New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-10-17
MISCELLANEOUS.
Friend and Rival.
BY GEO. ARNOLD.

1t has long been question, among the
philosophers, whether or no there is such a
phenomenon as love at first sight.
For my part, being only romancc-writer,
and not philosopher, think there is such
Il phenomenon. az ..... .....s.u ...... .--
And the case of Sergeant Booth. of the
tn Cavalry, bears evidence in favor of that
view.
The regiment was quartercd in small vii
lage in Maryland for threo months before it
was sent into active service in Virginia ; and
during its seiou"n in the camp Of instruction,
was a feature of considerable interest to the
inhabitants Of the surrounding region-hen-
est people, mostly, of strong loyalty to the
Union, and corresponding dislike of the
opposing army that proposed to '.liberate''
them.
Itwas while cameed at this place that Ser
gcant Booth fell in love at first sight
The young officers of the regiment had a
habit of showing their uniform at the little
village church every Sunday, and Of escort,
ing the village bells home after service, to
the intense disgust Of the native beaux, gsho
found themselves left quite in the shade by
their military rivals,
For 4 notice t:.at where a lady has two ad-
'nrers. one with army buttons and one with
ous, all other things beiag equal, she greatly
prefers the but:oned one. Perhaps this
natural and patriotic taste on the part of the
ether sex may explain, in a measure, the ex-
trcme readiness shown by our young men to
enter the army.
Maria Harkncss was one of the prcttiest of
all these maidens who attracted the attention
cfthe'cavaliers Of the -th Regiment, There
were many more fashionab} bic, more wealthy,
and more pretentit,us, but few or none more
modest or attractive. The colonel, lieuten-
aat-colonel, and major moved in a loftier
circle, and only appeared at church with the
wives or daughters of the judge, the ex-sena.
tor, or the clergyman. Indeed, all the COM
missioned officers who cared to mingle in the
society of the town were rather ambitious,
but nearly all agreed that the daughter of
plain Farmer Hardness would bear favora-
BILE comparison with almost any Of the others
and many poor lieutenant and unkonown
captain secretly cnvied Sergeant Booth the
bright smiles that greeted him whcn:yer he
and Maria met.
The young ladies were not so kindly dis.
posed toward this damscl as the Young gen
tlemen were. She was not only prettier than
they but had also the fault of being COM
parativc stranger. Farmer darkness had
only moved into that region q few weeks be-
fore the appearance ofthe -th Cavalry, and
his daughter to bear off the palm from old
settlers, born and bred there, was considered
an insult added to an injury especially as
there were several pairs of bright and anxious
eyes on the lookout for Sergeant Booths COM
ing and going.
Sill, Maria Harkness minded her own
affairs. and permitted others to mind theirs.
The regiment drilled, paraded aud reviewed
increasing in capabillty and skill each day.
Sergeant Booth behaved himself circumspect-
ly, and showed Maria all the attention he
dared The villagers talked and meddled as
usual and in a word, time passed by, till
the day drew nigh on which the regiment was
to march for the scene Of active operations in
the Shenandoah valley.
The sergeant had come to a full and viva
cisus consciousness of his heart. He knew
that he was earnestly, really, sincerely in
love, and he had some reason to believe that
he was beloved in turn
Maria had encouraged him in his atten-
tions had given him hundred words, a
thousand glanses. that expressed more than
she vouchafed to other men; yet there was
plainly soHething wrong. At times, she met
him almost coldly. at times, with traces of
weeping in her fair, blue eyes. She seemed
moody and abstracted and in anrwer &c his