Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-04-24
Hlistcllalleous.
AIRY MoORE.--A LOVE STORY

CHAPTER I.
All my life long | had known Mary
Moore. All my life l loved her
Our mothers were old playmates and
first cousins. My first recollection is of
a boy, in a red frock and morocco shoes,
rocking a cradle, in which reposed a
sunny-haired, blue-eyed baby, not quito
a year old. That boy was myself, Harry
Church; that bluc-eyed baby was Mary
Moore.
Later still, I see myself at the little
school-housc, drawing my little chaisc up
to the door, that Mary might ride home.
Many beating have / gained on such
occasions, for other boys besides me liked
her, and she, / fear, was something of a
firt, even in her pinaforcs. How ele-
gautly she came tripping down the steps,
when | called her name how sweetly
her blue eyes looked up at me. how
gaily rang out her merry laugh That
fairy laugh No one but Mary could
ever bring her heart so soon to her lips !!
| followed that laugh from my days of
childhood till / grew an awkward, blush
ing YOUTH followed it through the
heated noon of manhood now, when
the frosts of age are silvering my hair,
and many children climb my knee and
call me father" | find that the memo
ries of youth are strong, and that, even
in gray hairs, | am following its music still.
When | was fifteen, the first great
sorrow Of my life came upon my heart.
| was sent to school, and was obliged to
part with Mary. We were not to see
each other for three long years! This,
to me, was like sentence of death, for
Mary was like life itself to me.
But hearts are tough things after all.
] left college in all the flush and yigor
of my nineteenth year was no longer
awkward and embarrassed. I had grown
into a tall, slender STRIPPING, with very
good opinion of myself, both in general
and particular. If though of Mary
Moore, it was to imagine how | would
dazzle and bewilder her with my good
looks and wonderful attainmcnts-
thinking that she might dazzle and be-
wilder me still more. ] was coxcomb,
| know; but, as youth and good looks
have fed, ! trust may be believed when
| say that self-conceit has left me also.
An advantageous proposal was made to
me at this time, and, accepting it, ] gave
up all idea of profession, and pre-
pared to 90 to the Indies. In my hur-
ried visit home of two days, | saw moth
ing of Mary Moore. She had gone to a
boarding school at some distance, and
was not expected home till the following
May. uttered one sigh to the memory
of my little blue-eyed playmate, and
then called myself ga man again"
I'm year." thought, as the We
hic!c whirled away from our door" in
a year, or three years at the very most,
| will return, and, if Mary is as pretty
as she used to be, why then, perhaps, !
may marry her"
And thus | settled the future Of a
young lady whom ! had not seen for four
years. ] never thought Of the possibility
Of her refusing mc-never dreamed that
she would not condescond to accept my
offer.
But now know chat, had Mary met
ne then, she would have despised me.
Perhaps, in the scented and affected stu
dent She might have found plenty Of
sport; but as for loving me, or feeling
the slightest interest in me, should have
perhaps found / was mistaken.
India was my salvation, not merely
because Of my success, but because my
laborious industry had countcraeted the
evil in my nature, and made me n better
man. When, at the end Of three years,
| prepared to return, ] said nothing of
the reformation in myself which ! knew
had taken place.
They loved me as I was" ] muir
INJURED to myself, "an2 they shall find
out for themselves whether am better
worth loving than formerly"
/ packed up many a token, from that
land Of romance and gold, for the friends
hoped to meet. The gift for Mary
Moore ! selected with beating heart.
1t was a ring Of rough, virgin gold, with
my name aud hers engraved insde-thnt
was ALL aud yet the sight Of the little
toy strangely thrilled me, an ] balanced
r