place"
But, JESSIE" interposed Chester
Culver, his handsome face flushing, 81
am in business here and doing well,
and so this must be our future home,
at least for the next few years.
"Must?" echoed Jessie, faint smile
playing around the sweet mouth and
calling the bewitchng little dimples
into view. "Why do you say must,
Chester2 Can't you go into business
somewhere else? Anywhere in the
wide world will suit me, excepting this
place."
Chester looked troubled, but what
could he do. He loved this willful
little gypsy, with her dark eyes and
winning ways, and knew his life would
be blank without her.
"Yes, Chester DEAR" she continued,
"sell out here, and go somewhere, get
settled in business, and then"
"1hen what, sweet one?" exclaimed
Chester, as Jessie hesitated, and a
pretty flush suflused her checks, tip
ping the pretty ears a glowing shell
pink. "rhen, what pet? DO you
mean that l may come for you, that
you will be my wife, them"
"Yes," answered Jessie very softly,
and happy Chester clasped her in his
arms and said:
at Is the one aim of my life to make
you happy, so Jessie, darling, l will
do as you desire"
Two months later Chester Culver
had disposed of his business for cash
and was prepared to start in search of
new place in which to settle.
jessie" he said, on the evening OF
his departure, 81 am now going, at
your request, to make home for you,
and as soon as / have succeeded l shall
come for you. You can trust me,
Jessie"
"Yes, Chester, we can trust each
other"
Two months passed away, oh! so
slowly and YEARLY to Jessie.
"Why did 1 send him away?' she
asked herself over and over again.
His letters came regularly, full of
undying love, and u hope that he
would soon come for her.
At last a specu alton lie had counted
q great deal by fell through, and Ches-
ter was almost discouraged. He went
from one place to another, fast losing
all his money; he seemed to be I'M
lucky in everything lie undertook; he
no sooner got into "a 6 od thing" than
it proved failure; he put thousand
dollars of his money into a bank, but
the bank failed, and he received only
three hundred dollars out of that.
loor Chester! 1t was now over a
year since he had bid Jessie good-by,
and his prospects of q home We're fast
diminishing.
Is it any wonder that his heart grew
bitter, and life seemed a burden too
heavy to bear?
Then he thought of Jessie waiting
for him, and he with no prospects for
the future.
Jessie's letters came regularly. Such
pathetic, pleading letters; they made
his heart sick.
How could he return? Chester was
proud, and would never return with
less money than he left with.
At last lie started in business in the
busy, active city of D., but, being
a complete stranger, without influen-
tial friends, he was obliged to give it
up, for he lost more money than he
made; so, after losing nearly all his
capital, he got out of the business, a
sadder if not wiser man.
81 Luck is against me, he murmured,
"and has been ever since left Clay
forget her; but that is impossible"
AS for Jessie pretty Jessie South
ern the last two years of her life had
not been OF the happiest.
After Chester's departure Other
young men tried hard to win her love,
but i'll vain. Jessie's heart was far
away, with Chester, and sine gradually
gave up attending parties and places OF
amusement, and settled down, es shc
told herself, to wait for Chester.
Another year had passed away, and
Chester was still unsettled.
A party of gentlemen were talking
of going to Mexico and pressed Ches-
ter to become one OF their number.
Chester knew not what to do. He
dislikcd to go so far away from Jessie
yet he had not heard from her for a
long time. Was she sick, or had she
forgotten him?
He had written repeatedly, and il
was now over two months since he had
heard a word from her.
Finally he decided not to 60, and
with this determination he went to the
Claybourne Hotel to see his friend,
Ned Eolbrooke. and tell him of his
decision.
Arriving at the hotel, he found Mr..
Holbrooke was away, but would be in
presently; So he concluded to wait.
Seating himself. he took up New
York daily paper, to pass away the time.
Presently he started from his seat,
his face very pale, and his eyes riveted
ON the printed page before him.
Under Society Notes" he read the
following:
"Married-Will l.. Bernard, of the
firm Of Ierpard 4 Lockwood. last