Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-01-01
From the chronological Journal. ]
Mary Lees Dream.
BY LAURA OAKwOOD

81 can not bear this drudgery an
longer, it is wearing my very lif
away!' and the weary teacher lai,
her head upon the desk in her des
pondency, while bitter tears fel
over her cheeks. A while she ga
thus, then raising her head sh
gazed round upon the vacant seat
in the dusty little school-room will
an expression fully as determined a
the words she murmured
eyes. [ will do it. Andrew Jones
will ask me to marry him if l only
give him an opportunity. Though
there Is not a spark of love in my
soul for him. l will accept him; fol
loveless marriage is better far thar
the cheerless life of the old maiC
teacher. I am past twenty five, anC
this wearing toll is sapping my very
existence, and l will marry Andrew
Jones"
"Yes." she repeated, Il wiH marry
him. Men must open some other
avenues for women to earn their
bread, or be for ever content to take
to their arms unlovlng wives
When were truer words ever penned
than these? There is no other al
tentative for me, and | will accept
that which fate Offers
With this resolve she put on her
bonnet and passed out; but as she
locked the door of the school-room
and dropped the key in her pocket,
she felt that she had locked up all
the brightness of the future; locked
forever in her heart all the cherish
ed dreams of future good, ALI the
sweet visions of happiness which, Il
sunshine over the verdure and bloom
of spring has made life beautiful
"Oh, Mary Lee. dive down be-
meath the surface of your labor, and
see what a great and holy work is
intrusted to youl Minds which shall
live on through the infinite cycles of
eternity. Dependencies and disap-
pointments wiH crowd the pathway
Of the children of earth; hopes will
wither, sweet pleasures pass away,
leaving only the dull, dreary routine
of actual existence. Yet not dull, not
useless and dreary, if we rightly
employ the gifts which God has
given, and do not waste this life in
vain repinIngs for the glitering bau
bles shining ahead, and which may
turn to dust in our grasp
Shall we describe Andrew Jones?
Then, reader, mind, see him: short
in stature, awkward IN motion;
coarse, black hair, growing low up
on his forehead, and pointing ont in
every direction as though endeav
oring to free itself; little, bead-like
eyes, which look not ''like the win
1ows of a great and noble soul,
that sparkle not with the force of
mighty intellect; a voice coarse and
nnmusical, fit accompaniment to the
of his organization.
And this man Mary Lee had re-
solved to marry to free herself from
the toll she thought drudgery.
AS she sat alone in the little par
Ior at home that evening. she saw
him come staggering in and take
The seat beside herself. She smiled
l faint "Good-evening,' smile like
L wave frozen in its course. The
,illy man was almost beside himself
hat she deigned to wreathe her
proud lips into a smile for him and
'eizing her slender white hand In
lis brown chubby fist, stammered-I
"Mary, you're the best girl I ever
Jaw; won't you marry me?"
',Yes, Andrew, / WILL" she re
olied, in tone so cold, SO void of
my tremor of feeling, that it almost
startled her. Her determination
vas fixed, and she resolutely shut
'ut the picture of a future spent
with this man. Her promise had
gone forth, she was weary of work
and she would abide by her decision.
This, then, was the ending of all
he bright, sunny visions she had
hat night locked in her heart for
aver. Foreverl All, they will come
back sometimes. and be SO much |
brighter by contrast with the dismal
reality. Often, when you think
them forgotten, with a suddenness
they will flash over you, and the
labor you now so much despise
would be a happy rest for your tired
heart.
Could we brush the dust of for
getfulness from the innermost cham
bers of many busy brains, what
sunnv pictures would smile ont al