The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-04-22
NV First Proposal


upon the banks of little lake in the centre of
the State, and very glad was to accept the in
vltatlon. 1t was near sunset when I came up
to the house. As approached, my friend
came running out with both hands extended,
and shook me such a welcome, that my fin
gers ache now to think of it. Then he march
ed up a troupe Of blooming daughters to pre-
sent, the eldest of which was a fine, full grown
young woman; then after brief delay, ap-
peared the mistress Of the house, grown bux-
ON since I had seen her, but happy and proud
enough one could see, of her husband and her
brood of little ones. .5l'
It was really an exquisite spot--this home
of my friend I envied him from the bottom
of my soul. AS that very first evening we all
sat in the twilight upon the wide, low veran-
dah, and looked out through shadowed vista
OF archlng boughs, upon the waters of the lake,
just tinted with the reflection from the sunset
sky, watching the shadows gathering beneath
the many little wooded islands which dotted
the lake, listening to the chirp of the cricket,
and the cry of the whip poor will, there was
calm so sweet and intense came over me, that
itseemed to me as ifmy previous life had been
a blank-a perfect death, wherein the soul had
this was my first real taste of life in its true,
high, and perfect meaning. And when later
in the evening, Mary, the eldest daughter,
went othe piano., and a sweet, plaintive melo-
dy came waited on the air, minging with the
musical night sounds around; and after this,
three of the sisters sang a little trio; and then
the whole bevy, four in number, came up to
their parents for their good night kiss; and the
younger ones submitted to an additional kiss
from me, which I didn't dare ask of the two
eldest; and then they all tripped- off TO bed,
happy and laughing and chatting-why, some
how, my mind kept running on matrimony,
and then really began to whistle to keep
down the uncomfortable tug at my heart. |
dreamed that night of ripping waters, and
pleasant shores, and low music, and bevies of
daughters, and a beautiful wife; and when I
awoke, the very first thing was a merry thrill
ling of young girls voice under my window,
and the air that came through the open sash
was SO soft and delicious, loaded with riches
stolen from the flower beds-and in fact, all
these things set me to dressing very abstract
edly, and with a dogged sort Of determination
to make one more visit to New Orleans for the
purpose of erecting a bonfire of
red tape, cases, briefs, sheepskins deeds, titles,
law--and washing my hands clean of such de-
Elements forever more, and to embrace life
as full and rich, and true and beautiful, as this
| saw around me.
After dressing, down | went for an ante
breakfast ramble. The air was so fine that my
spirits went up like barometer plunged
through the shrubbery, and into the fields; got
Ira choI f,,,l ol
comfortable and so made for the shore, when
finding little shallop, I putupon the lake.
The paddle was weak, and snapped in two
the boat was leaky, and began to FILL I put
back as fast as l could but padding with
broken oar was slow work, and I was obliged
to stop occasion ally, and take to baiing with
my hands. When within jumping distance to
the shore, Itried the leap, and landed with both
feet immersed to the boot tops.
These little mshaps dampened my spirits
somewhat, but the recounting of them at the
breakfast table afforded so much amusement
to the whole family, that it began to dawnup
me that it really was, if I only knew it, first
rate sport.
After breakfast, took pole and line, and went
a fishing. but caught no fish. Discovering that
angling aas:an absurd employment, aban-
doned my piscatorial Implements, and went
gaming but shot no game, A little dscour-
aged, Sc; out for rambe and this time sue
ceeded--in getting lost. Forty times was
sure that the gables [ saw through the open
ing foliage, belonged to the house of my friend;
forty times was unaccountab]y mistaken. At
last | come upon very little narrow, romantic
stream. This, said l, empties into the lake.
If | follow, it will lead me in the proper di
rection. | did SO, but in the immensity of my
wisdom, went up stream when ought to have
went down 1t did occur to me that the stream
got narrower and shalower, but these facts I
to the eccentricty of little streams
in that locality. 1t will widen presently said
I, and shall come out upon the lake unex-
pectedly. But it didn't. Indeed it got so mar
row, and wild, and full of cascades and rapids
that stood still in my perplexity- sud
denly it burst upon me in flood of light, that
the cascades were falling the wrong wayl The
which this discovery caused me
is beyond description. Is it possible, thought
[, that have been so stupid as to come up
stream? had better, so my cogitation con
tInued, go back to New Orleans at once. It is
very evident that I don't know any thing about
woodcraft. Tt would be well for me not to
confess this biunder. | should never hear the
end Of it. ] think hereafter, that will stick
to law. 1t is all that 7 am fit for.
After duly upbraiding myself in this fashion,
/ resolved TO strike across the country TO the
first house ] met, and there learn nay where
ahouts. aad obteir, guide If Pvaa;batz. L pat
my resolve into effect After an hours walk,
l saw a lovely little cottage, nesting amid trees
and sbrubbery and flowers I got around to
approach properly. in front As turned a
small hill, into the green by a lane which came
up to the house, quite pleasant little picture
itselc-consisting of a horse and boy,
and two dogs, assembled together, by little
matched outhouse Of the cottage. The horse
was saddled for lady, and one of the dogs
was unmistakab1y lady's pet I stood look
ing at the group, for law experience had not
quite destroyed once quick sense of the pic
uresque, when out from the cottage and across
he lawn, there came tripping one of the most
exquisite creatures I ever saw--blooming and
radiant, with floating curls from under a coun-
Try sunhood, and rustic, simple sortofdress;
evidently designed fol- free scamper through
oy paths and unfrequented lanes. She ran up
q the horse with merry laugh, patted him af-
ao =; ~, al ,,,,,r,, lo neck (hoy o,voi l,n,f