Year: 1867




now, and pass myself of for a mud
nymph. / might have chance" And I
began to pick myself up.


shall / help you, Miss p suddenly
said deep, rich, manly voice


looked up and saw young man, the
suppressed me-riment of whose black
eyes brought the blood to my cheek, and
made me, for an instant, ashamed and
angry But on glancing again at my
dress, could not help laughing in spite
of myself l stood in the mud at least
six inches above the tops of my shoes.
My riding skirt was plastered all over,
so that it was impossible to tell of what
/ was made. My hands and arms were
mud to the elbows, for had instructive
ly extended them in order to protect my
self.


! The young man as ne spoke. turned
to the neighboring fence, and taking off
the top rail he placed it across the pud
die, then putting his arm around my
waist, he lifted me out, thorgh not with
out leaving my shoes behind While
! he was fishing these out, which he began
/ imm mediAtely to do, l stole behind large
oak, to hide my blushing face and scrape
| the mud from my stockings and riding
| skirt.


| had managed 10 gat the first a little
| cleaner, but the last was as thick as ever
| when my companion made his appear
ance with the missing shoes. which he
had scraped till they we're quite present
able, aud leading Milo by the bride.


pray, let me see you home" he said,
''If you will mount again, III lead the
colt, and there will be no chance of his
repeating the trick"


| / could not answer for shame. But,
when in the saddle murmured something
about not troubling him.


Its no trouble, not the least he re-
piled, standing hat in hand like gallant
cavalier, and still retaining his hold on
the bride, land can't really let you go
alone, for the colt is as vicious as he can
be, to- day. Look at his ears and the red
in his eyes. I saw you coming down the
road, and expected you to be thrown
every minute, till 1 saw how well you
rode. Nor would it have happened,
hadn't he wheeled and stopped like a
trick horse in a circus


cannot tell how soothing was this
graceful way of excusing my mishap.
stole a glance under my eyclids at the
speaker, and saw that he was very hand.
some and gentlemanly, and apparently
about six and twenty, or several years
older than myself.


had hoped that uncle might be out
in the fields overlooking the men; but as
we entered the gates l saw him sitting
at the window; and by the time l had
sprung to the ground. be came out, his
eyes brim full CT mischief. I did not
dare to stop, but turning to my escort,
said, "My uncle, sir. won't you walk in,'
and then rushed up stairs.


In about half an hour, just as had
dressed, there was a knock at my door.
l could not but open. He was laughing



ing all over with suppressed laughter.


'.Ah. ready at last" he said. II be-
gan to despair of you, you were SO long,
and come to hasten you. He's waiting
in the parlor still.' be said, in ~ alieious
whisper. You've my consent, for like
him hugely, only who'd have thought of
finding husband in mud puddle"


slipped past my tormentor, prefer
ring to face even my escort than to run
tile gauntlet of uncle's wit. and was soon
stammering my thanks to Mr.. Temple
ton, for as such my uncle, who followed
me down, introduced him.


To make short of what else would be
long story, what was said in jest,
turned out to be in earnest; for in less
than six months, in that very room
stood up to become Mrs. Templeson.
How it all came about I hardly know.
but certainly did find husband on that
day. Harry, that is the name by which
call Mr.. Templeton, says that enter
ed the parlor SO transformed, my light
blue tissue floating about me SO like
cloud wreath, my cheeks SO rosy. my
eyes SO bright, my curls playing such
hide and-s seek about my face, that not ex-
pecting sach an apparition, he lost his
heart at once He adds, for he still
knows how to compliment SIS well as ever,
that my gay. intelligent talk, so different
from the demure Miss he had expected,
completed the business


Harry was the son of an old neighbor,
who had been abroad for three years, and
before that had been at college, 60 that
I had never seen him; but uncle remem-
bered him at once, and lad insisted on