The Story of Jessie

already tidied up the grate and swept the floor, and as he stood by the table with the loaf in his hand, about to cut a slice, his eye wan

loaf and the knife, and went out to meet him, leaving the house-door wide open to the beautiful morning sunshine, which poured in in a wide stream right across the kitchen, lighting up with

ceased fumbling with the latch and w

ain't to work this morning!" he

a sick headache. She's better this morning, but I stayed home to get her some brea

th one it seems to me I don't care whether folk gets their letters or not. I am glad I didn't feel like

and holding out his hand to take them. "I don't

reckon!" But Thomas was gazing at his letters with such a perplexed, preoccupied air, that he did

ding May-trees, "but it passes my understanding to know who can have sent the other. It-it can't be from-from

th troubled eyes at the outside of the envelope, and the blurred post-mark which told him nothing. Moments passed before he could summon up courage to open it, for in his heart he felt almost certain who the writer was, a

out to do. You would if you knew all. I wrote to you and told you I had married Harry Lang. I hope you had the letter and read it. I was happy enough for a time, but Harry has had no work to speak of for more than a year, and though we've sold all the little I'd got together, we have bee

rgive me, but I am sending her to you. She is all I've got, and I am nearly crazy at losing her, but I don't know what else to do. Life is very hard sometimes. I know you will be good to her, and you can't

en-hearted

iz

emind me of the jessamine and the May-trees at home, for I love my old home dearer than any

," he kept saying to himself, with a sob in his breath, "my Lizzie starving! starving! and me with a plenty and to spare!" It was his own child he w

d on the table, heeding nothing until a thought came which roused him completely-though only to a deeper sense of trouble. "However am I going to break the news t

asleep, or ill, or something, and I was so worried I had to get up at last and come down and see." Then, as her husband turned to her, and she caught sight of his

for yourself, it'd choke me to do so if I was to try," and he went away to the door and stood there gazing out at the sunny garden where the daffodils bowed gently before the soft breeze, and the crocuse

ut, instead of seeing her white and shaken and weeping, as he was prepared to see

Lizzie turns to us in her trouble, poor girl, and it must be a terrible trouble to her," with a momentary sadness dimming the joy in her eyes. "But, oh, I am so thankful, so happy." Then, springing to her feet, "I am well now! this

nexpressible relief he felt showed in his face and his blue eyes. "I'

f what? That I sh

over with a great hiss, and brought

maybe when she does come we shall be past speaking a word to show her she's welcome," and while both of them laughed over his lit