M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-02-05
grlttteN Stories.
BEGINNING LIFE;
OR,
Falling Over with Pretty Girl into q
Stream of Water.

began life by running away from
home. Boilcau, we are told, was
driven into his career by the hand Of
fate and the peck of turkey. Attila
started in life with no other cause and
capital than an old sword, which he
was adroit enough to palm off as the
divine weapon Of Mars and Robes
pierre owed his career to wetting his
stockings, and there heard "the words
which burn, " which fired his soul,
and determined his course oflite.-
My running away from home came
from a minor modification, caused by
carrying a pretty girl over brook.
Donald Lean and myself were good
friends at fourteen years OF age, and
we were both regarded with little more
than friendship by pretty Ellen Ora
ham, our "oldest girl" at tschool. We
romped and danced together, and this
lasted for such a length Of time that it
is with feelings of bewilderment that |
look back upon the mystery oftwo low
crs continuing friends. But the time
came, as it must come, when jealousy
lit her spark in my boyiSh bosom, and
blew it into consuming flame.
Well do l remember how and when
the "green-eyed" perpetrated this in
cendiary deed. 1t was on a cold Oc-
tober evening, when Ellen, Donald,
and myself were returning with our
parents from neighboring hamlet.--
As we approached ford where the
water ran somewhat higher than an
Gle deep, we prepared to carry Ellen
across, as VIC were accustomed to Go,
with hands interviewer, chair fashion,"
and thus CARED our pretty passenger
over the brook. Just as we were in
the middle of the stream--which was
cold enough at that time to have fro
zen anything like feeling out of boys
less hardy than ourselves--a faint
pang Of jealousy nipped my heart
Why it was know not, for we had
carried Ellen across the Brook fifty
times ere now without emotion, but
this evening thought or tancied that
Ellen gave Donald an undue prefer
ence, by casting her pretty arm
around his neck, while she steadied
herself on my side by holding the cuff
ofmy jacket.
No flame can burn so quickly, or
with so little fuel, as jealousy. Be-
fore we had reached the opposite bank,
/ was wishing Donald at "the bottom
of the sea-" Being naturally impetu-
ous, l burst out with
"Ye need not haud sac gingerly,
Ellen. as if ye feared a fa'. ! can aye
carry ye lighter than Donald can half
of ye."
Surprised at the yehemence of my
tone, our queen interposed with an ad-
mission that we both were strong, and
that she had.no idea of sparing my
powers. But Donald's fire was kind
led, and be utterly denied that I was
at all qualified to compete with him
in feats of carriage. On such topics,
boys are generally emulous; and by
the time we reached the opposite bank,
it was settled that the point should be
determined by our singly bearing Ell
len across the ford in our arms.
Ellen was to determine who had
carried her most easily, and l settled
myself privately in advance, that the
one who obtained the preference would
really be the person who stood high
est in her affections. The reflection
stimulated me to exert every effort,
and | verify believe to this day, that
Icould have CARED Donald and Ellen
on either arm like feathers. But !
must not anticipate.
We suffered all the rest of the party
to pass quietly along, and then return
ed tothe ford. lifted Ellen with