Year: 1859

All my life long had known Mary
Moore All my life long had loved her.


Our mothers were old playmatcs and
first cousins. My first recollcctions is Of
a boy in red frock and Morocco shoes,
rocking cradle in which reposed sunny.
haired bue-cyed baby not quite year
old That boy was myself-Harry
Church that blue,eyed baby was Mary
Moore,


Later still, / see myself at the little
school house, drawing my little chaise up
to the door, that Mary might ride home.
Many beating have | gained on such oc
casons, for other boys besides me liked
her, and She | fear was something of
flirt, even in her pinafores. How elegant
ly she came tripping down the steps when
i called her name how sweetly her blue
eyes looked up at me how gaily rang out
her merry laugh That fairy laugh =
No one but Mary could ever bring her
heart to her lips | followed that laugh
from days of childhood till | grew to be
an awkard, blushing youth followed it
through the heated youth of manhood
and now, when the Frost of age are silver
ing my hair, and many children climb my
knee and call me father | find that the
memories of youth are strong, and that
even in grey hairs, l am following its
music still.


When | was fifteen the first great sor-
row Of my life came upon my heart. /
was sent to school and was obliged to part
with Mary. We were not to see each other
for three long years This to me was
like a sentence of death, for Mary was like
life itself to me.


But hearts are tough things after all
left college in ali the flush and vigor of
my nineteenth year, was no longer awk-
ward and embarrassed. | had grown into
"A tall, slender stripping, with very good
opinion of myself, both in general and
particular. If | thought of Mary Moore,
it was to imagine how | would dazzle and
bowilder her with my good looks and
wonderful attainments, never thinking
that she might dazzle and bowilder me
more. | was a coXcomb, | know but as
youth and good looks have fed, | trust |
may be believed when | say that self
conceit has left me also.


An advantageous proposal was made to
me at the time, and accepting it, gave
up all idea of profession, and prepared
to go TO the Indies In my hurried visit
home Of two days | saw nothing of Mary
Mooro-sho had gone to a boarding school
at some distance, and was not expected
homo to the following May. | uttered
one sigh to the memory Of my blue-eyed
playmate, and then called myself "a man
again.


In a year | thought, as the vehicle
whirlcd away from our door-'in year
or three years at the very most | will re-
turn and if Mary is as she used to be
why then, perhaps may marry her


And thus | settled the future of q
young lady whom I had not seen for -four
years, | never thought of the possibility
. Of her refusing me--never dreaming that
she would not condcsccnd to accept my
offer.


But now | know that, had Mary me-
me then, she would have despised me
Perhaps, in the scented and affected stu
dent she might have plenty of sport bu
as f.r living ne, or feeling the slightes
iutr in me, | should have porhap
iouuo was mistaken.


India was my salvation, not merely be
cause OF my success, but because my labo
rious industry had contracted the evil il
isshv nature onA mn'c me a better man -
When NJ the cu. .f thrcc years prepare,
10 rctVru, | N.' g.I.'ng OF the reiorma
ton in mysa which know had take
place.


p They loved me as | was, | murmure