The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-11-18

own, and that rambling away from the local.
ity, had mistaken the place where the hat
was left.
II was, in a moment, my full determine
ton to discover who was the fair "a. B."
and then for the first time in my life / seri-
ously thought of the idea of choosing q COM
psuIon TO with me admire the romance OF ma /
ture.
Yes" said /, she could mot have come |
here unless tempted by the same fancy, and |
if the germ budding SO young has been Gull |
tivated, she must be all L could imagine, both !
In body and soul"
"But the wide world spread out before me,
and with il a vista of uncounted years, while
how many times might the fancied "A. b. >
have become A any of the 20 letters OF
| the alphabet, yes and the IL besides. And
| was no longer a resident of the country,
| and she might be abroad"
The meditation was we'll nigh distracting.
and the few moments of sleep that night
were but snatches of wild song and fairy
| uymphs just eluding my gaze and grasp by
the toaming spray. To free myself OF the
effect the madness had produced, quickened
my departure to q contemplated tour among
the northern hills and lakes. The long alb
| sence from these scenes had a new charm 10
me, or else the interruption of my peace OF
mind had suddenly made me more sppreciat-
i've | passed q week at a fine hotel which
had grown up on the shores of Willoughby
lake, which was now a fayorite resort.
My unsettled fancy led me to long wand
erings among the forest shores and by the
new-fOund pastures. In search of a wild flower
or q stray berry. One afternoon | came up
on party of ladies wreathing garlands for
| a couple of bright little girls, the very en-
bodiment of loneliness and health, and, plac-
ing upon them their summer hats, the party
strolled down to the lake to watch the white
fringed waves, as they layed the shining
sand.
had not needed the ladies'. None could
be beautiful nor charming to me but "a. b; :"
but sudden remark caught my ear: How
singular it Is, Annie, that we never had a
trace of your lost hat"
| / hardly understood the words first, nor
did catch the reply; but looked up, star
tied with a pang of despair, as had no doubt
from the appearance of the group that one
lady was the mother of the children, and the
other an aunt or grandmother. |. however,
caught hasty glance of the features of the
mother. and beheld all my fancy ideal, with
3 but bearing of still greater loneliness and
,, grace than my fevered imagination ever had
pictured.
"Confound the fortune ~ CALCULATED, aud
turned away TO the hotel to consult the record
But nothing satisfactory gained. Mr.. and
Mrs. Bigelow were there, and numerous her
4 that Annie was the real "A. b."
, | cared not to learn further of my fate, and
came near quitting on the early stage for the
, queens dominions, when the landlord accosted
, me and asked if | would not make party upon
4 the la e, 'another gentleman was wanted and
the ladies had proposed you" / consented, was
presented to the goOd-natured company but for
got the name in my thoughtessness until every
indication OF attention on her part and frequent
: ralery of my melancholy proved, to my satisfac-
IL u. ~
e lovely children l had seen her in company
, with.
The boating party returned and with il my
dropping spirits while the acquaintance began 70
: ripenen into admiration. The rsmbes were fire.
] Quent, and the wreaths of wild flowers often sug
gested IA subject which could not summon cour.
age enough TO touch upon. One day, when her
: hat had received few flowers of my culling, ],
while stopping to pluck flower, and with nv
face turned away, mustered sufficient courage 70
i say that had heard her once remark that she
: had lost hat decked with flowers.
.'Yes," she replied, 81 lost my travelling hat
once when was little girl, and would give
e my heart TO know who forRd it,"
"Why ?" suggested l, musing, and learned
+ that there was some mystery which she concealed
/ with playiulness.
Il found the hat" said I, as we sat down up
on knoll, shaded by an overhaDging maple
: 'and will take the heart"
You Mr.. Smith" said she, in surprise, s'you
:, found my hat by that beautiful waterfall 90
! IL did, Miss Annie. and lost my heart"
= There followed 10 surprise nor exclamation Al
I my last remark, but her hand uncounsciously
: dropped upon mine, we both at the same mo-
Q ment asked how il came about. As OWNED
she had thoughtlessly strayed away from the spot
= where the hat WIS left until too near night and
: too far away to return for it. Upon returning
with companion the next morning. the hat was
, not TO be found, but instead the inscription as
had made il. She added that playful suggestion
, | and returned harbOring the same curiosity
. | had done.
The hat had been carefully kept as bachelor
relic slowed in my garnet, but il has since been
l. pulled out, and embOdies &c two happy hearts a
= bright page of childhood. We have both since
visited the fall and the mill ruins, while somebo
= dy has added to the former inscription: