The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-07-03
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For the Stark County Democrat
DORA'S RIVAL.

All night long, Wilmer George tossed
restlessly and uneasily upon his pillow.
He turned 1t over and over again that its
colder side might cool his burning head
which ached terribly. But worse than all
his heart ached too.
He counted the dull ticks of the clock
IN theroom until half doing, but only to be
awakened by its clear ring, as 1t marked
the slowly, dragging hours.
All in vain That sweet, forgetiul sleep,
which he so muck coveted, would not
close his weary eye-lds. >All the time,
before his eyes, there seemed vision, the
form of a sweet little maiden. All the
time something seemed whispering in his
heart, the name, Dora, Dora, Dora.
On the afternoon of that evening, Will
mer had met Dora Gray whom he pas
sionately loved and she had coldly turned
her pretty, little head away from him, not
even deigning to notice him. He well
knew the reason why-and that was the
cause of his disturbed slumbers.
Wilmer George, as we have said, loved
Dora Gray, and he thought he had some
assurances that she loved him. But Do
ra had rival, a mean, old Ogress and a
cunning one.
The same old Ogress is alive to day,
kind, from time immemoIial have failed
to destroy her, and yet any one person
has the power, If he is only resolute and
brave enough, TO keep her locked up so
that she is utterly harmless.
That old Ogress Is called "LntempeT-
G7ace," and in her terrible jaws she would
grind and crush human heart with as
little compunction as a rabbit would q
clover bloom.
Unfortunately, this Ogress did at times
WELD considerable influence over Will
mer. And Dora, who was very pretty
and attractive, thought 1t very strange
that such hldeous, old hag could have
even the shadow of chance to obtain
place in Winners affections, and on . GER
tain occasion, she had exacted a promise
from him that he would never be seen
again coquetng with the ugly Ogress.-
And Dora gave him a nicely wrought
little image OF herself and dainty little
curl of her own hair, that he should con-
stantly wear, next his >heArt, 10 charm
away the vile tempter
Wilmer then felt brave and strong, and
told Dora ''that he would keep the iron
door of his heart locked upon the Ogress
forever"
But as we have said, the Ogress was
crafty and cunning, and always on the
alert to take advantage Of human weak
ness and dependency.
For SIX long months had Wilmer kept
his promise and been without her inAu-
ence. Rut one day when he had thought
lessly ventured too near her place of con-
cealment she prevailed upon him with
coaxing, hattenng words to loosen her for
a little while.
ming arts, and the charm, which he had
on at the time, next to his heart, was of
no avail, because Dora was only one of the
mortal kind of fairys, and her charm
failed
But Wilmer suddenly remembered his
own resolution and recovering his self
possession and summoning all his couraA e
up, after short struggle, he thrust the
Ogress back and locked again the iron
door of his heart upon her
Unfortunately for Wilmer, Dora had
viewed the whole affair from a distance,
witnessing the embraces of the hateful
Ogress with Jealous rage, and had almost
vowed never more to smile upon Wilmer,
and when he met her soon after she did
indeed pass him by without kindly look
or word.
Poor Wilmer, although he at first made
pretence of being very Indignant, yet in
reality his heart was almost broken, and
before he had sought, that night, his rest
less pillow, he had pressed to. his lips over
and over again the little curl of hair and
the little image of Dora.
He was almost in despair, and yet he
thought little Dora could not find it in
her heart to utterly cast him off,
Oh he felt as If be could, on the first
opportunity, throw his arms about her
neck and cry for forgiveness and that it
must be granted
The opportunity did come, and Wilmer
promised once more to keep away from
the ogress and begged that Dora, herself,
instead of only her image, would be with
him all the time to charm away the
tempter. And when he had sworn eternal
loyalty to her, she iorgave him and gran
ted his request. And together, they have
kept the iron door locked upon that wick
ed old Ogress for five long years, and
don't believe that wilmer will ever open
it for her again, and I know that Dora
never will