Year: 1874

the steps when l called iler name
! how sweetlv her blue eyes looked


at me, how gaily rang out her mer-


ry laugh. No one but Mary could


ever bring her heart SO near her


lips. l followed that laugh from


the days OF my childhood till I grew


an awkward, blushing youth ; I fol-
lowed it through the heated noon


of manhood and now when the


frosts of age are silvcring my hair,


and many children climb upon my


knee and call me father" I find


that the memories Of youth are


strong, and that even in gray hairs,


I am following the music still.


When T was fifteen ihe first great


sorrow Of my life came upon my
breast. I was sent away to school,
and was obliged to part with Mary.


We were not to see each other for
four long years. This to me was like
q sentence of death, for Mary was
life itself to- me. But hearts are
tough things after all.


i I left college in all the flush of
my nineteenth year. I was no long
er the awkward OF embarrassed
youth. 1 had grown into a tail,
slender STRIPPING with q very good
opinion of myself both in general
and particular. Il I thought of
Mary Moore, it was how I could daz-
zle and bewilder her with my good
looks and wonderful mental attain
ments, and never thinking that she
might dazzle and bewilder me still
mere. I was Il coxcomb, L know,
but as youth and good looks have
fled, T trust that I may be believed
when say that self-cOnceit has left
me also.


! An advantageous proposal Was
made at that time, and accepting
it I gave up all idea OF a profession,
and prepared to go 10 India. In
my hurried visit home of two days
I saw nothing of Mary Moore. She
had gone to u boarding school at
some distance and was not ex-
pected home until the following
May. T uttered a sigh to the >nem
ory OF my little blue-eyed playmate,
and then called myself a man"
again.


In a year T thought, as Il vehicle
whirled away from our door,
will return and if Mary is as pref
ty as she used to be, why then, per
haps [ may marry her.


And thus l settled the fortune
of q young lady whom I had not
seen for four Years. | never
thought Of the possibility Of her
refusing me-never dreamed that
she would not condescend to accept
my offer.


But now know that had Mary
met me then she would have Gespls-
ed me. Perhaps in the scented
and affected student she might have
found plenty Of sport; but as for lov-
ingme, I should perhaps have found
myself mistaken. India was my
salvation, not merely because of
my laborious industry which coun-
teracted the evil Of my nature and
made me better man. When at
the end of three years I prepared
to return I said nothing of the re-
formation OF myself, which I knew
had taken place. They loved me
as T was, T murmured to myself,
and they shall find out for them.
selves whether I am better worth
loving than formerly.


picked up many token from
that land of romance and gold for
the friends 7 hoped to, meet. The
gift of Mary Moore I selected with
beating heart; it was ring OF
rough virgin gold, with my name
and hers engraved inside that was
all, and yet the sight OF the little
toy strangely thrilled me as I
balanced it on the tip of my finger.
To the eyes of others it was but
small plain circle, suggesting
thoughts, perhaps, by its elegance,
of the beautiful white hand that Was
to wear it. But not to mellow
much was embodied there-all these
delights were hidden within that
little ring Of gold.


Tail, bearded, and sun-bronzed'
I knocked at my fathers house
The lights in the parlor window,
and the hum of conversation and
cheerful laughter, showed me that
company was assembled there. [
hoped that sister Lizzie would come
to the door, and I might greet NY
family when no strange eye was
looking carelessly on.


But no. q servant answered my