The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1896-07-29
LOST AND FOUND.

Tho following manuscript came into
my hands about 90 years ago. My
friend John Williams, the writer of 1t,
was at my house on n visit. / should
rather call him the friend of my father,
as he belonged to generation previous
to my own. He tcck a great fancy tC
me when was boy and often told
me his story. One day, when he was In
peculiarly communicative mood,
persuaded him to write it out, which he
did, ON condition that it was not to bC
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 il
scarcely necessary for me to say that,
after lapse of 90 years, it was neces
sary to make copy of it, as the origi
nal ink had faded very much.
/, John Williams, had just completed
my college career, which had beer
neither better nor worse than that Of
thousands of others. A slow, ploddinl
mind was all that nature had given MT
within, and red hair, freckled face
and rather ungainly figure We're what
she had bestowed upon me without
John will never set tho river afire,
was what my father had once said Of
me. Dear, kind old man, he did not
know that I was within hearing dis
lance or he never would have said it
But, although the remark was gall ant
me ON to exertion, and | made much
better use of my time at college than
would otherwise have done.
Mary Mercer, daughter of neal
neighbor and intimate friend Of my
father, had been my lifelong companion
and friend. We were opposites in every
particular. She was beautiful, and
was as has been described She wa
graceful, and was not; but, owing t.
our secluded lives, we had been throw
much together, and her charitable dis
position had been accustomed to over
look many of my imperfections An ad
miration amounting almost to worship
had risen in my mind when l saw hel
after my four years absence at college
l had left her sweet, attractive child
and found her ON my return u 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 tho occasion afforded
the first instance i'll which had known
her to swerve in the least from what
was the obvious truth. She was con
fused, blushed slightly and declared
that / had taken her SO much by sur
prise that she did not know what to
say; sho had never thought Of me in
that light, and must really give her q
little time to think the matter over.
knew at tho time that Mary was flb-
bling.
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
tho matter. 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. /
though this was rather hard and said
SO, but she was even moro positive than
before, and / yielded with the best
grace could.
In order to give her no excuse for
further delay ! set off the next day to
visit college friend and staid ut his
house FIVE days 1t took day to reach
his house and day to return. Thus the
week passed away, slowly enough for
me, and l am afraid my friend found
me dull companion. Promptly at the
end of the specified time presented
myself at Mary's house. To my dis
may found it full of company. l had
been there only few minutes W hen
learned that the friends had been there
ever since the day after left. Iscanned
Mary's face, actions manner and recep-
ton. but could make out nothing. She
was kind and agreeable, but that had
been her ordinary manner, and no con-
illusions could be drawn therefrom.
found no opportunity to say u word
to her in private until my visit was
over. ASH went to the front door on my
way out to my horse, which was tied in
front of the house, she came out ON the
porch with me, as had been her habit
ON previous occasions AS / babe her
goodby asked, as calmly as 1 could,
though heaven knows my heart was
beating so loud that I knew she must
hear it:
"Well, Mary, what is my fate to be?"
Really, John" she said, you must
give me one day more, and | promise
you to give you my final answer then.
The house has been full of company and
my time has been SO fully occupied that
have scarcely had time to sleep Every
night since you were here have gone
to bed so weary that / went to sleep as
soon as my head touched the pillow
My mother has been sick, too, most OF
the time, and my hands have been full,
assure you. /"
suppose she must have seen my
blank look Of disappointment, for she
added in her softest tones-and no voice
could be softer than hers: Come, John,
be good boy now, and / will send you
my answer tomorrow by letter f"
And thus we parted. went home
with homo dafarrad Tho npxt dav oafnf