The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-09-14
JESSIE'S PLOT.
MAY | enter ?" asked a clear, sweet
plce at the door of Jessie Vane's

1ttts'VO y ceoi6 dttentiOU WAS puSne0
qsck on the tabIe and laughing
ht of welcome beamed in the girls
7fk eyes.
Come, janet" she called merrily.
Always welcome, cousin mine, but
Honbly welcome now; for 1 have
letters here which l think I will ask
ynn to help me to answer"
The door had been pushed wide
open at her fjrst word. and while she
had been speaking fair. bright.
Sflainty creature had crossed to her
E(Ss1ch sweet, winsOme face such
aehanging. flower.freSh face. with
fssaucy red lips, and its starry gray
Eyes, and its ever varying expression.
Vessie, to whom it was very dear,
loRed at it with loving. laughing
eys, which laughed the more when
the. read the petulance and mutiny
upoiit
"He who runs may read" she said,
gaily. "Something has gone wrong"
jan& Graves tossed a card into her
cousins lap, and flung herself into Il
chair.
"Yess' she said in that fresh, clear
voice, watch neither anger nor petu.
lance could render less than musical,
something has gonewrong, and un-
less you and l find way to turn the
tables on my clever aunt, our sum-
mer here will be spoiled. Read the
name on that card. and then perhaps
you will understand"
Jessie lifted the innocent, looking
card, and read the name upon it ; but
she did not seem to comprehend.
"Royal Sandford ?" she said, mus
ingly. 1.-THE name is pretty, but |
never heard it before. Who is he,
dear? and why Should a call from
him alarm you for our season"
"pIl tell you!" burst out Janet
hurriedly. II always hate to even
think of him"-With a spitefuI little
push to the card -"but now I'll have
70, and meet him, too. and be civil to
him, which will be ahominably hard.
1t us all a family romance. but ro-
m9htic as it sounds it has become a
'sftmare to he. My mothes and
g5yal Sandford's father were lovers.
SOmething parted them and he mar
risd somebody else. Mamma, did
So too, but neither of them forgot,
and l don't think they were very
happy"
She sighed softly, and leaning to-
ward her cousin. laid her young head
against Jessie's dark coils of hair.
ut was sad-sad." she said, after
pause. "But when he was dying, he
sent for mamma. who was then
widow, and babe her bring me with
her. / will never forget that wan,
worn face. which lighted so as man.
ma entered the sick.room, nor the
sobs that shook her as she knelt be-
side his bed. | was twelve years old
and did not understand it all until
long after but 1 felt dimly then that
in some way | was expected to atone
for sin committed. an injury done
before my birth"
You, Janet ?" Why. how could
you patch up the broken lives, dear ?"
"It was mans dying fancy that,
as he had loved the mother in his
youth, so must his son love the
daughter in few short years and
he bade my mother promise that 1
should marry his son when was 49,
"Janet! And you said nothing ?"
"Oh, yes, 1 did. When he took
my hands in his cold, trembling
ones, and begged me to loye his son
and to wed him some day, / burst
out sobbing and said I would try to
Tiff he asked me-"
Jessie laughed low, soft laugh.
why, you are as free as air." she
said, lightly. "AIl you have to do
is not to let him fall in love with you.
But perhaps I give my warning too
late. Is he ugly, and does he WOO
you ?'''
II haven't seen him yet," answer
ed Janet. pushing back her soft hair
impatiently. "a few months after
his fathers death. l lost my dear
mamma; then you know l was al
ways at school, until now that l
have graduated. I would have been
with aunt, only for the children's
having the scarlet fever. and her
sending US here with Mrs. Price to
chaperon us. I was so happy when
we came yesterday and now he has
come, too, and Is In the parlor, wait.
ing to look me over, and see whether
or not he will like me. Oh !" with q
wrathful motion that did not i'll be-
come her girlish, graceful beauty, II
do hone he will hate me as much as