The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-04-22
my fathes's cottage is only half a mile

Let me TRY" SAID and aided b,
. Mary, | made the attempt. Leaning
upon her shoulder, (expressible felicity /!
succeeded in gaining my feet.
"Could you walk sirl" inquired she
81 think ! could support you little. T"
We walked on few steps but l wa.
very weak, and she trembled little.
soon found the exertion too much for me
but Mary led me few steps fnrther to ;
tree, and aided me to seat where coul(
lean against the trunk.
"Sit near" said /.
She looked at me with surprise.
continued, II know you, do ! not ~
And then noticed that she wore in hel
bosom little bunch of my flowers. She
instinctively moved her hand towards
them
"Why," said I, still faint, and speak
ing brokenly, /" are we such slaves to the
formalities of the world (! lam sure that
you might sit here on the turf near me,
for | know you very well-and see, the
bandage on my wound has slipped
Won't you replace it!'
NO, sir" she replied.
"No" | replied, and ! started with
surprise.
!" Because | do not think it has slipped
in the least" said She
Let me convince you" And | tore
it off, lit was her own handkerchief. The
blood gushed out freely.
"What have you done!" exclaimed
she imperatively, as seizing the handker-
chief, and falling upon her knees at my
side, she began to re-adjust it.
You are near where | like to have
you. DO not turn away. My name is
Stafford-yours-oh, know it we'll en-
ough--is Mary Cole. | am gentleman,
but stranger herein fact a prisoner
here.'
"A prisoner l' she asked.
Love is the Jail, and Beauty the jail
Or" | replied.
Your arm is right now," she said alb
ruptly, rising, and withdrawing some half
dozen feet.
"But am very faint" said.
"There is a spring close by; | will
bring some water"
"How 7"
In the hollow of my hand"
Bring it, said |, and she ran off to
do so, and returned in moment with
little water in her hand, dripping through
her fingers.
"Put it on my brow" said |.
II will sprinkle it upon your face if
you are faint"
No, my brow is hot. Bathe it en-
treat you"
She hesitated minute then came up,
and laid her hand with its cool contents
upon my brow.
"That is pleasant" | said. "Are
they coming =
"Yes, see them now," she rplied.
"It was your brother, then who-but
I didn't know you had a brother"
"He is at home from college, sir"
| now heard steps running, and a
bright handsome youth came painting up,
incoherently expressing his delight that |
/ was still alive. Then the surgeon
came, who felt my bones, and found them
unbroken.
"Only flesh wound" said he" very |
weak from loss of blood, that $ all; slight |
infamation-no danger; must be well
nursed though"
Then consultation in low tones took
place, after which the youth came to-
wards me and begged to know if would
go to his fathers until | was GONZALES
cent-and /, grown rapidly dizzy and i'll,
NODDED consent, wbereupon Harry, for
so Mary called him, ran off to procure a
litter to convey me, and the surgeon
brought out his instruments and pro-
ceeded to the extraction of the bullet,
and the dressing of the wound.
A semi-unconsciousness accompanied
and followed all this /; but a pale agitated,
sweet face would at moments flash upon
my senses, and / had dream conscious
ness of tender hands lifting my head, and
gentle fingers pressing upon my brow.
Fever and light-headedness lasted for
some hours; but these ailments passed
away, and found me domiciled in Mr..
Coles cottage, with Mary for nurse,
and Love for physician.
/ got we'll too fast. was soon walk
ng about with my arm in sling, and quite
capable of going anywhere-in fact, dis
armed of every excuse for remaining Mr..
Coles guest. But now think of tearing
myself away from the most blissful ex-
stence ! had ever known! Mary's soei-
sty had become necessity to me-
When she was present, sunshine rested I
when she was gone, a cloud
larkend the world.
felt, too, great hope of winning her.
was certainly not Indifferent to her i; 1t
,ould detact thousand things that made
hat evident, and who knew but that down
n her heart there smotherea the fame H