Year: 1867

There was always a mystery hanging about
certain way that Morgan had, and In which he wa
always Joined honestly by bis ,wfe-my own cous
ID, May Stephens that had been-a way that trou
bled INV curiosity much, until the eventful evenin
that was satisfied by hearing the reason why.


1t was simply this that every time word wa
spoken that led to the period when Charley MOI
gan first met my cousin May, they would bot
laugh very heartily, but would always refuse t
ten at whatever they laughed This was certainl
very provoking and I had little hesitation in tell
ing them so-not once, but many times-a whlc
they always ended by Kissing each other and look
ing very aHecionate. -,.. ~.


I determined to have solution Of the matter
if for no other purpose than that it worried me. :
am but q woman, and having pleaded to the pos
session Of curiosity, set forth one evening, whe
We three, Morgan, May and myself, were draw
up before the fire and early settled for talk
There was no time for mincing matters was my frs
idea, and with this thought I dashed boldly ou
with -. -.


s'Mr. Morgan,"-I usually call him Charley
but was desirous Of showing that was really Il
earnest-"Mr. Morgan, why do you always laug
and look at May, when the subject Of your meet
ing with her is spoken OFF,


This, I was sure, was q simple question, and ye
instead of answering it in simple way, they wen
back, both of them, on the old plan, and laughed
as if the words had just spoken were the bes
joke in the world. I could do nothing, OF course
but look grave and solemn, which in few mo
ments brought them both looking in the same way
and then May spoke to me seriously and said:


s'Cousiu Jane, you take our laughing much NOR
earnestly than thought you would. 1t is only
memory between Charley and ], that brings VI
that laugh; to us it is droll remembrance, bu
perhaps, in teIlingit there would be nothing Il
amuse any one.


The explanation brought back my good humo
in an instant, and, with smile, 1 said: @


'Now, May, this is really unkind of you; for 81
long have you excited my curiosity, that even i
the story were not worth telling, you should tel
it."


ssWen, cousin Jane shall have the story, May
Will tell it to her. " ..,.-


'sNo, Charley, that is really too bad You shal
not do it, sir IF cousin Jane is to have the story
I will tell her myself" And then, after pause
she said "when we are alone.


ssYou shall do no such thing, Madame May,
was Charley's aughable response; 'syou shall dt
no such thing. This time Twill have my own way
and cousin Jane shall not have her curiosity excl
ted any more without being satisfied"


I saw there was no discussion on that point, bu
knew in some way Charley was to come off victor
80 merely said that would be back in few
minutes, stepped out of the room and walked a
bout the garden until felt sure the point was set
tied, when went back and found Charley ant
May as happy as birds, and laughing the old laugi
as usual. As I entered, Charley drew up the rock
ing chair, and after seeing me safely deposited il
its depths, said: -.


''Now, cousin Jane, + shall tell you the story
how first met my wife.


'It is just five years ago this summer that
was granted exemption for month at my desk
and went down with my old chum, Horace Hyatt
to his fathers in old Monmouth, the garden o
that unjustly abused State, New Jersey. shoule
never have forgotten that visit, even though hae
not its influence on my whole future life. [ shoule
remember it for the rea true hospitality, the sohc
old time comfort of the farm, and the quiet way
in which, few days after my arrival, was put
into possession Of it and made to feel that all be
longed to me to do just what I pleased with it.
There were plenty Of fish, and we ished plenty
of woodeock, and we shot, all this shall be spo
ken with a proviso. I say we-by which, be Il
understood, do not mean Horace's twin sisters
Carrie and Nettie-as having participated in these
sports. They rode, to be sure, and charmingly
they did it; they fshed, and I am obliged to con
fess they were luckier than their guest. But they
did not shoot, though shall not exult over thei
lack of this accomplishment. They were charm
ing enough without, I am sure. shall excite NJ
jealousy by declaring that with one exception
which shall not mention here, Carrie and Netti'
Hyatt were the most charming girls had eve
seen, and was just hesitating as to which O
them should fall desperately in love with, whel
nv calculations were disturbed by an aocident-fo
50 suppose must call it-though really seeming
like special Providence. What this was, shal
tell in the best way I know how.


''For some days after my arrival at the farm
my curiosity had been much excited by the occa
sional panegyrics lavished by the young ladies up
on one schoolmate of their own, May Stephens BY
name, who was, according to their highly coloreG
account, the most perfect thing in the shape of 8
woman then living. tried to persuade myself tha
nothing in that line could surpass Carrie and Net
tie, but still the reputation of this May Stephens
haunted, me, and came ike shadow across my
new born passion. I formed at last an imaginary
May Stephens, and do what could, the figure wa!
with me. At last was worked into an agony o
curiosity, and trembling with some great purpos
which should bring before me the object Of m!
thoughts, and of the two sisters conversation
In what this would have ended, it is impossible TO
me at this time to say, had I not learned one NOR
ming as entered the breakfast room, the startling
words from Nettie:


"And she is coming at last I'm so glad!


whether it was that the train of my thought
was upon that point at the moment, cannot say
but knew directly the whole matter. Isaw Csr
rie with an open letter in her hand, and coupling
it with Nettie's words, I knew that the hitherto
only heard of May Stephens was no doubt to be
come reality. I had no need to ask question,
all the information was proffered; May Stephen
the Incompatible May-was to spend montl
at Hyatt's, and they were to expect her at an!
moment, though as the letter read, she might no
be down for week to come. A week-it was al
age, century, and was in Autter OF excite
ment. Ny long standing passion, of nearly tw'
weeks duration, for Carrie was forgotten in an in
slant, and my whole mind was absorbed in making
the best figure possible before this new queen
With this idea began to look into my wardrobe