Year: 1868

only learn that he was very young
and of rather efeminate appearance
This was the description 7 could as
certain. The affair had not been
blown abroad, and the Chief direc-
ted me to work up the case. You
know that S. l ALWAYS
work together. / called him and
we had a consultation. He prose
cuted researches here, while 1 went
to the country. This arranged I was
soon on my way. had found out
where the family of young Harding
lived, and l had hoped to reach the
house before night, but in this 1 was
disappointed. Long before dusk,
dark clouds began to form along
the horizon and climb rapidly to the
zenith. The thunder end lightning
came at intervals, and I was soon
assured that one of those semistrop-
ic storms, which are so frequent in
the summer, would ere long burst
upon me in its fury. I hastend for
ward, therefore, looking eagerly a.
round for some place of shelter. I
had proceeded put a short distance,
before [ saw just ahead, woodman
hut. 1 got into this as soon as pos
ible. l had hardly got comfortably
shelter ed, before lady and gentle
man dashed up to the door and dis
mounted. Like myself they were
seeking shelter from the storm. The
man was middle aged, and exhibited
in his person the strong and athlet-
ic frame, the open brow, and genial
pleasant face of thesouthern planter,
but there was in his countenance
now a touch of sadness, a seeming
ly exquisite sense ofsorrow. strange
ly out Of keeping with what the
man should have been. His COM
panion was young girl of exquisite
beauty, with dark, soulful eyes and
hair black as night. She looked, in
deed, a daughter ofthe tropics, and
the tall, splendid form was regal in
it's majesty. She was such woman
as man could wish to live for, and
if need be, die fog. They were both
in travelling costume, and from their
conversation, I judged they were
father and daughter just setting out
on journy, aud endeavoring to
reach the river in time for an upgo-
ing steamer. Shortly after their ar
rival a negro boy drove up in cart
containing trunks. On one of these
was the name ofsMrs. Harding La
You readily conceive that my eyes
were wide-op now, and my ears
too. Here was somthing that I
must needssobserve. I walked out
of the hut and where the negro was
standing. Boy where's your young
masterY I asked the question alb
ruptly, looking The boy in the eye.


. 'Golly, Massa, dis chile dunno !;
hain't seen him foa mos yeah My
resolution was taken on that instant
I would follow these people. I was
satisfied they were on hunt of Henry
He could not come to them, and
they were going to him. The whole
matter was as clear as day. did
follow them to the river, where the
daughter embarked on an upward
bound steamer and the father, return
ed home. [ took passage on the
same boat. I would not lose sight
of the girl. l was satisfied she was
going to her brother. / insinuated
myself into her presence, and at
last I got into conversation. I was
one half in love with her already !;
before we got to St. Louis 1 was
wholly so. I learned she was going
to New York for some object she
she did uot reveal. [ thought I
knew the object was but it had be-
come Of secondary importance now
for I was deeply, Enthusiastically in
love. Had her brother stood before
me, and she had asked me to for
bear, it is doubtful if I should have
arrested him. I could not exist
out of her presence. She had become
the one object necessary to my hap
piness. At last we reached New
York. I could no longer contain
myself. 1 sought an opportunity
and told her my love-told my name
occupation and present object. I
revealed every thing; 1 only asked
to share her affections. I would
leave her until the next day. This
was the forenoon of Monday.
Tuesday foreoon 1 called for an
answer. The servant who answered
my summons informed me that the
Young lady had left the previous ev-
ming Oh a steamer for the West In
dies but she had left note. / tore
open the letter eagerly. 1t contain
ed these words:


sSIR-For your preference, 1
am much obliged ;but the laws for
bid gentlemen marrying each other.
By the time this reaches you, will
be on board the West India steamer.


Very respectfully


HENRY HARDING


cit took no more to show what
trick. had been played me. You may
believe I have seldom told that love
story" ."-New Orleans Picayune.


From the Monthly Report of the
Commissioner of Agriculture, we
reproduce the following:


WHEAr.-The correspondence of
August and September has beeE
very voluminuous and indefinite
concerning wheat, furnishing nu-
merous and contradictory elements
10 calculation of quantity. State
ments of disappointed expectations
in threshing are sufficiently abund-