Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-01-16

| return, ana at last look his leave In a,
much OF n fret as his sunny nature al
lowed him 10 indulge in.
Autumn came, and the mellow day.
and golden evenings were imbued for
Jessie Crofton with the glory and splen
dor OF loves young dream. Never had
the hand OF the Great Artist tinted the
woods and hills with such gorgeous
dyes; never did such vail OF beauty
overhang the dells; never did lakelets
lie in such a dream OF peace. Earth
was new Eden, and reversing the an
cient order Of things, new Eve await
cd the coming OF her Adam; and il
dimmed not the brightness OF her glory
that the one friend of her lifetime, dis
heartened by her frequent rebuffs,
troubled her no longer with his pres.
ence. Rodney Leare, grown a triHe
silent and sad, striving to conquer q
love which his better judgment as
sured him would never bring him con.
tentment or peace, went his own way
and IL sometimes his strong hand
warded the heavier burdens OF life from
her weaker shoulders, she was still un-
recognizing and unthankful.
In tho late fall the little household of the
Croftons was surprised by the receipt Of
letter from an almost forgotten cousin
Of the family, whom the tide OF fortune
had driven into the little harbor oil
Glen Haven. The letter contained an
earnest request that Cousin Joe or some
Of his family should pay the writer q
visit. Only by the strongest force Of
will could jessie retain her calmness
until in family conclave it had been de.
cided that she should be the fortunate
one to accept the invitation. Her father
could not spare the time, and Aunt
Ruth was only too glad Of little re.
spite from the niece's fault-fnding
and general discomfort; and so the
succeeding week found her safely
ensconsed on the stage coach, her face
bright with anticipation, en- route for
Glen Haven and Hugh Mannering.
There is something inexpressibly sad
in the utter ruin of young LIES first
romance. However unstable the foun.
dation, it was reared In touching faith
and purity of purpose. Happy the soul
that
Rising on its wreck at last,
To something nobler may attain"
Anxious to surprise her correspond.
ent, in the letter mailed the day before
her departure Jessie had given no hint
Of her intended visit to Glen Haven,
and the earlier part OF her journey was
whiled away in happy dreams Of their
meeting.
Towards noon the sky became over.
cast, the wind rose in fury, and few
flakes, the vanguard OF the forces the
Frost King held in reserve, came flying
through the air. AS the wind became
colder and keener, Jessie was aroused
from her happy dreams by a sudden
neuralgia in her face, which continued
TO grow worse and worse, until by the
time she arrived at her journeys end
she was almost frantic with pain. Civ.
ing the driver her cousins address,
with directions concerning her baggage
she stopped at the first apothecary's
shop TO obtain an opiate.
The low building which bore on it,
front in huge gilt letters the sigr
DRUGS & MEDICINES, boosted also 9
smaller one, PosT-OFFICE; and as Jessie
reached the door, man carrying &
bundle Of letters brushed past her. She
drew back with an instructive feeling o.
| disgust. To her sensitive soul there
was something inexpressibly loathsomt
in his presence. His shabby black sui
was soiled and torn, his face was coarse
and sensual, and the bold blue eye,
seemed TO stab her with their insulting
stare.
Striving to conquer her repugnance
Jessie lowered her veil, and, following
him into the store, gave her order Il
the clerk in subdued voice, and while
he was preparing the medicine cast {
hasty glance TO the farther end OF the
room where a number OF men, talking
and smoking, were gathered around the
stove. AS the seedy-looking individual
approached the group he was greeted
with shout OF laughter. Cried on,
voice, louder than the rest:
whats the news to-day, Sit
Hughp"
The reply came fearfully clear ant
distinct:
1--WE got another letter from m,
charmer, boys. Shall read itp' AND
without waiting for an answer, he tor,
open the envelope and began reading
aloud.
AS the first words fell upon her ears
Jessie grew faint and grasped the rail
ing for support Then &C sudden rusi
OF indignation gave her strength t.
stand upright and listen, with burn
ing cheeks and flashing eyes
as the words - her own words
written in all tenderness OF hear
and purity OF purpose--fell on her ears
interspersed by the reader with coars,
jests and frequent oaths. IL seemed ai
age To her before the awkward clerl
succeeded in making change; then TAX
ing her package she hastily quilted tn,
store. followed by the laughter, lou,
and long, Of the listening crowd aroun,
the stove.
Almost forgetting her pain in thi
bitter shock, she hurried on her way
This, then, was the end OF all her hope
and bright dreams! To this low leve
had she descended-to become the jes
and by-word OF party OF village loaf
ers! Then she remembered the reader
coarse allusion TO the "ole woman an,
the young uns at home" the tears cam
thick and fast, and In sudden contras
rose before her the face OF n man so in
ately pure and noble that TO him all wo
mankind was sacred-hc, the truste,
knight-errant Of the poor and defense
less.
But there was little time for thought