The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-07-22

II
welcomed me home with heartfelt tears! Oh!
strange and passing sweet, is such greeting to
the way wanderer And as held my
dear old mother to my heart, and grasped my
fathers hand, while Lizzie still clung beside
me, / felt that all was not yet lost and, though
another had secured life's choicest blessing,
many a JOY remained for me in this dear sane
| tuary Of home. s.,.s4
There were four other inmates of the room
! who had arisen on my entrance. One was the
blue eyed child whom had already seen, and
who now stood beside Frank Chester elnging
to his hand. Near by, stood Lizzie Moore,
Marv's eldest sister, and, in a distant corner,
to which she had hurriedly retreated, when my
name was spoken, stood a tall slender figure,
half hidden by the heavy window curtains that
fell to the floor.
When the first rapturous greeting was over,
Lizzie led me forward with timid grace, and
Frank Chester grasped my hand.
"Welcome home, my boy" he said with the
loud, cheerful tones | remembered so well.-
"Y GU have changed SO that should never have
known you; but no matter for that--your heart
is in the wight place, | know
elbow can YOU say he is changed?'' said my
mother, gently. ITO be sure, he looks older
and graver and more like man, than when he
: went away--but his eyes and smile, are the
same as ever 1t is the heavy beard that chang
I es him. He is my boy still
CAV mother,'' | answered, sadly, II am
your boy STILL
r Heaven help me! At that moment | felt
: like a boy, and it would have been blessed
a relief to have wept upon her bosom, as l had
n done in infancy But kept down the beating
l of nv heart and the tremor of my lip, and an
!" swered quietly, as looked in his full, hand
u some face
( "You have changed, too, Frank, but | think
e for the better
1t "Oh yes-thank you for the compliment
L he answered, with hearty laugh. s.My wife
1t tells me | grow handsomer every day..
His wife-could hear that name, and keep
u silent still?
Il "And have YOU seen my little girl?" he ad
le ded, lifting the infant in his arms, and kissing
s. her crimson cheek. ltell you Harry, there
le is not such another in the world. Don't yot
IS think she looks very much as her mother uset
i to-"
le Every much!'' faltered.
"Halloo!" cried Frank, with a suddennes
that made me start violently, 81 have torgottel
+ to introduce you to my wife. believe she ant
ee you used to be playmates in your younger day
II -eh, Harry" and he slapped me on the back
n, ssFor the sake of old times, and because 20
were not here at the wedding, I'll give 20
1y leave to kiss her once-but mind, old teilo"
er YOU are never to repeat the ceremony Come
ng here she is, and l. for one, want to see how 70
n will! manage those ferocious moustaches
YOURS in the operation"
ne He pushed Lizzie, laughing and blushlne
os, towards mel A gleam of light and hope, a
mt most too dazzling to bear, came over me, an
ng | cried out before | thought,
Is ''Not Mary!'
1t must have betrayed my secret to every OF
Use in the ROOM But nothing was sald-evt
m Frank, in general so obtuse, was this time
IRE lent kissed the fair cheeks Of his young vii
he and hurried to the silent figure looking out fro
aiu the window.
"Mary, Mary Moore" said 7, in a low. Gag
voice, shave you no word Of welcome to g
70 to the wanderer?'
yes y am glad to see you, Harry.
er- Simple words-and yet how blest they ma
me! l would not have yielded up that
and ment for an emperor's crown! For there "
to the happy home group and the dear hol
With freside, and there sweet Mary Moore! [
vlr- eyes had dreamed of by day and night, VIZ
IN falling before the ardent gaze of mine; and
IT. sweet face bad SO longed and prayed to S
II was there before me-more womany,
more loving than before! | never knew
IAN meaning of happiness, till that moment can
ell Many years have passed since that haE
4. IS TO night, and the hair that was dark and g!o
lleo then, is fast turning gray. am growing to
e an old man, and can look back to long a
Id happy, and, hope, a well spent life A
e vet, sweet as it has been. I would not recal
1ng a single day, for the love that made my m
hood so bright, shines also upon me III
keo white hairs.
yhts An old man! Can this be SO? At hear
YER am young as ever. And Mary with her br
that hair parted smoothly from a brow that has
my slight furrow upon it, is still the Mary of e
that ly days To me, she can never grow old,
eye change. The heart that held her in lntan
and sheltered her in the blush and beauty
S. womanhood, can never cast her out till life 81
the cease to warm it, Nor even then-for !
A still lives above.
'ugh -~-~>>-~~o-~~~~~1
mar A Young lady of our city, pretty and IN
1pon esting, of course, requested private nterv
with her papa, in his library, one day lat
nv and told him that she had fixed her afectl
And upon gentleman whom she knew be wo
yrew be unwilling she should wed. but without wh
,een- she could not and would not live.
icate Papa requested the name Of the gentler
with who had won his daughters heart; but
e to going into dramatic attitudes, declared she
ood, assured lie would not give his consent, but
, Of fate had united them in soul; that the ne
trope Of her existence must ever turn to
ask sun Of his love; that the harmony Of earth
loor heaven would be mared if two adorlng-sp
her were divided; if the divine stream of their
ther, did not unite and flow through the vale OF tt
and clear, bright and beautiful.
..But who, who is hep Pray tell me,
terposed the father.
The name was given, and the parent, "
d. out a moments hesitation, consented to.
was union.
IS of The daughter then burst into very Med
my storm of seeming grief, which naturally as
ed in ished her parent.
had "Why, what als you, my dear child? i
from not granted your wish? I am perfectly
ino YOU should marry him you love?