The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-09-14
LOST AND FOUND.

The following manuscript came into
my hands about 80 years ago. Ny
friend John Williams, the writer of it,
was at my house on a visit. / should
rather call him the friend of my father,
as he belonged to generation previous
to my own. He took a great fancy to
me when I was a boy and often told
N his story. One day, when he was in
a peculiarly communicative mood,
persuaded him to write it out, which he
did, ON condition that it was not to be
published during his lifetime. AS he
has been dead now 40 years and all the
members of his immediate family have
passed away, there can be no impro-
priety in offering it to the public. 1t is
scarcely necessary for me to say that
after lapse of so years, it was neces.
sary to make copy of it, as the origi-
nal ink had faded very much.
1, John Williams, had just completed
my college career, which had been
neither better nor worse than that of
thousands of others. A slow, Flooding
mind was all that nature had given me
within, and red hair, freckled face
and rather ungainIy figure were what
she had bestowed upon me without.
John will never set the river afire, -
was what my father had once said of
me. Dear, kind old man, he did not
know that / was within hearing dis
tance or he never would have said it.
But, although the remark was gall and
NORWOOD to me at the time, it spurred
me on to exertion, and L made much
better use of my time at college than /
would otherwise have done.
Mary Mercer, daughter of a near
neighbor and intimate friend of my
father, had been my lifelong companion
and friend. We were opposites in every
particular. She was beautiful, and L
was as has been described. She was
graceful, and / was not; but, owing TO
our secluded lives, we had been thrown
much together, and her charitable dis
position had been accustomed to over
look many of my imperfections. An adj
miration amounting almost to worship
had risen in my mind when | saw her
after my four years absence at college.
/ had left her sweet, attractive Child,
and found her on my return a woman
such as my fancy had never pictured.
OF course there could be but one re-
suit. If had never been in love before,
/ certainly was now, and [ was not long
IN making known to Mary my feelings.
Mary's conduct ON the occasion afforded
the first instance in which had known
her to swerve in the least from what
was the obvious truth. She was con-
fused, blushed slightly and declared
that I had taken her so much by sur
prise that she did not know what to
say; she had never thought of me in
that light, and must really give her q
little time to think the matter over. ]
knew at the time that Mary was fib-
bing.
No woman was ever born with one
half of her sense without finding out such
things long before they were ever spoken
to her. But there was no help for it.
She had the game in her own hands and
evidently intended to play it to suit her
self She asked for week to consider
the matter. I insisted that two days
were enough, but she was resolute, and,
with wry face, had to submit.
One stipulation was that should not
attempt to see her during that time. l
though this was rather hard and saif!
so, but she was even more positive than
before, and 1 yielded with the best
grace I could.
In order to give her no excuse for
further delay set off the hext day to
visit college friend and, Istaid at his
house five days. 1t took "a day to reach
his house and day TO return. Thus the
week passed away, sle5wly enough for
me, and I am afraid my friend found
me a dull companion. Promptly at the
end Of the specified time L presented
myself at Mary's house. To my dis
may found it full of company. 1 had
been there only :. few minutes W hen ]
learned that the friends had been there
ever since the day after left. Iscanned
Mary face, actions, manner and recep-
ton, but coulct make out nothing. She
was kind and. agreeable, but that had
been her ord mary manner, and no con-
illusions cou Id be drawn therefrom.
l found no opportunity to say a word
TO her in P,riyate until my visit was
over. AS went to the front door on my
way out to my horse, which was tied IL
front OF tie house, she came out on the
porch wit Il me, as had been her habit
on prev1o' Us occasions. As l bade hel
goodby asked, as calmly as [ could,
though heaven knows my heart wa;
beating $50 loud that 1 knew she must
hear it,
Wen, Mary, what is my fate to be-
Really, john she said, you must
give me- one day more, and 1 promise
you to s i've you my final answer then.
The hoT lse has been full of company and
my time has been so fully occupied that