Jessie Graham

a longing desire to escape from her self-imposed prison, and breathe the air again in her accustomed walks. But this she dared not do, l

and shadowy woods, where Jessie was really enjoying herself, without the trouble of dres

ke that she makes such a fuss about," she said. "Marshall? Marshall? The name sounds fam

ime, and adjusting her lace cap, the old lady went down to meet the young man, who had just returned from Deerwood. Numberless were the questions she asked co

William haste

they may be, for if I've the least discernment, they

use, while William, in his peculiar way, told her of Walter Marshall, w

cated?" Mrs. Bartow asked, growi

k upon the subject, but duty requires me to tell you just who Walter is," and assuming a half-reluctant, half-mortified tone, Will tol

ed herself choking to death, bu

hink of Jessie, the daughter of a mil

d she sank back in her chair, while her cap-strings

"I'll see this Mr. Impudence for myself. I'll teach him what is what. O

, although our family do not acknowledge him." And having done all he came to do, the nice young man d

f Mr. Graham, to whom she at once disclosed the cause of her distress, asking

t, for William had not ma

urned Mr. Graham, at the same time asking if Wal

tow, "but I trust Jessie has enough of the Stan

Graham, with the least possibl

he lady. "The very idea of receiving int

m gave her his opinion o

ew that she loved him and he loved her, I should not think it my duty to oppose them seriously, t

termination to remove Jessie from Walter's society, she started the next morning for Deerwood, r

he said to the omnibus driver when he st

tuous glances at the well-sweep, the smoke-house, the bee-hives, the hollyhocks, poppies and pinks, which, in spite of herself, carried her

rst to spy her, and s

-comin' in. I wish we had mopped the kitchen floor to-day. There, she's gone to the f

nswer the summons. Holding fast to her knitting, with the ball rolling after her, and Jessie's kitten running after that, she presented herself

" and taking the Boston rocker, aske

is afternoon that she's gone out ridin' hossback in the

home," answered the lady, frowning wrathfully at

be desput sorry to lose her jest as Walter has

ed on just the same, praising first Walter, then Ellen, then Jessie, and then giving an out

Bartow had nothing to say of her family, and after a little Aunt Debby

as connected to them three Thayers that was hung in York State for killin' John Love. There was some han'some verses made about it, and I used to sing the whole of 'em, but my memory's failin' me now. I wonder what's become of Patty. I haven't thought of her before in an age. I heard that a rich old widder took her for her own child, and that's all I ever knew. She was smart as steel, and could milk seven cows

old lady before she was aware of her presence. "Where in the world did you come from? Isn't it pleasant and

o sticks," she said, when Aunt Debby

expression. Learned it of

of Will Bellenger when he was here. It's his

o see what the attraction is whi

returned Jessie, and

d in the parlor now-a-days?" and she cast a ru

keep the spare bed in here for such visitors as you are. The sheets are all of Aunt Debby's mak

Loomis and the three Thayers, and she did

you call t

nd Mrs. Bartow relapsed into a thoughtful mood, from which she

the battle at once, telling Jessie plainly that "she had come down to take her home before s

isn't a boy, either. He's a splendid-looking man. Pa thinks the world of him; and he knows, too, about that old affair, which wasn't half as bad as Will and Mrs. Reeves seem to think

body's friends were hung? It's false!" and t

hat he stole, either," and forgetting her own belief, founded on her father's, Jessie tr

you're to have nothing to say to Walter. It would sound pretty, wouldn't it

rds grated harshly, but she would

young days. Somebody not half so good as Walter, I dare say. I mean to ask Aunt Debby. She has lived since the fl

cretly hoped Jessie would carry her threat into execution. Just then they were summoned to supper, and following her granddaughter into the pleasant si

ellenger look, and, if anythin

r and honey, and the cheese contemptuously refus

ame of Gregory? That was Mrs. Reeve

after withdrawing within herself f

was the best of the two, but he wa'n't none too

es?" asked Jessie, a

ah, and Lyddy,

t dancing in her eyes. "What was their

that way folks said he used to steal, though they never

rtow, and in her joy at having probably discovered her dea

n years, say thirty or more, she married somebody who was a storekeeper, and

band's name," persisted Jes

long ago, and I've been through so muc

and nothing doubting that Charlotte Gregory was now the exceedingly aristocratic and purse-proud Mrs. Reeves, wh

ctory girl, and she hol

"I wouldn't wonder if some of my ancestors were tinkers or chimney sweeps. I mean to ask Aunt D

rone alone. If there's anything I hate it's a person that knows everybody's history, they are so disagreeable, and make one so uncomfortable, though I

aucy Jessie, thinking to herself that she would some

whom she had scarcely spoken the entire evening Quick to detect a slight, he assumed his haughtiest bear

which I have heard and seen, I infer that you,-or rather I'm afraid that you,-in short, it's just possible you are thinking too much of Miss

what

ering to herself, "Such i

n ever come of it, for even were you her equal in rank and wealth, you must kno

se confine your remarks to me person

ady. "You, personally, are n

ked to be her h

nd this is what brought me here. Jessie is young and easily influenced, and mig

r the idea that Jessie could in any way be induced to marry him was

s throw herself away, while you would prove yours

point, and the pride of his nature fl

ham's wishes, and th

replied-" she hesitated before uttering the falsehood, while Walter bent forward eagerly to listen.

an to see that he had always cherished a secret hope of winning her some day. But the dream was over now. She, he knew, would

omise this, Mrs. Bartow, I tear out, as it were, the dearest, purest affection of my heart, for I do love Jessie Graham; I see it now as clearly as I see that I must kill that love. Not because you ask it of me, Madam," and he assumed a haughty tone, "but because it

fied," and Mrs. Barto

and as he turned away the

t up quick when I mentioned Mr. Graham. I wonder if that was a lie I told. I only left off a li

d unusually sad when she came out to breakfast, for

?" she said to Walter, when, after break

own into her bright, sunny face, felt a thrill of p

nking that I may

will be so disappointed. I believe

er," he suggested,

dy looks at me, but when she sees that we really an

on Walter's ear, for it said to him that he might possibly be something more than a broth

the house, and Jessie ran in to finish pac

a paper of "doughnuts and cheese, to save buy

Mrs. Reeves now, and the greatest lady in New York; rides in her carriage with colored coachm

me to think. Drives a nigger, did you say? She used to be as black as one herself, but a clever, lively gal for all of

"that must be Mrs. Reeves' invalid sister, whom Charl

ss Reeves once more. Give her my regrets, and tell her if I should ever come to the c

gate, bidding her friends good-by. For an instant Walter held her hand in his, but his manner was constrained, and Jessie bit her lip to keep back the tears which finally found a lodgment on Ell

eaning from the omnibus and looking in Ellen's fa

eaf came rustling down, and fell upon Ellen's h

leaves are beg

way, and he walked slowly to the house, he felt that for him more than the leaves were fading,-that the blossoms of hope