Freeman's champion., 1857-07-02
[Selected.] ,
M A r Y M 0 R E.
CHAPTER /.

All my lie long nau kuoWh eWeeI
Mary More. All my life long | had
loved her. Our mothers were play
mates, and we first cousins. My first
recollection is of little boy, in a red
frock and morocco shoes, rocking a
cradle in which reposed sunny
haired, blue-eyed baby, not yet quite
a year old. That boy myself, Harry
Church; that blue-eyed baby, Mary
More.
Late still, | see myself at the little
old school house, drawing my little
chaisc up to the door, that Mary might
ride home. Many a beating have |
obtained on such occasions, for other
boys besides me liked her, and she,
I fear was something Of tlirt even
in her pinafores. How elegantly she
came tripping down the steps when
called her name How sweetly her
blue eyes looked up in mine. That
laugh, how gaily rang out that merry
laugh! No one but Mary could SO
soon bring her heart to her lips. |
followed that laugh from the days of
childhood until ! grew an awkward,
blushing youth followedit through
the noon of manhood-and now when
the frosts Of age are silvering my hair,
and children climb my knee and lisp
.swtetly "father," | find that memo
ries Of youth are strong, and that even
IN grey hairs, | am following its m l.
sic still.
When | was 16, the first great sor-
row Of my life came upon my heart.
1 was obliged to part with Mary
We were not to see each other for
three long years This, to nae, was
like sentence Of death, for Mary was
life itself to me.
But hearts are tough things after all
l left college in all the flush and
vigor of!my eighteenth year. | was
no longer awkward and embarrassed
/ had grown into tall, slender youth
with good opinion Of myself in gen
.eral and particular. If | thought Of
Mary More, it was to imagine how
would dazzle and bewilder her with
. my good looks and wonderful attain
ments, never thinking that she might
dazzle and bewilder me still more
] was sad coxcomb, know; but
as youth and good looks have fed,
trust l may be believed when | say
that self-conceit has left me also.
An advantageous proposal was
made to me about this time, and &c.
,cepting it, gave up all idea of pro
fession, and went on voyage to the
Indies. In my hurried visit and de
parture saw but little Of Mary. Sht
had gone to aboarding school at some
distance, and was not expected home
til the following May. uttered ont
sigh to the memory &c my blue-eyet
Mary, and called myself ga mar
again"
"ln year." thought, as the vc
hicle whirled away from the door
"In year, or three years at the YER.
most, | will return, and then if Mar,
is as pretty as she used to be, wh.
then, perhaps may marry her. p
Thus / settled the future of one | hat
known for years. | never thought 0
the possibility Of her refusing me-
never dreamed that she would no
,condescend to accept my offer. Blu
now I know, had Mary met nae then
she would have despiscdme. Perhap
in the affected student she might hav
found plenty ofsport, but as for lovinl
me, or feeling the slightest interes
in me, l might have found mysel
mistaken. India was my salvation
not because of success, but becaus
laborious industry had counteracto
the evil in my nature and made me
better man.
When at the end Of some years
prepared to return, 1 said nothing 9
The reformation in myself, which
knew had taken place. il'io.i 'lv AZ
"They loved me as ] 'vas'mul
INJURED I to myself, "and they sha
tind out themselves whether | am BET
YStcr worth loving than formerly"
4 packed up manya token fror
\, thatland Of romance md gold, 70
Che friends | had hoped to meet Th