Where Was Jessie?

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 78

Where Was Jessie?

Thomas Schureman a few weeks ago made a bad loan, and, in lieu of the money, he ■was overwhelmed with the borrower's gratitude and a magic lantern. The gratitude, thought Schureman, was without practical value, but the magic lantern might be preased into service. '* The other night a number of friends were invited to the Schureman home to witness the first public exhibition of the collection of slides. Unfortunately for ihe host, he invited n man who was engaged to a. girl. The man could not appear ha time, but the girl took her chair at -the hour set. The seat at her ride was reserved for the young man. "Half the .performance was over when Schureman's assistant at the door was interrupted ,in his observation of the pictures by the appearance of the belated young man. ' Where's Miss Heustis sitting ? ' he asked. . " As well as the darkness would permit— it might be eaid that the room was as dark as dark could be — the attendant directed the new arrival to the seat reserved for him. " ' Kere,' said Mr Scliureman, bringing the picture into focus, 'we find real Japan — Japan unsullied by contact with the Western world of commerce, far from the ' "Just then a girl sitting three chairs from the front felt her hand pinched, and saw vaguely a young man take his seat at her side. " ' Great Scott, Jessie ! ' said the voice in her ear, emerging from the Tblackness; 'I've had the most dreadful time finding this seat in the dark. That fellow at the door said it v/as no use, that people coming in late ought to sit w_hcr«ver they could, I told him I had to -sit by you, and that I was going to sit there or break up the meeting. Oh ! Jepsie, I'm so glad I found you. You don't knenv ' " ' Sh ! ' said the young man's girl. 'J don't know what you are talking about. I can't hear Mr Schureman ; keep still.' \ "'Ha, ha! chuckled the yotmg -man, "just as though you cared for the old lecture ! - You said you would be glad when the room was darken-^ ' " ' And now,' continued Mr Schuremanf-s voice., ' here is one of the .Indian fakirs, bowed with the weight of years ' "'Jessie!' said the voice in the ear of the girl. It was a command voice this time. " ' Sh ! ' she whispered back. ' Keep still.' " ' And now, after many weeks in this land of mystery and age and ruin, we turn .wjth a feeling of relief, perhaps, toward the shores of our own native land ' " ' Jessie.' i"'What? Sh! Stop!' "'You're not wearing my ring? What docs this mean? Have you taken it off? Have you ceased tc^ ' "'Sh, keep still; I want to listen.! " ' What dp 1 care for that when you — o> , Jessie, mine.' " ' What land is .greater than this? What nation stronger or more revered than our own? ' "And as the lights flared up to a violin accompaniment the young man discovered ■why he had missed Jessie's ring. It was another girl."