Year: 1871

him, and come and 60 whenever he
pleased, The invitation was heartily
given, and as promptly accepted. The
young man liked the planter, and. he
found the society Of the beautiful Mary
C very strong attraction. The
result was that he was frequently at the
planters residence; so frequently, in
deed, that Mrs. C. felt called upon
to ask her husband if he did not think
it wrong to permit him to enjoy such
unreserved intercourse with their
daughter. The father only laughed at
the idea, and said he hoped his daugh.
ter knew her position too well to allow
anything like love for a poor surveyor
to blind her to her duty to her family.


Nevertheless, Miss. C. was not as
fully impressed with this conviction OF
duty as was her father. She found
more to admire in the poor surveyor
than in all her wealthy aristocratic
suitors; and almost before she knew
it, her heart passed out Of her keeping
and was given to him, She loved him
with all the honesty and devotion of
her pure heart; and she would have
thought it happiness to go out with
him into tue backwoods and share his
fatigues and troubles, no matter how
much SORROW they might bring to her.


Nor did she love in vain. the young
man, whose knowledge Of the world
was afterwards so great, had not then
learned to consider as binding the dis
tinctons which society drew between
his position and that Of the lady. He
believed that, except in wealth, he
stood upon a perfect equality with
Mary c., and he loved her honest
ly and mantully, and no sooner had he
satisfied himself upon the state Of his
own feelings than he confessed his de
votion, simply and truthiuly, and re.
ceived from the lady's lips the assure
ance that she loved him very dearly.


Scornng to occupy doubtful po-
sition, or to cause the lady to conceal
aught from her parents, the young
man frankly and manfally asked Mr..
G----for his daughters hand. Very
angry grew the planter as he listened
to the audacious proposal. He stormed
and swove furiously, and denounced
the young man as an ungratclul and
insolent upstart.


"My daughter has always been
accustomed to ride in her carriage" he
said. "Who are you sirF'


"a gentleman, Sir" replied the
young man, quietly, and he left the
house.


The lovers we're parted. The lady
married soon after u wealthy planter,
and the young man went out again into
the world 10 battle with bis heart and
conquer bis unhappy passion. He sub
dued it, but although he afterwards
married q woman whom he loved hon
estly and truthiully, and who was
worthy of his love, he was never wholly
dead to his first love.


The time passed on, and the young
man began to reap the reward of his
labors. He had never been to the house
of Mr.. G-since his crmel repulse
by the planter; but the latter conld not
forget him, as his name soon became
familiar in every Virginian household.
Higher and higher he rose every year,
until at last he gained position from
which he could look down upon the
proud planter. Wealth came to him,
too. When the great struggle for in
dependence dawned, lie was in his
prime, happy husband, and one of the
most distinguished men in America.
The struggle went on, and soon the
"poor surveyor held the highest and
proudest position in the land.


When the American army passed in
triumph through the streets of Will
liamsbulg, the ancient capital of Vir-
ginia, after the surrender of CORVALLIS,
the officer riding at the head Of the
column chanced to glance up at one of
the neighbor;ng balconies, which was
crowded with ladies'. Recognizing one
of them, he raised his hat and bowed
profoundly. There was commotion
in the balcony, asd some one called for
water, saying Mrs Lee had tainted
Turning to young man who rode near
him, the officer said: gravely:


"Henry, 1 fear your mother has
tainted. You had better leave the
column and go to her."


The speaker was George Washing
ton, once the ''poer surveyor" but
then commander-in-cheif of The armies
of the United States. The young man
was Col. Henry Lee, the commander
ofthe famous Light Cavalry Legion"
the lady was his mother. and formerly
Miss c.. the belle of the "North-
ern Neck"