Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-04-01
P,oorastination.-'T Lost a wiio by It,"

cake, done up very neatly In gold edged paper.
uAh," said l, "what have We hereY'
"Wedding cake" said COZ
HWeddirg cake" said /; ga generous slice,
truly! Who Of my friends have been so foolish
40 TO commit matrimony3 And when did this
melancholy affair happen2"
"Christmas Eve," returned coz "The card
that came with the cake will answer your first
question:" and, giving me an arch smileas she
pointed to the card, she left the room.
"Indeed, my old chum merried2' said 10
myself, as took up tho card and read "Mr.
andlMrs. George Adams" "Ha, ha. ha! who'd
have thought George would have committed
such an act! Mr.. and Mrs. George Adams!-
Ha, ha! really should like to see the fellow.
| lust to bore him bit. But who is this lady
| Il can't be Miss---,o or Miss; they were no
| fayorites of his. Let me think" continued I,
taking out my pencil and putting on bit Of
paper the names Of our female acqusintances.
went on with: "There's Ellen Rice-can't
be her; Jane Green-nor her; Mary Willis
nor her;" until had written down the names
of about twenty girls, without satisfying myself
as 10 the right one. $50, then, Adams Is really
married!n said to myself. l felt truly rejoced
that it was 90, and could not help thinking how
comfortable It would be to drop In Of an even
ing With "my LADY," for had serious notions
then of getting married-as you shall hear
by-and-by--and having social times.
planned out how we would spend our evenings
together In pleasant intercourse. determined
that HE lady and my lady should be the best of
friends, and Mrs. Adams as a sister to me, and
my wife as q sister to him. In fact, such pic
ture Of domestic happiness did draw up--so
bright and glowing with all that Is delightful
did the future seem In married state-thas
threw my paper one way, my pen another, jumped
up, and prepared for o visit to Maria Bailey, to
whom meant to offer myself that very night, and
get married as soon as the law and the minister
would let US. Having put on clean dickey--
II was cold night, and was In a hury-I sal.
lied forth to visit my intended. Maria lived at
the north end of the town, with her mother, q
widow lady. While on the way 10 the house.
I will make the reader little acquainted with
Maria, and the relation In which stood to her.
will not praise her beauty-although as beauti.
full creature as eye ever rested on--neither will
speak of her amiable disposition, her accom-
plishments, &C., &c.
Maria and myself from childhood had known
each other, and were pretty intimate In our
friendship. When was twenty-five years Of
age, / concluded to take trip through the
States; and as had been indisposed for some
time back, with loss OF Appetite no sleep, etc
made this my excuse-"traveled for my
health" When made this declaration, there
was nothing like travelling for health--eyery-
body recommended it. So started, with the
intention cf being absent ayear or more
Travelling, must say, agreed with me com =
pletely, for at the Arst stopping place made
as hearty meal as lany Of nv fellow passen-
gers; and when / stopped for the night, slept
az sound % q roach. To tell the truth, feign.
cd sicknesa only for an excuse TO get away from
home. The real motive OF my departure was.
my feelings toward Maria began to change;
always had q foolish longing to be near her,
and Q singular feeling of regret when she was
away from home when / called to spend n
social evening; and then there was peculiar
sensation about my heart when saw her
engaged closely in conversation with any
of my companions, or when she bestowed
upon them smile. In fact / began TO
feel something more than friendship to-
ward her. did not let her know the state of
my mind, but laughed and frolicked with her
the same as ever. My affection for her in
creased daily. Not knowing, however, but that
my love might prove only momentary, and
wishing to know If absence would wear IL Off
for IL had always been my determination that
when I welded, ID should not only be union of
hands, but union Of hearts. determined,
without limiting the object Of my journey to
Maria, or even giving her the slightest reason
to suspect the nature of my feelings toward her
Ito take the journey, and If time did not alter
my heart when returned, to offer myself to
her. went on my journey--visited all noted
places-mingled in company as much as posi-
Electrified with the lrdies In the fashionable
way; still, though surrounded with beauty in
every engaging form--though Asttered and ca
ressed--after all, thought of Maria caused
throb which none of the lovely ones around me
could create. Her image kept fast hold on my
heart, and wouldn't leaveit. Finding, after an
absence of elk months, that the complaint which
caused me to leave home inreased rather than
diminished, hastened my return, and arrived
home on the aforesaid FIRST Of January,
When reached Maria's place of abode and
began to ascend the steps in front Of the house,
my heart quailed q little. l began to grow
"a aint-hearted. and to think in which manner
should .'pop the question" Iregrettedithat
had not studied my part before left home.
hesitAted as took hold Of the bell-rope-my
breath grew shorter, and my nerves shook. /
was relinquishing my hold with the intention Of
taking short stroll round the square to think
over what TO say-in fact, got half way down
the steps, thinking Iwould pu. off my declara,
tion until another time--when the thought Of
0COER0 buU uib Wn0-Nua tuC piOubout oNCu
inss We should have together, fixed my waver-
turned and ran up the steps, opened the door,
and proceeded to the parlor. s arg
As good luck would have 1t, there sat Maria
on the sofa, all alone, looking as bewitching ae
an angel. She blushed a. she arose and josfnlly
extended her hand gave II hearty shake,
and squeezed it--you know how, reader, dare
say. I was 9most tempted TO do violence by
kissing IL, but thinking II would seem sweeter
after the trembling Yes had been said, : refrain.
ed. s{ 9s io,fs IA ,ltI,c ~ y, .fi Y,
"Eiow glad am that you have returned,''
said she, ''and how improved you look I"
This was said In such tone OF affection that
began to con over an anewer, which would
weaken the ice, and give her hint Of what was
coming.
"Yes," replied, II feel wonderfully i'm
proved; and it appears TO me-" continued,
"there is also an Improvement 10 your appear
|ance--you-- y = ,ii.t3s.it. .ta,e IN Il slA
"Bui how we're you pleased with your jour
ney7" interrupting me, while delicate flush
passed .oyer her cheeks, "did you not meet with
some Southern beauty, who weaEed your heart
from your native placel" ;, ss.-..,.
Here was hne opening.
"No, Maria, home IL home, and ever dear
I must confess, however, that was greatly
pleaeed with the ladies' of the South, yst ] saw
none who would compare with the girls Of my
own town. As for being weaned from home, my
| heart is too strongly bound 70 the scenes Of my
birthplace. and to the friends of my childhood,
10 fear that. These affections, my dear Maria,
that cling to the heart, and wilnot forsake you,
be you where you MAJ, or your situation what II
n Hers stnck for moment. Thinking Il /