The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-28
A Darneti Stocking
From the Griffin DAILY News.J

G0X1 .G0=60-GO=l. S' IL ~
A Darneh Stocking
From the Griffin DAILY News'J
Yes. girls, L know it's awtully nonn,o
nous work, one stitch over and under the
needle again and again, but then you KNOW
4" those who dance must pay the ndaier:
and dauciug is just as sure TO make hoies III
stockings as it Is to give pleasure. NOW
while we all indulge in this more prohlaole
than amusing rastime, I'll tell you tue story
of a darned stocking. and how 1t helped to
make me what | am-an old maid IN tnl,
world.
| see that thought don't reconcile you a
partcle TO the business in hand, but girls,
whether YOU marry OF remain single,
whether you are happy wives ana mo'hers
some day, or. like your aunt Ellen, go
through tue world alone. an "old maid" J
should be glad to think that your Ilves
would be is bright rs mine Is anu llas Deen,
even if, like mine, they should be frightened
only bv memories and dreams. Yes, III ms
world am an d" old matt" and don't mind
being called so either. for | have always
kept bright as morning, and in my, heart
" the love OF life's young day. ana now,
after twenty years OF patient waning
know that ION the other side JohD Is walt
jny. as ! am. for the meeting that some uay
will be witnessed by God and his angels
those who, like myself, have borne the cross
below in sorrow and sadness, but, through
frth in Him. have risen with the crown Oh
Glory TO dwell "eernul in the be ivenS."
John and | grew up together, loving ehch
other from the time we commenced our ~
abs in the same class in school side oy slae.
I'D l1Itt
OF course the children laughed III uS, ou'
whether our Loves were WISER, or our
hearts truer, all the fun missed It's mark, ana
;yc continued Little lorcrs'-thouSh no
words OF love were spoken, no promises
asked or givcn, but he knew, as diu, ina!
in the wide, wide world no otner would
care for him is did the little girl he'u grown
strong beSidc--aIm0St grown to mans estate.
Johns people had great riches ana hlgh eN-
pectations tor him. their oldest boy, anu l
hardly know if they felt most PRIDE or pam
in the parting that took him away from lis
quiet home to enter the university Where he
was to complete his education. All during
the long winter months OF his absence hau
his homecoming to look forward to, and
then occasionally had letter, or note
slipncd into his mothers letters, III which
he fold me Of his college life, and how he
hoped sone day to make his old friends
rroud Of him As well lis fond. Still no words
of love. and he never even said Ellen, L
should Ike to give you The right to be fond
est and proudcst"; but III my heart knew
John was all mine, and that in good time
he would ask NE to be all bis own. Inc
time for his graduating was drawing near,
and such reports as his mother and sister
ave uf the grand speech John was 10 make.
and they even lad Inc to read the copy lie
had sent home. They went to hear h!m ana
see him receive the congratulations OF his
class and Faculty, for his university career
had been IN unusually bright and promising
one. Then they all came home together, ana
John came to me just as in the OLD, chlidlsh
DAYS. and our old, familiar intercourse was
resumed, and we were happy us l pellefc
ouIy Youths and maidens are.
one day we were riding along quietly, as
was our almost daily custom, when just III
front of uS, into the long smooth grass,
there dropped a bird, and Immediately Il
hawk with piercing shrek darted upon 1t,
and combat ensueu, in the midstof which
fine horse | was riding became frightened
aud ran-ran through the dense pine forest.
where tue limbs of The trees were down to
the earth and the ground thick with the
fallen pine leaves OF ages, making it almost
Is slpperv as ice. On, on We went, cling
Ing in desperation 10 the saddle, till on the
hillside, down which [ was being carried
with lightning speed, the horse lost his foot
ING anu fell, crushing and brnising my poor
foot aud ankle under his great body. He lay
there moaning Ikea mountain oil pain, and
tlpt and i'll agony. In moment L heard
Johns horse coming little less rapidly than
nv own had done. and in another in
slant lie was by my side. The pent-up love
of all those long years poured from his lips
rs he kissed NE aglin and again, and begged
Inc to live ior his sake. OF course his anxiety
was much greater than my injuries, though
he would have me remove the shoe and
stocking from my wounded foot, or rather
nv hioken ankle. He carried me home most
gently, but twas the last ride ever taken
on that horse, for his injuries were 50 great
that he died before John could improyIse an
arrangement for getting me safe home.
Not long after that John was admitted TO
the bar, ana went t. practice law Ill large
city far d gay: not, however, till we had eX-
pressed all the lave we had been learning IN
the old schoul-houSe, that had grown SO dear
TO both our hearts, and had strengthened SO
since those early days when we were BOY ana
Girl together. John VAS making name ioI
himself, and his letters were fun OF love, ana
promise, and hopes of the home to which he
was SOON coming to take me. LII my own
quiet way was happy and content; oeiel-
lug in John and bis love, ana truStinS i'lin
for all the happiness that HE coula give:
God knows it might have been that trusted
him too much, and that l never looked to
higher source or thanked higher power Tor
the happiness that was mine.
The time for our marriage was drawing
near. and John was coming to make some
last arrangements before taking me from my
old home forever. | was waiting with all
loves Impotence for the coming Of him |
almost worshipped, feeling 50 strong i'll our
love. and believing that "it we loved each
other nothing could harm IL"
In those days, even bad news travelled
slowly, and twas some time before we heard
of the terrible accident that happened on the
Short-line railroad over which he passed,
though my heart had almost grown weary
with waiting rs the days passed by and John
was still absent. Finally his mother came to
me, with little packet in her hand, and
said. Ellen. this is all that's left to tell you
how he loved you for he was among those
who had gone from an earthly future, with
happiness just before him, to reap glorious
reward on high Twas long time before |
opened that little bundle, but many, many
DAYS sat in silence with that for my sole
conpauiop, and my fingers had almost worn
away the words written in his hand before
found courage to look Mt its contents. just u
little parcel lied up with II cotton string, aud
on it was written" August 11th--My God,
thank thee that, though l nearly lost her,
she is mite"
When opened it there lay the stocking
had worn the day oil the ride, on which he
told me OF his love, and there were three
tlarns in IT, and close beside one was a big
hola where the broken hone had COME