The Newtown bee., 1879-03-18
THE EXCHANGED OvERCOATs.
BY SAMUEL AYERS.


 Several young folks were assembled at Mir. Lawrence one evening for the purpose of amusement, and after they had quite exhausted their budget of fun, they requested MT. Lawrence to tell them story. As he delighted in pleas. ing young people, he readily complied with their request, and asked what they would have.
 "Yours and Lenora's love story" echoed several merry voices.
 "Well, then" said he, "i if you will be seated and keep quiet, will tell you about our courtship."
 They seated themselves around him, and with Lenora's lustrous black eyes beaming on him he began his narrative.
 Lenora was sixteen and was twen- ty-two when my story begins. I was visiting at Uncle Johns in Benton, when l became acquainted with her. It was at church, the first Sunday after my arrival, that first saw her. She was a pretty girl, with black eyes, dark brown hair and red cheeks; which charms, you see, she still retains in won- derful perfection, though many weary years have passed since then. As she was an intimate friend of Uncle Johns family, soon became ac- quainted with her. We met often, and spent many happy hours together. The result was that scarcely a month had elapsed ere l found myself so deeply in love with her that resolved to tell her how dear she was to me, and ask her to be my own sweet Lenora. Nor was it long before had an opportunity of exe- cutting my resolution. We were seated on rustic seat in beautiful spot in her mothers garden. It was pleasant morning in May, and nature was dress ed in her richest garb The flowers were in full bloom, and the ground was covered with velvet green. The morn ing sun shining from blue sky through the rich foliage that clustered above our heads, lent magical luster to the sur rounding scenery. It was spot that the artist might be proud to have repro j duced on canvas, or the poet to have de- picted Tn rhyme. We had often sat in that self-same spot before; but on this morning it possessed more charm and was more fascinating than ever. With Lenora's head leaning on my shoulder and her hand placed confdingly in mine, believed myself the most favored of mortals. l thought if only could have such dear girl with me all the time, I would be the happiest man in the world. It seemed that she divined my thoughts, for she asked me what was thinking about. told her that was thinking of the short time tbat remained until I would have to go home, and how lone some I would be when so far away from her. A tear stole down her rosy cheek, and her head hung lower on my shoul- der. l put my arm around her, drew her to my breast, and somehow, though l could never tell just how, I asked her If she would be my own dear wife. Her reply, which was a sweet "yes, !" seemed to have almost transformed that little garden spot into heaven. I held her long in my arms and pressed pas sionate kisses on her red lips. When we parted, an hour afterward, we had vowed to be forever true to each other. After that our meetings became more frequent, and life was thousand times sweeter to me than ever before.
 Several weeks had passed pleasantly away, when the time for my return home drew near. It was about the middle of July. Having gained her parents con sent to our marriage, I promised to re- turn in September to claim my bride.
 With farewell meeting with Lenora, in which all our VOWS were renewed and many parting tears were shed, I took passage in a stage-coach for Clifton. where my father lived. It was eighty miles distant, and was three days in going. The first thing did after had received the congratulations of my friends was to write to Lenora, to tell her of my journey over the steep and rocky road among the mountains and hills on the old stage coach. A sweet core spondence ensued, and through the long summer days that followed the greatest 1 pleasure that I enjoyed was in reading Lenora's letters and writing to her. About the first of September I re- ceived letter from Lew Rowland, re. questipg nc to come to Greencastle and spend few days with him before his departure for California.
 | Lew and had been echno1rnafas o,,f7 were very intimate friends. For the past thre6 yeaxs he had bean cl6rkine in dfuf. rtofS n GreencastIe: but IF