Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-02-08
Jessie MacDavitt sat alone, at work,

Jessie MacDavitt sat alone, at work,
in the little front parlor of mothers
cottage. She was quite we'll again
now, but her recovery from the effects
of her adventure in the mine has been
slow and painful.
There was knock at the door. She
called out: "Come inW in sweet,
CHEEKY tones. 1t was Steven Arm
strong who entered the apartment.
She looked up. surprised; and coored
up to her very brow as she rose to
greet him. She had not seen him since
that fearful day perhaps this was the
reason of her confusion. He did not
wear his working, nor yet his
"shiftin'" clothes, but was habited in
tweed suit and wide awake. How
brave and noble he looked, albeit a
trife pale just now!
"Mr. Armstrong;" she said, 81 am
glad to see you fettle again. haven't
seen you since"
"Not since then-no ; it wur churlish
O. me not to come an thank thee
only-only there be nae thanks posi-.
BILE for sic things as that. Oh, Jessie,
why didst do it; why didst risk tia
life?"
"Because you gave your chance O.
life to him." she answered simply, but
with an unsteady tremor il her voice.
"Now ha' come to bid thee goodby," "
Armstrong said, like q man who has
an unpleasant duty to perform and
wants to get it over quickly. CA be
goin' away"
"Goin' away!" she echoed, "Wheer
to?"
erect away-foriver. To America
or Australy-A' hardly know where
yet. A be tired O. t. lie here. But re-.
member, if there be liver onything I
con do for thee, a. wull. Tha shalt
know where go to, and if tina should
liver want friend or helpin' hond
all come to thee if 'twere half across
t. world! If han't said mooch, re.
member a know that a. can nivver
hope to pay ma debt to thee!"
ooh, dunnot talk like that; please
dunnot talk about it'll hadn't an
idea you were thinkin' O. goin' away
it's-ye've took me so sudden LIKE
--dunnot know what to say"
"Say, Jess, ma lass! just say:
'Good.by, and God bless thee, Steve
Armstrong or SOON sic words as all
be able to tax wi me, an cherish i
memory O. thee when o. be far away. I"
'I'll say God bless thee, Steve
Armstrong, wi all ma heart, but not
'good-by!'" Jessie said, in voice
that was even more unsteady with
emotion than before.
"Ah, dunnot it mum be, I say-tha
would not torture me?"
"Wouldn't tina stay, Sieve, if a
were to ask YEP"
"There's naething I wouldna do that
you bid me-excep' that-excep' that.
why, a be goln' away fro theel"
"Fro' me?'
"Surely, a. medina tell thee all
over again. A wish thee an tina hus.
band we'll wi all ma heart-but I
Gamma stayP'
eye said just now ye'd do anything
for me-" Jessie answered, clasping her
hands, and the bright color mantled
in her cheek hotter and redder than
ever-such a coy, pretty blush They
were hard words for girl to speak !;
but she had made up her mind all at
once, and felt impelled to go on. eye
said ye nivver could hope to repay yer
debt to me. Suppose I show ye t.
way? Stay here for ma sake, an
dunnot ye understand? Dunnot max
me have to say ony moor"
"What madness is this? And t. mon
tha'rt plightel to-"
ave are ma plighted now. He he.
gone rect away. Haven't ye heera?"
"No; I hav' ma been mooch among
t. chaps O late"
"It was small thing that parted
us; something I asked un to give up
for ma sake--only t drink. But he
said no; no lass should liver maxi a
milk sop O. him. Then q cam to com.
pare ye both together; he, who
wouldn't even do that mooch; you,
VINO would ha' given yer very life for
ma sake. A think t were at T. Pit
Mouth T. thought first cam to me. A
weighed both j. scales and then a
knew which way ma heart had gone !"
And that was where she nestled now
her pretty head; to that brave heart