Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1897-07-16
to care for her or plan for her, and she


"There's the money was laying by
for black silk" thought Miss Alvira;
''that will jest do it. But land sakes
I shall want the silk to go to the wed.
ding in! Well" after a sharp thought,
81 can't pay for both, and I rather guess
the wedding dress is more important
L can fix over my old silk again, and
Jessie's shall be the prettiest can get. -
She told the girl the next morning,
and Jessie received the gift in her usual
quiet way. 1t never occurred to her to
money; she was only placidly happy
that she could have pretty dress, and
reused into rather unusual animation
when the work on it was fairly begun.
One day Jessie brought her little SIS
ter-a grave little thing, with big, seri-
Gus black eyes. She took a strong fancy
to Miss Alvira, and it grew to be the
habit for her to come every day with
Jessie and sit quietly on a stool between
the two, fashioning tiny doll dresses
from the pieces Miss Alvira gave her,
while they worked on Jessie's wedding
clothes.
And so the summer slipped away and
September came, and in two weeks Jes-
sic was to be married. One morning
Miss Alvira heard her knock at the door
earlier than usual. She hurried to open
it; she was anxious to tell Jessie about
the trimming for the bottom of the
skirt; she had decided in the nj ght that
rose quilting would be the best; she
had scrap of the wedding dress in her
hand as she opened the door.
Jessie was leaning against the house,
looking down the garden path. The
childish lips were quivering, and the
pretty gray eyes red and swollen. She
had evidently been crying all the way
over.
''Jessie, what is the matter?" she
cried, quite sharply.
Its all over" she said, mechanical
ly.
'Jessie Parker, what do you mean?
Come in and tell me about it,
Its all over" she repeated, in the
same dull fashion.
''Jessie, look at mel" she commanded,
sternly.
Now tell me what is the matter"
Jessie began to cry hopelessly.
George says he isn't going to be
bothered with Dolly, and I can't leave
her alone, and there isn't anyone else
to take her"
make you leave your own sister!"
she cried.
20, she isn't my own sister," said
Jessie, wearily. ''She's only my step
sister. I'd leave her if 1 could, but I
can't"
A sudden thought came to Miss Al
vira. Was it-could it be possible that
there was love in the world that nobody
wanted? Love that she could take and
have for her own with no other claim
upon it? She was fairly trembling,
and had to cling to a chair before she
could speak.
''Jessie, are you sure you would be
willing to give her up?"
The girl looked at her in surprise.
"Why, I'd give her to anybody, if ]
could" she answered. The possibility
of caring for the child's love never en-
tered her mind.
and then paling, and she spoke with
strange effort.
''Jessie, will you give her to me?'
Even Jessie was reused then to
faint protest.
"Why, Miss Alvirey. you don't want
her-she'll be such a care!'
But there was an undertone of hope
no iy.1s g A 1x,sr. n
long breath and sat down in one Of
the hard, caneseated chairs as if she was
very tired. She picked up piece Of
Jessie's wedding dress.
II thought we'd make this with the
rose quilting, after ALL" she said.
Jessie's wedding day was clear and
bright. Miss Alvira went over very
early in the morning for her and Dolly.
All Dolly's clothes had been brought
over the day before, and it had given the
little dressmaker exquisite pleasure to
see how few and poor they were. She
dressed the child herself and then
dressed Jessie. and the three went over
to the little village church together.
Miss Alvira had looked forward to
that day for months, and yet when it.
came-Jessie and George, the old minis
ter, and the familiar faces of the neigh
bors-all seemed like dream The re-
ality was the little warm clinging hand
c.asped in hers.
III the cool of the afternoon they
came back and had tea at Miss Alvira's
Jessie, usually so Indifferent, had in
sisted on that. Then at dusk she kissed
the little sister good-by, and she and
George walked away together, as they
had done before SO many, many times
but they all felt the difference, and
knew that now she could never turn
back again.
Miss Alvira and Dolly stood at the
gate watching them, and then walked
hand in hand down the path and back
into the little room. The child was tired
by the excitement of the day: she
climbed up into Miss Alvira's lap. and
sat looking into the twilight with her
grave, dark eyes. Once she nestled
SieeDily and said sometime To harSoIf