Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-06-22
For the Wing and Tribune
FORGETTING.
~ MRS. JENNIE S. PERKINS

4 oil MEXICO IN IuC COill lalfN OF TWO
beautiful Senoritas, whose brilliant
Orbs of jet sparkled like black dia-
| monds, listening to the musical muir
mur of waters failing into marble
fountains, and the far sweeter music
of his companions voices, inhalins
the ravishing odor Of countless fruits
and flowers; while over all the sill
very sheen Of the moon was flung,
and the stars looked down like the
bright, approving eyes of angels,
/ pleased to see the children of earth
loving and happy.
Amid so much bliss and beauty,
Reginald forgot the sorrows of the
past, forgot he was a penniless or
phan, raised OH the grudging bOun-
ty of a bachelor uncle who would
| scarcely have allowed him TO call
his soul his own il he could have
helped ii; who expected him to have
no wish, will, hope, or love in OpPO-
sition to his preconceiyed notions,
and always threatened him with dis
inheritance in case he did. Though
sorely tried by the Ovcrbearing and
supcrCilious manner OF his uncle nc
endeavored to please him aud TO re-
member only that lac had given him
a home and education.
But he had well nigh lost his self
control as he neared his twcnty-first
| birthday; for his uncle disclosed TO
| him the plans he had for his future;
which, first Of all, was that he should
wed Mehitable futon, Of luton
| Hall; a maiden of some thirty sum-
mers, possessed of "a considerable
fortune in her own right, flaXen
hair, Tubicund nose, an imm0nse
| gOitrous tumor, and a sccretaryship
in a woman's rights society.
lie was utterly disgusted with the
| idea, and knew not what TO do to
avoid a scene with his uncle, when
the war with Mexico, and his own
/ majority gave him chance To leave
his prison for a while.
His relative offered no very scri-
Gus objection to his going, as he
thought no temptation in the way
of female charms could beset him
there; and giving the Captain of the
company in which he enlisted, strict
charge concerning his nephew, lac
bade him farewell.
| Once from under his uncle's sur
VIGILANCE, he began TO feel like a new
being; and after embarking on the
Gulf he sat on the forecastle of the
ship, watching the waves roll by IN
all of their majesty; a feeling of ex-
ultatiOn thrilled his whole being,
unfelt before, and he resolved that
from hencefOrth he would bo free.
Right bravely he fought iu all the
| battles from the first to the conquest
of the city of the Montezumas; aud
he had been advanced to the posi-
tion of first Lieutenant in the COM
pany in which he served before the
troops took up their quarters there.
Much has been said Of the periidy
of the MeXicans, and their cowardly
attempts TO poison and otherwise
| destroy the Americans; and doubt
| less the lower classes of them de-
served the bad name they acquired;
but among the wealthy and refined
inhabitants they were treated more
like a superior order of beings than
| otherwise, and many an officer had
attentions and hattery enough al
most to turn any head, bestowed
not only by the fair Senorltas, but
their naughty Castilian fathers.
Regi. was not an exception to
this rule. He had early made the
acquaintance of some very charming
ladies. and was more enchanted
than flattered by the warmth of
their manners, so different from the
cold, repulsivc bearing of the peO-
pie among whom he had been rear
ed. Possessed OF kind feelings, and
much sentiment, which he had hith-
erto assiduOusly curbed, his affec-
tions went forth like the tendrils of
the vine warmed aud refreshed by
the dews and sunshine of spring.
He was deeply in love with one of
the lOveliest of the black-eyed beau
ties that abounded in that beautiful
land.
Truly, he had forgot his cruel rel
ative and the orgress hc intended
him to wed. Wandering in this
Elysium, and dreaming the first
sweet dreams of love, he was rath-
er rudely recalled by the voice Of
his Captain, who suddenly appear
ing, accOsted him with, ''what are
you doing here?"
enjoying myself, OF course" re-
piled the Lieutenant.
"Ah! forgetting, rather say"
To what do you alludeY"
"Why, firstly, because you are in
an enemy's country; secondly, your
duty to your uncle and Mehitable.
II you escape poison or the lariat,
greatly fear that the penalty of dis
Inheritance by your uncle and reiCc-
tiou by the lady hc has chosen for
you will be incurred by your impru-
dence. Doubtless, if they knew of
your present behavior your chance
would be small to obtain their IA
VOr."
''Be it so. Capt in. | am free
man have soul of my own. and
hencefOrth a will also; and if il
comes to what you call the worst,
you can take the lady I'm question,
or if that does not suit, let my uncle
have her, for they are kindred spir-
its. So write back just what you
please. for with all due Difference TO
YOU, Captain, l here affirm that !
will never wear the fetters that those
worthics intend for me; for the la
riat or poison would be preferable
to such a sOul-bondage."
"Well take your own way, Lieu
tenant; but afOrtune's never a thing
to be despiscd, especially by those
who have none themselves"
So saying he turned away and left
his friend to enjoy unlnterruptedly
the society of his lady love; but he
had hardly got out of sight before
a proWling guerrilla stealthily ap-
preached with his lariat prepared
to moose the young American, when
a timely bullet from his fair com
panion's brother saved him from a
dreadful death, and desperately
wounded the wretch, who in fit of
Jealous rage, sought 10 destroy his
successful rival.
Shortly afterwards Rcgi. was
taken i'll of a fever and fingered ma
nv days between life and death,
nursed by his inamorita, who watch
ed day and night like a ministering
angel around his pillow. Kindness
and a good constitution triumphed
at last, and he slowly recovered his
health.
Mehitable heard of his sickness,
but gave herself but little concern
rs she did not indulge the weakness
of sympathy.
His uncle tried to console the pro-
spective niece, thinking she was
very uneasy, which she was, for fear
he would die and she would be com
PEELED to remain single; but she was
too coarse to sympathiZe.
The war ended finally, and Regi.