The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1869-08-21
sIr. MarshaiI,s Choice.


Mrs. Mamie Marshall wasn't my aunt.
but | had called her SO for years, for she
was the kindest aud truest friend | ever
had She sat silent, knitting busily aud
smiling little before she answered me
1T all came of shaking tablccloth, .
said aunt Mamie
What did You trip HIM up in its
folds, and bring him down on his knees
to you -
No; III tell you. When I was four
years old, my mother died L don't
know whether children Of that tender
age remember their mother as | renlem-
bered mine or not but when [ was SO
little that [ sat In high chair at the
table, would watch the chairs filing up
around it with the persistent hope that
my mother would come to sit by me
and did not rclinquish this hope after
| was old enough to comprehend death,
but clung to it, praying Christ to work a
miracle, as IN the old Bible times, aud
let my dear mother appear to my longing
sight.
Never was there more affectionate
cr imaginative child, and my youth was
dreary time. My grandmother, who
had charge of me, meant to do her duty
| by me, and in the usual acceptance of
the term, she did it. I was fed and
clothed, aud she taught me as well as her
limited means would allow. But she
She was one of those kind of people who
think kisses and caresses foolishness !;
and though | can look back now aud re
| member proofs of secret tenderness,
she never kissed or caressed me when L
was child.
II grew up starved for love. After l
was fourteen years old, grew to look for
it from whence all girls look for it-from
u lover. [ read romances-I built air
castles-yet SO well had [ been trained
In practical ways and habits that one
dreamed of the turn my mind was taking.
My fondest dream was of the time when
martial figure, with bold, bright eyes,
and gay apparel, should, seated on
milk-white charger, appear before me as
[ spun in the porch, or gathered berries
in the field, and folding me to his heart
with tender and assuring words, leaL
| upon his ste d, and, with me in his arms,
fly to some unknown country where he
would make me queen of his castle. |
never realized, ugly, ignorant child that
was, that it was peculiarly absurd as
applied to me, until one day something
occurred which destroyed my beautiful
illusion, and made me wretched.
s'There were always several weeks in
the fall, when, if the crops were good, [
was almost ineessantly employed in gath
ering berries, which my grandmother
preserved for winters use. My only
companion in this work was my cousin
Stephen, boy two or three years young
er than myself.
Zone day when thus employed, We
caught glimpse of a man in regimentals,
riding swiftly through the woods.
"Who can that be ?" said Stephen.
"'Oh!' said I, in delight, perhaps it
is my lover knight coming from the wars
to find me. Let us watch until he comes
round the bend of the road. IF it is he,
he viii take off his plumed hat and wave
it for me- Then he will gallop up and
lift me to his horse and carry me to his
Moated Castle
"sA nice girl you are for knight to
run off with, amt you? A handsome
ladylove you'd make, with your black
face and flying hair like wild Indians
and mouth all stained with berries Ho
no! Wouldn't you look grand flying
away on horse, with your old calico
dress flying, and your shoes falling of,
cause they are SO big? I'd just like to
see you.'
my cloudland was destroyed forever.
From that moment knew that I was
ugly, uncouth and unattractive, and my
hero-lover never camel ceased to ex-
pect him.
ssI grew older, I was pale, plain, awk-
wardly shy. I fen my personal defects
to painful degree, and / Stunned what
society was attainable to- me.
When I was eighteen years old, /
received m invitation from an aunt who