The Portland daily press., 1900-01-05
IN HAlNAULT
x FOREST.
A Pathetic Story OF a Girl Who
Loved q Sailor.
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OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
"well, Jess. what's 1t to be. will you
come or not?"
Jessie looked up from the umbrella she
was diligently mending and thought Tor
moment.
eyes. dear, will: I'll come. It's many
a long day since I've had q holiday or
been near the country. Yes, I'll come"
Jessie stitched on and on till the UNI
brella was finished. Then she put on her
hat and, taking her work with her, locked
the door and went out into the noisy
| street. She lived alone in q small room
in Mile End road, London, with the peo-
ple who owned the house and worked
hard for a small umbrella shop which
was near at hand. A delicate girl, she
often had trouble to keep herself from
| starvation and illness, but she was scru-
pulousIy neat and economical, and her lit
tie room had an air of homelike bright
ness, very rare in such neighborhood.
Her friend, Clara Ridley, was at the
station 70 meet her and gave her cor
dial welcome. They walked three miles
to the rustic home, Jessie drinking In
every sight and sound, and as she laugh
ed and talked in girlish freedom lovely
color stole into her pale cheeks.
"Now, this is Barkingside. where we
live. Do you see that pretty inclosed
place? 1t is a home for girls. 1t Is very
pretty inside. You see, mother was
my own mothers only sister. and when
she found out after a long time that I'd
been brought up in a home she was very
upset and would have me live with her
and help about the farm. There's lots
to do"
In
church her heart beat rapidly as the
| sight of exquisite flowers and the sound
of the organ burst upon her. CHANGING
across the church to look at the people,
her eyes were arrested by two candid
blue ones shaded by long fair lashes. 1t
was an open, manly, yet boyish face. sun
| burned and freckled, with large. smil-
| ing mouth and broad forehead. He was
a sailor. She colored when his eyes again
met hers The face he saw was an inter-
| esting one, not pretty, but pure In color
| and outline, and the veil OF sadness and
WEAKNESS which hung over 1t compelled
| q second glance.
When the service was over, the girls
stood at the gate waiting for friends OF
Clara's. Suddenly she touched Jessie's
arm.
"Jess, Jess, do you see that sailor COM
| ing to speak to us? he Is Fred Harding.
Shall tell him who you are? He lives
In that nice house over there"
Before Jessie had time to reply the
sailor had shaken hands with Clara and
was looking at her friend.
"Jess. this is Mr.. Harding and this Is
| Miss Carter, Fred. a friend of mine"
Yhey walked on together toward
| Clara's home, laughing and talking, and
before they parted at the gate had ar
ranged to walk to Hainault forest to-
gether that afternoon. Jessie was al
most brilliantly happy. She chatted and
| smiled and sang and looked very pretty
| In her gladness.
1t ~as very warm weather for April,
and the young people were glad to reach
| the shelter and GOODNESS OF the trees and
| wander slowly down the grassy forest
path till they were lost in its depths.
Jessie wandered on and on, and the
happy, for the light Of love was dawning
at last on Jessie's lonely life.
The sailor had tea with them. They
| went to church together and strolled
! home In the clear moonlight. Jessie's hol-
| iday was over, but the next morning, as
she stepped into the train for Bow road,
laden with flowers and some homemade
| cakes, she was the happiest girl in east
| London. She had learned from Clara
that Fred Harding was waiting for a
ship bound for Australia and that his
| father was a well to do farmer.
Before long Clara asked her to 60 to
Barkingside again. and she stinted her
| self in food to pay her train fare. She
| and Fred Harding met sometimes in
London too. She looked q different girl
and in spite OF occasional fasts grew
stronger and better and her eyes and
cheeks became bright with health.
But by and by the serpent crept Into
Paradise In the shape of an uneasy con-
science. Fred Harding, like the other
members OF his family, was very proud
Of his respectability. He was honorable
and straightforward, but uncompromis-
ingly hard on anything or any one he
thought underhand or mean. When Jes-
sic considered this, she thought of her
| own life and how little he knew Of it,
and she trembled for the love which now
held her so closely. She consulted Clara.
"Oh, what nonsense. Jess. Don't tell
him anything till you're married. II you
take my advice, you won't. He'd forgive
your silence then. He won't now.
know hlmp'
This was no comfort to Jessie, and she
pondered and pondered during the long
hours while she sat alone. At last the
| dreaded day arrived, and Fred was called
| to join his ship. He wrote to Jessie, ask
| ing her to meet him that evening for a
last walk In Hainault forest, as he was
! to sail the next morning for Australia.