The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-08-05
NARY nOORR,
a PHEASANT lsvr. sresr.



boy was myself Harry Church; that blue
eyed baby was Mary Nocrc
Later still. see myself at the little school
house, drawing my little chaise up 10 tie
door, that Mary might ride home. Many a
beating have gained on such occasions, Tor
| other beys besides the liked her, and she,
fear, was something OF flirt, even in her
| linaiorcs. How clerantly she came trip
pring down the scpl when | called her
nime How swcct.v her blue eyes laughed
at me How ga:ly rang out licr merr, laugh
That fairy laugh No one but Mary could
eycr bring her heart soon Ia hcr lips |
loi owed II through the heated noon 81
.Aa5--3nd Now when the frost. IL are
are siiverins my lar, and many children
q NH on my KNEE and call me :. father" |
md that The mernoric, Of youth are strong,
AMI that even IN gray hairs, am following
it, music still
When | was fifteen the first great sorrow
Of my life came on my heart. was sent To
sclle'l, and wa, obliged to part with Mary
We were not 10 see each other ior three
long years This TO me was like sentence
II death, for Mar, wa, like life itself To me.
But hearts arc tough things after all.
left college In all the flush and vigor IL
/ ward and cinharas scd ! lad grown into a
opinion IL myself both ia general and par
ticular. II I thought or Mary Moore il was
o. imagine how should dazzle and Devil
der her with my enoi looks and wonderful
attainments--ncser thinking that she might
dazzle and bewildcr me still more. wasa
coxcnmb | know but ~ youth and good
looks have He'd, ! trust may be believed
| when say that self sunceit has left me al
80.
An advantageous proposal was made t.
me at this time and accepting il, gave up
all idea Of \ profession, and ! prepared Ia
90 to the Indies. In my hur red visit home
| saw nothing oi Mary Moorc. She had
rome ! 4 boa, ,i,.eg school at some distance.
and 'sas not expected home tli the .ol.ow-
ing MAY. ] uttered onc sigh to the mem
DRY Of my little blueeyed playmate, and
then called n.yscli a man again"
"ln year, ! thought, rs the vehicle
whirled away from our door, in year. or
three years, at the most, will return, and
II Mary Is as pretty "a she used la be, why
then, perhaps, may marry her"
And thu. settled the future af Young
lady whom had not seen for tpur Years
! never Thought II the possibility If her re-
insing me never dresnc, that She would
not condc-cei,d to accept my offer.
but new ! know that had Mary met me
then, she would have dcspiscd me. Per
haps IN the scented and affected student,
she might have found plenty Of sport but
a. for loving me, or feeling the slightest in
terest IN me, ] should have perhaps found
was mistaken.
India was my salvation, not merely be
cause III my success. but because lny lal,pfl-
Gus industry hal cnuntcracted the evil in my
nature, and made me n better man When
~ the end Of three years, prepared 20 m
turn, ! said nothing 81 the information in
myself which knew had taken place.
"Thfs lasetl me- a. I was" n.urnnred
Ia nySeli, and they shall find cut Tor them
sclse, whetaer ! am letter worth loving
than formerly"
packed mp many a token fruan that land
oi ROMANCE and gold. 'ar tile iriemd, hoped
I" n.cet. The gill ipi Mary Monrc select
ed with beating hcart u was q ring ~
rough s,rrin fuld. with my maine and her
cn-ra,s cd insi,.. that was all. and YET the
-ielf ri the little toy strangely thrilled me-
A. balanced II upon the tip &c ny finger
To the eyes 81 the other il Wa hat
mail, plain scirclet, suggesting thought,
perhaps, by IL elegance, of the bcaui ifn
white hand that was towear ii. l,ut t. me
how much was embodied there 4 loving
smile un beautiful face -Ipw mur,i< ~ vel
cone, "A future lame. and sweet Smiling
iaee---a group 81 Merr, children t. climb
my Knee all these delights we're hid.ien
within tie little rins II soi
.n.p.rr -.
Tall, bearded anal sun hron1ej, knocked
At the ti.or II m, fathers house. The lights
in the parlor windows and the hum uf eon
serrai "a AID cheerful laughter, Showed inc
that company were assembled there. hoped
that my sister Lizzie weald come 10 the
dvus. ani ti,as might greet nv family
when M strang. cye was Looking eurio,l>ly
en
but ao--a servant answered my summons.
They were too merry in tlc parlor 90 heed
ahc long absent one when he asked Cor adj
mittance. A bitter thought like this was
passing through my mind, as heard the
sounds from the par!or and saw the half
suppressed smile upon the servant i E.ee
! hesitated for n moment before | made
myself known or asked after the family and
while ] stood silent, strange apparit,on
want peercd out small, golden head, n tiny
delicate form followed, and sweet childish
face with blue eyes Was lifted up 10 mine 80
like those Of one who had frightened my
boyhood, that started back with sudden
feeling Of pain.
What y your name my little onefn l
asked while the wondering servant held the
door
She lifted up her hand ~ il Ia Shade her
eyes, Il had seen that very attitude la an
other, in my boyhood, many aud many a
timc,) and answered in sweet bird-like
voice 8 Mary
And what else p asked quickly.
Mary Moore Chester lisred the child
Ny heart sank down like lead. Here was
an end TO all the bright dreams and hopes
Of my youth and manhood. Frank Chester,
by boyish rival, who had often tried, and
IN vain, to usurp my place beside the girl.
had succeeded AZ Last, and had won her
away from me- This was his child his
child and Mary.
| ] sank, body and soul, beneath this blow.
And hiding my facc in my llarllis, leaned
against the door, while my heart wept tears
of blood. The little one gaxed Mt me, griev-
ed and amazed, and put up her pretty lip ~
II about To cry, while the pcrp cxed servant
stepped to the parlor dor AMI called my sis
ter out, Ia see who il could lsc that CONDUCT
ell himself NJ strangely.
heard a light step, and a pleasant voice
saying:
Did You wish To see father, sir2''
| J looked up. There stood pretty, sweet
laced maiden of twenty, not much changed
from the dear little sister had loved 40
well. ] looked At her for moment, and
then, shilling the tumult Of my heart by a
mighty effort, ! opened my arms and said
"Lizxie, don't you know me ~
Harry! oh my brother Harry n she
cried sndthrew herself upon my breast. She
wcpt n IL her heart would break.
There was rush and q cry 0f joy. and
then my father and mother sprsne towards
me, and welcomed me home with heartfelt
tears! Oh, strange and passing sweet Il
such greeting to the wsy-worn wandcrer
And As | held my dear old mother to my
heart, and grasIed my fathers hand, while
Lizzie still chung beside me, felt that all
was not lnst, and though another had sc.
cured lfc's choicest blessing, many 4 low
remained kpr me in this dear sanctuary ii