T6 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF 



] told my aunt to send Mrs. McMuUen one dozen of the 

 best trout, as a present ; and 1 requested Mary to hand 

 them to her mother, and tell her that I caught every one of 

 them myself, and that I sent them to her. My old uncle 

 also sent a present of some of his venison ; and tlie old 

 people said, that if I was not too tired with walking, I 

 ought to help Mary to carry her venison and fish home. 

 I looked at her, and replied, that I had been walking so 

 much lately, that it tired me but little to walk a whole 

 day, and I did not feel the least tired now. Mary made 

 no reply, but she gave me a mischievous look, and smiled, 

 which almost fevered the blood in my veins. 



In a few moments we set off for her home, and we 

 related to one another how everything had worked for our 

 advantage. She said: "After yourself and your uncle 

 had gone, mother said, in the hearing of father, that Aunt 

 Polly would be very lonesome there by herself; and that 

 the late loss of her child made it still worse. ' Well,' said 

 the old man, ' some of the children may go over and stay 

 over night with her.' The old lady, however, said that it 

 would be of little use to send the small children ; and it 

 was agreed that I should go. Whether mother thought 

 of you or not, I can't say ; but I expected every moment 

 that father would think of you, and break up the whole 

 plan." 



"Very well, Mary," said I, "you think it fun to go 

 where you will see me, do you ? " 



"Well," she replied, "I know very well that if I don't 

 think it fun, you do ; and I don't think you will offer to 

 deny it. Now let me see if you will deny it," said she. 

 ':)oking playfully in my face. "If you do, I will have to 

 tell you, for the first time, that I don't beheve what you 

 say." 



We were then at her father's fence, and had sto])i)ed to 

 take lc!ive of each (tllier ; but we diiluyed parting till tlif 



