The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-07-13

strange and passing sweet is such greeting to
the wav-worn wanderer! And as l held my
dear old mother to my heart, and grasped my
fathers hand, while Lizzie still clung beside me
I felt that all was not yet lost, and thought
another had secured fes choicest blessings,
many ioy remained for me in this dear sane
tuarY of a home.
There were four other inmates of the room
who had risen on nv sudden entrance. One
was the blue-e7ed child whom had already
seen, and who now stood beside frank Chester
cnging TO his hand Near by stood Lizzie
Moore, Mary's eldest sister, and in a distant
corner, to which she had hurriedly retreated
when nv name was spoken. stood tall and
slender figure, half hidden by the heavy win
dow curtains that fell to the floor
When the first rapturous greeting was over,
| Lizzie led me forward with a timid grace, and
Frank Chester grasped my hand.
"Welcome home. my boy!" he said with the
| loud cheerful tones remembered so well you
have changed SO that l should never have
known you but no matter for that-your heart
is in the right place know
sHow can you say he is changed?" said my
mother. gently. ''To be sure, he looks older
and graver. and more like man than when he
went away-but his eyes and smile are the
same as ever II is that heavy beard that
changed him He is my boy still. ,"
CAV, MOTHER l answered sadly; "l am
your boy still"
Heaven help me! At that moment | felt like
a boy, and it would have been blessed rel'ef
to have wept upon her bosom, as had done
in my infancy. But kept down the beating
of m heart and the tremor of my lip. and an
swered quietly, as looked in his full hand
some face
"You have changed, too, Frank, but l think
, for the better"
ooh, yes-thank you for that compliment =
he answered, with hearty laugh. my vile
| tells me l grow handsomer every day"
"His wife!-coud hear that name and
keep silence still"
.iAnd have you seen my little girl he added
4 lifting the infant in his arms and kissing hel
crimson cheek Il tell you, Harry. there L
not such another in the world. Don't yot
thinks he looks very much as her mother used!
$ VERY much!" f&itered.
7 "Haljo!" cried Frank, with suddennes
e that made me start violently, Il have forgotten
n to introduce you to my wife; believe you an'
she used TO be playmates in your young days
d oh Harry" and he slapped me on the back
s e.For the sake of old times, and because yo
Y ,roro not here at the wedding. I'll give yo
: 1aor. TO kiss her once-but mind, old fellow
ro,, are never to repeat the ceremony. Com
V bara she is, and | for once want to see ho'
r ron will manage those ferocious muStaches
= yo.xs in the operation.
ID - rnshed Lizzie, laughing and blushlng
tomarJs me. A CLEAN Of light and hope, al
D, n,ost TOO dazzling to bear. came over me, an
le T cried out before thought;
'e "Not Mary"
!. T. n,ust have betrayed my secret to ever
ye ona IN the room But nothing was said-eye
FranI, in General so obtuse, was this time siIer
Sc 7 L;ssed the fair cheek of the young wife, an
$ b,rr;ed to the silent figure looking out trol
Of ''s "Msrv-Mary Moore, said in low ,eag'
h. voice .3have you no welcome to give to I'll
"'tsHe She turned and laid her hand in min! al
TO murmured hurriedly
es II am glad to see you here harry. olI'P
" ,vords-and vet how blest they made me!
of would not have yielded up that moment>for
to o,,naror,s crown For there was the haPl
th home group and the dear home tireside, al
rim tbore sweet Mary Mocrel The eyes III
de dreamed of day and night were falling oefo
tie die ardent gaze of mine; and the sweet 'aSe
on had so longed and prayed to see was VI W.
before me! never knew the meaning OF I'D
ain piness till that moment came!
le- Many years have passed since tha5 nap
to n;obt and the hair that was dark ana gioS
ed the then is fast turning gray. | am growing TO
ow an. old man. and can look back to long Al
eet happy, and hope a weIl-spent life. And
to sweet as it has been would not recall sing
len day, for the love that made my manhood
bright shines also upon my white hairs,
at An old mani Can this be 50? At hear
in am as Young as ever. And Mary, with :
ion bright hair parted smoothly from a brow II
my has slight furrow upon it, is still the Mary
zir nv early days. To me she can never gr'
Get old. nor change The heart that held her
ing infancy and sheltered her in the flush
beauty of womanhood can never cast her
ms. ill life shall cease to warm it. Nor tn
the for love still lives above.
ne ,--~----~~--~~~----~-----
Ugh PRESENCE OF MIND AND COMMON SENSE, =
AR man faints away, says Halls journal
oon Health, instead of yelling out like savage,
;,<, tn hin, IN lift him up lay him at