The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-08-27

ty-three. You must have been grown nearly
as large as you are now.''
''Perhaps so; but still, I am somewhat tan
ned by exposure in an East India climate"
"Yet think you will be recognised by every
body in the little village Do you know young
lady in Pomperancy of the name of Mary
Fuller?"
what! little Mary!-my little wife? as
used to call her! Why, Lord love you, do you
know her? Bless her heart! My trunk is ELL
ed with knick- -knacks for her especial use Do
| know her! Why, have thought of her ever
since went away. Young lady! why, she is a
little bit of GIRL she is only ten years old No,
she must be older than that now; suppose l
shall find her grown considerably. By the way,
are you not cold? It's getting chilly"
The delighted young lady was trying to con-
ceal her face, which had called forth Walters
exclamation.
"Yes, tits getting colder; it is nearly dark"
and so it was. Walter had boat cloak, and
after very little trouble, he was permitted to
wrap il round her lovely form, and somehow or
other his arm went with it; and in the confu
sion he was very close to her, and his arm was
around her waist, outside the cloak though;
then he had put his face down to hear whatshe
said, and somehow those long ringlets of soft,
silky hair were playing across his cheek. HUI
man nature could not and would not stand it
any longer, and Walter, the modest Walter,
drew his arm closer than ever, and pressed
upon the warm rosy lips of his beautifuefelow
dia Bombay kiss, and then blushed himself at
H. ~, ,,,f L. E. IL,
stage to upset, or something else to happen!-
But no, she had not made any resistance, on the
contrary, he felt very distinctly that she had re-
turned the kiss; the very first kiss, too, he had
ever pressed upon woman's lips since he gave
a parting one to little Mary Fuller, and he would
have sworn he heard her say something (about
the very moment he had given her that first long
kiss youth and love } that sounded like Dear
dear Walter"
The stage was now entering the village. In
few moments he would be at Mary Fuer's
house. He thought of her, and he felt asham-
ed and downright guilty. What would Mary,
"his little wife, that was to be, say if she knew
he had been acting SO? As these things pass
ed rapidly through his mind, he began to study
how to get out OF the affair quietly and decenty.
You go onn stage, suppose, to the next
town, Or perhaps still further!"
ooh, no. not me-"
What could she mean? But he had 10 time
to indulge in conjecture; the stage drove up slap
in front of parson Fuller's door, and there was
the venerable parson and his good lady in the
doorway; he with lamp in his hand, all ready
to receive-W alter, as he supposed.
Where will you stop in the village? will
come and see you.''
Il shall stop where you stop. | won'tleav
you. Here you have been kissing me this last
half hour, and now YOU want to run away and
leave me. am determined to expose YOU to
that old clergyman and his wife in the doorway
yonder. More than that, your darling little
wife," that is to be, as you call her, shall know
all about it"
What a situation for a modest, moral man!
1t was awful. To be laughed at--exposed and
who is she? Could it be possible? He had
heard of such characters! Il must be; but she
was very pretty; and he to be the very means
of bringing such a creature into the very house
of the good and pious old clergyman and his
sweet old pet and paymate--his Mary Fuller!
He saw it all. 1t was a Judgment sent upon
him. What business had he to be kissing
strange girl if she was pretty? His uncle and
aunt had come clear down the stonewalk to the
door yard gate, al,ssost to the stage door, which
the driver had opened. Walter felt that he
was doomed; but he had to get out
Don't, for Gods sake, expose me, young
woman"
Il wlget out!''
oh" thought Walter, "it's all over with
me- and now he shakes hands with the cler
gyman, and filings his arms around the aunt
"Mary," excaims the mother, "our Mary is
in the stage, as live So, SO, you would come
up with your cousin, eh?''
Yes, mother; and what doyou think the i'm
pudent East Indian has been doing? He has
kissed me at least hundred times, and that
isn't all; he tried to persuade me to keep on in
the stage, and not to get out at ALL
''Ah, no wonder he kissed you; he hasn't
seen You for some years. How glad you must
have been when you met. But what is the mat
ter with you, Walter? Let the driver stop and
leave your trunk at your fathers as he goes by,
and come into the house. Why, what is the
matter? Are you dumb?"
''Aren't you ashamed of YOURSELF Walter.
not to speak to my mother, when she is talking
to YOU" chimed in Miss Molly.
Walter now found his voice, and before he
got fairly inside, Miss Mary was his debtor for a
round dozen of kisses which she took very kind
ly. But as for Walter, hts mind was made up.
He had turned over the subject during the last
three minutes. He would marry that strange
girl. He was grateful; she had saved him from
degradation, loss of character and everything
else. But would she forgive him for being SO
free with a strange girl in a stage coach?-
Doubtful; but she should have the chance, at
any rate.
The wanderer received glad welcome from
his family and friends in his old native village,
and Mary Fuller was his travelling companion
about the place; and together they crossed the
doorstill Of every old farm house within cir
Gle of FIVE miles around. Walter had seen enough
of the outside of the great world. He had made
some money, too, enough for his modest wants;
be was old enough to maryland so was Mary
Fuller--and before three months more had roll
ed over their heads, the venerable old father
made them one, in the front parlour of the old
globe. When the VOW had been spoken, the
last prayer made. and the blessing pronounced,
Walter clasped Mary to his breast, and imprint