TEN years had glided away, yet not in all that time had JessieLoring received a word of intelligence from Paul Hendrickson. He hadpassed from sight like a ship when darkness falls upon theocean--the morning sees her not again, and the billows give norecord of the way she went. But still Jessie bore his image at herheart; still her love was undimmed, and her confidence unshaken--andstill she felt herself bound by the old shackles, which no humanhand could break from her fettered limbs.
One day, about this time, as Mrs. Denison sat reading, a servantcame into her room and handing her a card, said:
"There is a gentleman waiting in the parlor to see you."
She looked at the card, and started with surprise. It bore the nameof PAUL HENDRICKSON.
"My dear friend!" she exclaimed, grasping both of his hands, as shestood facing him a few moments afterwards.
"My best friend!" was the simple response, but in a voice tremulouswith feeling.
A little while they stood, gazing curiously yet with affectionateinterest, into each other's face.
"You are not much changed; and nothing for the worse," said Mrs.Denison.
"And you wear the countenance of yesterday," he replied, almostfondly. "How many thousands of times since we parted, have I desiredto stand looking into your eyes as I do now! Dear friend! my hearthas kept your memory fresh as spring's first offerings."
"Where have you been, in all these years of absence?" Mrs. Denisonasked, as they sat down, still holding each other's hands tightly.
"Far away from here; but of that hereafter. You have already guessedthe meaning of my return to the old places."
"No."
"What! Have you not heard of Mr. Dexter's decease?"
"Paul! is that so?" Mrs. Denison was instantly excited.
"It is. I had the information from a correspondent in London, whosent me a paper in which was a brief obituary. He died nearly threemonths ago, of fever contracted in a hospital, where he had gone tovisit the captain of one of his vessels, just arrived from the coastof Africa. The notice speaks of him as an American gentleman ofwealth and great respectability."
"And the name is Leon Dexter?" said Mrs. Denison.
"Yes. There is no question as to the identity. And now, my goodfriend, what of Jessie Loring? I pray you keep me not longer insuspense."
So wholly absorbed were they, that the ringing of the street doorbell had not been heard, nor the movement of the servant along thepassage. Ere Mrs. Denison could reply, the parlor door was pushedquietly open, and Miss Loring entered.
"She stands before you!" said Mrs. Denison, starting up andadvancing a step or two.
"Jessie Loring!"
Mr. Hendrickson uttered the name slowly, but in a voice touched withthe profoundest emotion. He had arisen, but did not advance. Shestood suddenly still, and held her breath, while a palenessoverspread her features. But her long training had given her greatself-control.
"Mr. Hendrickson," she said, advancing across the room.
He grasped her hand, but she did not return the ardent pressure,though the touch went thrilling to her heart. But the paleness hadleft her face.
At this moment Mrs. Denison came forward, and covering their claspedhands with hers, said in a low, but very emphatic voice:
"There is no impediment! God has removed the last obstruction, andyour way is plain."
Instantly the whole frame of Miss Loring seemed jarred as by a heavystroke; and she would have fallen through weakness, if Hendricksonhad not thrown an arm around her. Bearing her to a sofa, he laidher, very tenderly, in a reclining position, with her head restingagainst Mrs. Denison. But he kept one of her hands tightly withinhis own; and she made no effort to withdraw it.
"There is no obstruction now, dear friends," resumed Mrs. Denison."The long agony is over--the sad error corrected. The patience ofhope, the fidelity of love, the martyr-spirit that could beartorture, yet not swerve from its integrity, are all to find theirexceeding great reward. I did not look for it so soon. Far inadvance of the present I saw the long road each had to travel, stillstretching its weary length. But suddenly the pilgrimage has ended.The goal is won while yet the sun stands at full meridian--while yetthe feet are strong, and the heart brave for endurance or battle.Heroes are ye, and this is my greeting!"
With eyes still closed, Jessie lay very still upon the bosom of thisdear friend. But oh, what a revelation of joy was in the sweet,half-formed smile that arched her lips with beauty! Hendricksonstood, still grasping her hand, and looking down into her pure,tranquil face, with such a rapture pervading his soul, that heseemed as if entering upon the felicities of heaven.
"This is even better than my hopes," he said, speaking at length,but in a subdued voice.
Jessie opened her eyes, and now gazed at him calmly, but lovingly.What a manly presence was his! How wonderfully he waschanged!--Thought, suffering, endurance, virtue, honor, had all beenat work upon his face, cutting away the earthly and the sensual,until only the lines of that imperishable beauty which is of thespirit, remained. Every well-remembered feature was there; but theexpression of his whole face was new.
A moment or two only did she look at him--but she read a volume inlove's history at a glance--then closed her eyes again, and, as shedid so, gave back to the hand that still held hers, an answeringpressure.
The long, long trial of faith, love and high religious principle wasover, and they were now standing at the open door of blessing.
And so the reward came at last, as come it always does, to the true,the faithful, the pure, and the loving--if not in this world,assuredly in the next--and the great error of their lives stoodcorrected.
But what a lesson for the heart! Oh, is there a more fearfulconsummation of error in the beginning of life than a whollydiscordant marriage! This mating of higher and lower natures--ofdelicacy with coarseness--of sensuality with almost spiritualrefinement--of dove-like meekness with falcon cruelty--of the lambwith the bear! It makes the very heart bleed to think of the undyinganguish that is all around us, springing from this most frightfulcause of misery!
In less than a month Paul Hendrickson again departed from B--, butthis time not alone, nor with his destination involved in mystery.His second self went with him, and their faces were turned towards asouthern island, where the earth was as rich in blossom and verdureas the bride's heart in undying love. Here his home had been foryears; and here his name was an honored word among thepeople--synonymous with manly integrity, Christian virtue, and truebenevolence.
After the long, fierce battle, peace had come with its tranquilblessings. After the storm, the sunshine had fallen in gloriousbeauty. After the night of suffering, morning had broken in joy.
We stand and gaze, with rapt interest, upon the river when it leapswildly over the cataract, or sweeps foaming down perilous rapids, orrushes through mountain gorges; but turn away from its quiet beautywhen it glides pleasantly along through green savannahs. Such is ourinterest in life. And so we drop the curtain, and close our historyhere.
THE END.
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