82 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OP 



spent with music and dancing. The next morning, after our 

 friends had taken their leave, with many good wishes for 

 our happiness, we were left in my father-in-law's house ; 

 when I thought I could see in the old man's countenance 

 that I was not welcome there. 



This being Friday, I proposed to Mary to go to my 

 mother's, and spend the next evening with her ; which she 

 had requested us to do. This was agreed on, and the 

 rest of her family promised to come over in the evening. 

 As we had but a mile to walk, Mary and I set off by our- 

 selves, and were soon at my mother's door. The two old 

 people greeted us with great kindness, calling Mary their 

 ehild, and were greatly pleased with her ; in fact, not only 

 my friends, but every one who knew Mary, loved her. In 

 the course of the evening, a little company of our friends 

 again collected, to have a second evening's diversion ; but 

 Mr. McMullen did not come. I asked Mary what it meant 

 that her father did not accompany his family, and she went 

 to her mother to learn what was the reason, but received 

 none. 



After supper, the music struck up, and many a light- 

 footed reel and jig was danced that evening. Time passed 

 away very fast ; and, much to the dissatisfaction of our 

 little company, they soon found it to be after midnight. 

 They bade us a pleasant good-night, and left Mary and 

 myself alone with my stepfather and mother. Our own 

 company, however, was amply sufficient for our own plea- 

 sure, and we passed that night and the next day with the 

 old people. 



On Sunday we returned to her father's again ; and then 

 it was that I began to consider what I should do to make 

 Mary happy ; for I had previously thought that if I only 

 had Mary I should want nothing else in the world ; but I 

 now saw that I wanted everything else but her. I had 

 been preparing a home for her, having traded my horse 



