The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of Jessie, by Mabel Quiller-Couch

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Title: The Story of Jessie

Author: Mabel Quiller-Couch

Release Date: July 12, 2005 [EBook #16268]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF JESSIE ***

Produced by Lionel Sear

THE STORY OF JESSIE.

BY MABEL QUILLER-COUCH.

CONTENTS

Chap.

I A LETTER FOR SUNNYSIDE COTTAGE.

II JESSIE ARRIVES.

III SHOPPING AND TEAING.

IV A GARDEN SUNDAY-SCHOOL.

V HAPPY DAYS.

VI TAKEN BY SURPRISE.

VII THE JOURNEY AND THE ARRIVAL.

VIII THE NEW HOME.

IX MISS PATCH.

X CHARLIE REACHES HOME.

XI TOO LATE.

XII SPRINGBROOK AGAIN.

THE STORY OF JESSIE.

CHAPTER I.

A LETTER FOR SUNNYSIDE COTTAGE.

Thomas Dawson was busy in the kitchen trying to make the kettle boil,
and to get the fire clear that he might do a piece of toast. He had
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
wandered down through the dewy, sunny garden, where every tree and
bush was beginning to show a little film of green over its brown
branches.

But before he could notice anything in the garden, his attention was
attracted by the sight of Daniel Magor, the postman, standing at the
gate and fumbling with the latch. Thomas dropped the 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 golden radiance the
flowers in the window, the old-fashioned photographs on the wall, the
china on the dressers, and the cat lying asleep on the scarlet
cushion in the arm-chair by the fire.

When he saw Thomas coming the postman ceased fumbling with the latch
and waited, holding two letters in his hand.

"Lovely weather, Mr. Dawson. You ain't to work this morning!" he
remarked in a tone of surprise.

Thomas shook his head slowly. "No, my wife is bad, she've been bad
all night with a sick headache. She's better this mornin