Mary Erskine | Page 7

the village, where she had been to do some
shopping for Mrs. Bell, and as she came to a solitary part of the road
after having left the last house which belonged to the village, she saw a
young man coming out of the woods at a little distance before her. She
recognized him, immediately, as a young man whom she called Albert,
who had often been employed by Mrs. Bell, at work about the farm and
garden. Albert was a very sedate and industrious young man, of frank
and open and manly countenance, and of an erect and athletic form.
Mary Erskine liked Albert very well, and yet the first impulse was,
when she saw him coming, to cross over to the other side of the road,
and thus pass him at a little distance. She did in fact take one or two
steps in that direction, but thinking almost immediately that it would be
foolish to do so, she returned to the same side of the road and walked
on. Albert walked slowly along towards Mary Erskine, until at length
they met.
"Good evening, Mary Erskine," said Albert.

"Good evening, Albert," said Mary Erskine.
Albert turned and began to walk along slowly, by Mary Erskine's side.
"I have been waiting here for you more than two hours," said Albert.
"Have you?" said Mary Erskine. Her heart began to beat, and she was
afraid to say any thing more, for fear that her voice would tremble,
"Yes," said Albert. "I saw you go to the village, and I wanted to speak
to you when you came back."
Mary Erskine walked along, but did not speak.
"And I have been waiting and watching two months for you to go to the
village," continued Albert.
"I have not been much to the village, lately," said Mary.
Here there was a pause of a few minutes, when Albert said again,
"Have you any objection to my walking along with you here a little
way, Mary?"
"No," said Mary, "not at all."
"Mary," said Albert, after another short pause, "I have got a hundred
dollars and my axe,--and this right arm. I am thinking of buying a lot of
land, about a mile beyond Kater's corner. If I will do it, and build a
small house of one room there, will you come and be my wife? It will
have to be a log house at first."
Mary Erskine related subsequently to Mary Bell what took place at this
interview, thus far, but she would never tell the rest.
It was evident, however, that Mary Erskine was inclined to accept this
proposal, from a conversation which took place between her and Mrs.
Bell the next evening. It was after tea. The sun had gone down, and the
evening was beautiful. Mrs. Bell was sitting in a low rocking-chair, on

a little covered platform, near the door, which they called the stoop.
There were two seats, one on each side of the stoop, and there was a
vine climbing over it. Mrs. Bell was knitting. Mary Bell, who was then
about six years old, was playing about the yard, watching the butterflies,
and gathering flowers.
"You may stay here and play a little while," said Mary Erskine to Mary
Bell. "I am going to talk with your mother a little; but I shall be back
again pretty soon."
Mary Erskine accordingly went to the stoop where Mrs. Bell was
sitting, and took a seat upon the bench at the side of Mrs. Bell, though
rather behind than before her. There was a railing along behind the seat,
at the edge of the stoop and a large white rose-bush, covered with roses,
upon the other side.
Mrs. Bell perceived from Mary Erskine's air and manner that she had
something to say to her, so after remarking that it was a very pleasant
evening, she went on knitting, waiting for Mary Erskine to begin.
"Mrs. Bell," said Mary.
"Well," said Mrs. Bell.
The trouble was that Mary Erskine did not know exactly how to begin.
She paused a moment longer and then making a great effort she said,
"Albert wants me to go and live with him."
"Does he?" said Mrs. Bell. "And where does he want you to go and
live?"
"He is thinking of buying a farm," said Mary Erskine.
"Where?" said Mrs. Bell.
"I believe the land is about a mile from Kater's corner."

Mrs. Bell was silent for a few minutes. She was pondering the thought
now for the first time fairly before her mind, that the little helpless
orphan child that she had taken under her care so many years ago, had
really grown to be a woman, and must soon, if not then, begin to form
her own independent plans of life. She