The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-04-18
MY FIRST LovE.LErrER.
Through Mail.l

When was about fourteen years old, fell violently in love with widow who had little farm, large mole on her chin and nine small children. It was not case of mild, inoffensive affection, but a regular, zygmotic, malignant at- tack that doubled me right up into hard double-knot and threatened my exist. ence. She was about thirty-nine years old, and her husband had been killed in the army, and everybody else spoke well of her and pitied her, SO l spoke well of her and pitied her, too, and when she told some of my numerous sisters that was one of the sweetest b oys in the neigh borhood, that settled it with me. l thenceforth looked upon her as my own darling prospect of happy future be- yond the grave.
 l cannot now remember that she ever exhibited any more affection for me than she showed in her conduct toward my sisters, but she had said that was the sweetest boy in the neighborhood, and in my feverish state of mind, could not help feeling that there was a wealth of ardent love done up in that little bundle of words. At Sunday on the fol. lowing Sabbath, she looked across toward me while was mentally praying for her, and smiled. In that smile, saw wealth, fame, love, honor, and large family, but l had not acquired sufficient experience to convince me that smile of such di- mensions was too much for me. It warmed me like base-burner, and when the services had reached an end, plucked up courage enough tc ask her if might go home with her. Joy, joy, joy 1 She consented, looking so smiling and pleasant that felt that if were to climb two rungs higher on the ladder of happi ness, would be able to look right over the wall into the joyous realm where the man whose shoes 1 wished to wear, was basking in the glorious sunlight among the angels.
 now remember that she looked at her children as if she felt pleased to know that was willing to play with them when l asked her if might go home with her, but l was blind with love, then, and thought she was glad to have me in her own sweet company. When we reached her humble cottage, she told me could go out in the orchard with the other chil- dren and gather all the apples could eat. How happy wasl And when her baSes looked upon me as shook down the ripe fruit, how strangely excellent felt, as l thought of the blessed future, when they would call me papa, and would reciprocate by gently taking the largest ones by the collar and lam ming the everlasting hills with them until they would humbly bow down their heads in my presence and yield me good obedience.
 l ate a great many apples. am afraid l ate more than were good for me, and was not sufficiently careful to select well ripened fruit.
 By five o'clock, was sufficiently re- covered to go home. When there, my paroxysms ot devotion to the widow be- came more violent, and determined to delay no longer, lest some braver man ! looked upon myself as a man, would have it understcod-should capture the inestimable prize. got hold of piece of paper and a short pencil, and going to the barn, where the eyes of cold and heartiess world would not be upon me, wrote the following touching appeal:
 OMEGA, MARION Co, ILL Mch. IS -
 Dear Missus don't want to give her away, as she is now a respectable old grandmother, SO will 6ctate little on the name), McGruder. want you too marcy mee when am a Man. Hove you awefull Bad, and you now It.
 "The Rose is Red the vyolicks blew,
 Randy is sweat and So air yew."
 "Shure's the Moss grows Round the stump, Yew air My Sweetest Shugser lump" jam awefull loveingly yewers,
 From feelings of modesty, suppress my own name, also. never was noted for wishing to intrude my name upon the public after anything had been stolen or some other meanness had been done and people were trying to find who did it. Her reply, which my mother received and read in my absence, crushed out the last faint spark of hope in my soul and re- suited in my being ignominiously spanked. It read:
 Dear boy: have all the children l know how to support. If your folks won't let you stay at home, apply to afoundling asylum. Truly yours,
 "MRs. McGR UDER."