Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-05-13
9 starp af 8eal 9&'.
MARY MOORE
CHAPTER +.

All my lifelong had known Mary Moore.
All mylise I had loved her.
Our mothers were old playmates and first
cousins My first recollection is of a boy in
. ned froak and morocco shoaa rocking q era.
Ole, in which repoaed sunny-haired, blue
eyed baby, not quite year old. That boy
was myself Harry Church; that blue-eyed
baby was Mary Moore.
Later still, I see myself at the little school
house, drawing my little chaise up to the
door that Mary might ride home. Many a
beating have I gained on such occasions, for
other boys besides me liked her, and she, l
hSar, vas semething Of a airt, even in her
pipafores, How elegantly she came tripping
down the steps when called her name !
how sweesly her blue eyeslooked at me !how
gaily rung out her merry laugh That fairy
laugh No one but Mary could ever bring
her heart 80 soon to her lips. I followed
that laugh from the days of my childhood
till ! grew an awkward blqsling yOpth-I
followed it through the heated noon of man
hood and, now, when the frosts Of age are
sllvering my hair, and many children climb
my knee and call me father find that the
memories of youth are strong, and that even
in grey hairs, / am following its music still,
When was fifteen, the first great sorrow
Of my life came upon my heart. vas sent
to sc6ool 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.
Ileft college in all the flush and vigor OF
my nineteenth year. was 70 longer agk'
Yard and embarrassed. 4hsd grown into a
tsll, alepder STRIPPING, with very good opin'
lon Of myself, both in general and particular
If / thought of Mary Moore, it was to i'm
agine how would dazzle and bewilder he'
with my good looks and wonderful attain
ments-never thinking that she might daz'
s1e and heRilder ae still mora. IVas cox
comb, know; but as youth and good looks
have fed, trust I 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
i'll ideas of {, profession, and prepared to &C
10 the Indies. In my hurried visit home
saw nothing of Mary Moore. She had gone
to boarding school at some distance, and
was not expected home until the following
May. I uttered one sigh to the memory Of
my little blue-eyed playmate, and then called
m7gslf g nan again.
In year. thought, as the vehicle whirl
ed away from our door-'in year, or three
years at the most, will return, and if Mary
is as pretty as she used to be, why then, per
haps I may marry her
And thus I settled the future of young
lady whom had not seen for four years.
never thought of the possibility of her re
fusing me-never dreamed that she woulc
not condescend to accept my offer.
But now I know that had Mary met INT
then, she would have despised me. Per
haps in the scented and affected student, sh'
might have found plenty Of sport; but a
far loving me, orfeelipg the sligbtestinteres
In me, should have perhaps found wal
mistaken.
India was my salvation, not merely be
cause of my success, but because my labo
rious industry had counteracted the evil IL
my nature, and made me better man.
When, at the end of three years, prepared
to return, I said nothing of the reformation
in myself which I knew had taken place.
They loved me as I was,' I murmured tt
myself sand they shall find out for them
selves whether I am not better worth loving
than formerly
/ packed up many token from that lant
of romance and gold, for the friends 1 hop
to meet. The gift for Mary Moore select
ed with beating heart. 1t was ring o
rough, virgin gold, with my name and her
engraved inside-that was all, and yet tn
side of that little top strangely thrilled M
as I balanced it on the tip of my finger.
To the eyes Of others, it was but small
plain circlet, suggesting thoughts, perhaps
by its elegance, of the beautiful white hant
that was to wear it. But to mellow mucl
was embodied there! A, loving smile on
.:s.l c...-lo-, x,orda of welcome. q fp