Year: 1867

All my life long l had known Mary
Moore.


Our mothers were old playmates
and first cousins. My first recollec-
tion is that of young gentleman in
a Turkey red frock and morocco
shoes, rocking q cradle in which re-
posed sunny-haired, ,blue-eyed baby,
not quite year old. That young
man was l, myself, Harry Church !;
that blue-eyed baby was Mary Moore.
Later still, saw myself at the lit
tie red school house, my sled up to
the door, and arranging my overcoat
upon it that Mary might ride home.
Many black eye have earned upon
such occasions, for other boys like her
besides me, and she, l am afraid, was
somewhat of firt, even in her pima
fore. How daintily she came tripping
down the steps when | called her
name How sweetly her blue eyes
looked up to me from the envious
folds of her winter hood ! How gaily
her merry laugh rang out when, by
dint Of superhuman exertion, | kept
her sled before the rest, and let her
stand upon the steps exultingly to see
them all go by.


The fairy laugh ! No one but Mary
could let her heart lie so upon her
lips l followed that laugh up from
my days of childhood, till grew an
awkward, ,blushing youth. l followed
it through the heated noon of man
hood and now, when the frosts of
age are silvering my hair, and many
children crawl to my knee and call
me father" l find that the memories
of youth are strong, and that, gray
hairs and all, | am following that mu-
sic still.


When | was fifteen, the first great
lsorrow of my life came upon me. l
was sent away to Western school,
and l was obliged to part with Mary,
We were not to see each other for
three long years. This, to me, was
like sentence of death, for Mary was
like life itself to me. But hearts are
very rough things after all


l left college in the full flush and
| vigor of my 19ti year. l was no Ion
ger awkward and embarrassed. I'd
grown into a tall, slender STRIPPING,
with very good opinion of myself in
general and particular If l thought
| Of Mary Moore,it was to imagine how
l would dazzle and bewilder her with
my good looks and wonderful attain
ments, never thinking that she might
dazzle and bewilder me still more. |
was a sad puppy, that | knew but
as youth and good looks have fled, !
trust l may be believed when say
that self conceit has left me also.


An advantag eous proposal was
made to me at this time, and, accept.
ing,I 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 Moore. She had
gone to boarding school in Massa-
| chusetts, and was not expected home
until the next fall. One sigh | gave
to the memory of my little blue-eyed
playmate, and called myself man
again.


In year, | thought, as the stage
rolled away rom our door in a year,
or three, at most, l will return, and
if Mary is as pretty as she used to
be, why, then, perhaps | may marry
her.


l stroked back my budding nous
tache with complacency, while | set,
tied the future of young lady | had
not seen in four years. | never
thought of the possibility of her re-
fusing me-never dreamed that she
would not stoop with grateful tears
to pick up tire handkerchief whenever
| | choose To throw it at her feet
But now | know that had Mary met
| me then, she would have despised me-