Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-12-18
: Cumming t.torp.
Ore Of My ''Bygones."


After striving all DAY with the to-
tai d"pravity of chairs and tables and
hcdatcads which refused on anv
terms To look home-Iikc in Il new
house, ii was comfort untold to rush
out into the avenue, in the dusk, and
take sweet counsel with myself, or,
as quaint old Herbert expresses it:
10 tumble up and down ms chest
And see. what my soul dot! wear
1t was the the avenue which made
me take the house uobody's avenue
in particular, yet ii seemed to belong
to each one OF the small group Of cot
tagcs to which 1t led from the high
road. Ii had existed IL Il sort oflant
before the cottage was thought OF, ,anC
great trees mad had time TO grow uI
y long gate closed it in at night
| from the suarSs of tic outer world
and greater sense of security to the
lonly spinstcrs and iimid widows ht
! lived iii tue cottages.
On this hi "ht Il thick mist unfold
cd the trees and me us with Il solnbrt
garment. and the remark of one o.
our old neighbors, when she heart
our destination, came back to me
like a bird o: ill omen: Going t.
Dovccotrs Then YOU will live anC
die al old maid. No one ever .oe:
there but the doctor to make them
sick, and tie LAWYER to write tkcil
wills. 1t is too far from the village
TO walk, and too near to make i
worth " hiie to ride
She c:i,tcnliy spoke not w;thou'
know ledge, and | Eccnlv felt the lit
Tie iis!c point that vas wrapped up il!
It. Ii had Il fearful sound 10 be al
old maid all my days; for old maid:
do live imunense!y long lives, having
neither great joys nor great sorrow
TO wear out their bodies. 1t almos
seems that with = little more cifec
they might live forever. l wa:
twenty-five Years old, and no lov'
passages llai ever been mine. If on,
must be an Old maid, ii whoulu bi
.nm.. consolation TO nave Il few ol,
| letters and bunch OF driCi flower
to turn over in winter evenings. L
WAS an old familiar track in my mind
my ihoughts travelled it often.
The hour was now very late but th
fog ln;I,tc Il darkness that might b
felt. Suddenly heard voices nea
me, bat whether it was i'll front I"
following it WAS impossible TO tel
rs distinguished no foot.
II fear we have made mistake,
said a woman's voice. trembling il
spite of Il hard tone III it. IF VOL
"annnt bear with me while we ar
lovers, what will become of the b.
and bv:"
cit is only whsn we are slOne tina
should ever suspect that we wcr
lovers" rrininch a masculine voice
You were willing that our Ell
sa"rin"nt should be sccrct.'
"Ir>, brr:tu>r you bcSnught me s.
auxiuuSly, but your manner to othe
men is so uticriv-uttcrly-
Don't hesitate for Il word. l as
sure you can endure it. My man
ncr is SOP
"rnen@a"cd. would say, to put
very mildly"
"Prrhaps it is better that my toi
hition should lit my manner"
"Pcrl.aps-umicas You can chang
tira! !n;.iner."
Il could no more do that than III
leopard could change his spots.
have iovcb YOU we'll, but that is j.
reason why we should marry, sul
pose"
lis il not Z"
"Oh! none Whatever. hear som
one coming. Here is the ring tha
. You meant Tor II fcttcr. Geod-ni gl
and g""d-by."
y woman ran by Inc so closely tha
her skirts brushed mine, and The 10
r liftiu" Il little ut that moment. | ST.,
the outline of a man take his elbow
from the long gate, on which he ha
been l"ai:ing and STOPPING down seci
to look for something Oh the grOunC
Then he hurried away toward tn
village. and, as Bunyan says of hi
prigrim. Il saw him no more
| tcit like Il person blindfol,ted, w Ii
has brcH torMentcI with other pee
pies secrets against his will. icai
cd III! own arms Oh the gate until til
fog cleared away, lu,l 4 soft wavcriil
!, moonlight fell on the trees, whic
seemed to whisper together about til
! very secrets that shared with then
In Il crack between post aud ba
something cleaned i'll the inoonii9h
picked out ring, the ring whic
the other had looked for on til
ground i'll vain. IL WAS violt
OF small sappnircs witt, diamond l
the ccuier.
carried it home and tucked it int
the turtliest corner of my uppt
drawer, and for a month | pomdcre
1t in my heart. looked eagerly fl
all notices under the head of"Lo
or Found" Vast hordes of do:
seemed 10 have gone upon their tra
els about That time, muffs aud bon,
aud other small matters were cntrca
ed to return, and no question
asked but no one had lost ring,
composed with iuiinite pains at len