Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-09-25

| want to rest"
"Well, will you tell US one tomorrow
night, if we will help you about your
work. SO that you will not be tired?"
said Mary.
why, yes, if | can find one that will
suit YOU" said she.
"Well, you can, for we only want the
story of your own life," said l.
"That is the hardest story of all to
tell; but in hopes that it may do you
girls some good, perhaps may consent
to do SO. You will be the first ones who
have ever heard me allude to it."
We went into the kitchen the next
morning, and helped her to bake, and
took the clothes from the drawers and
| irOned them, and cleaned up things as
much as we dared to: and | knew she
appreciated it, for | never saw her look
so happy before, and she said, 1t does
seem more like home [ like to see
things neat and clean; but [ always
think there is no use. [ get so discour-
aged; never have kind word. no one
seems to know VIII ether [ do we'll or i'll.
But, perhaps, if had some one around
me who was cheerful, | might throw
off part of this feeling Of loneliness"
Evening came. The children were
asleep, uncle was in grandpa's room, as
usual, and we all sat down by the fire.
place, ready for the story.
"Come, aunty, you have had all day
to think how to begin, and we are All
ready to listen," said l.
"Well girls" she began, 81 have no
doubt but you think it very strange that
[ dress as [ do, and that [ smoke;
perhaps have no excuse. but to my
story.
MY parents were wealthy and
aristocratic, and [ was not brought up
to work; but having an abundance of
energy, [ thought l should like teach
ing.
There was a vacancy in a seminary
few miles distant.
| applied for the situation, and OBJ
tanned it. For several years [ kept the
position. While there [ made the &C
quaintance ofone of the professors, and
IN due time became very much
attached to him.
owe were very happy, as those who
are IN perfect sympathy always are,
growing more and more intimate as
time passed.
1.-TWO happy years went by, when
he was called away to distant city. to
attend to his fathers affairs, he being
in poor health. He came to me and
told me that we must part; that he
must SO home, perhaps not to return to
the school.
4 was very sad. How could I live
without him? He told me anew of his
love, and that he should so arrange
matters that he could ere long, come
for me, and [ should be all his own.
He promised to write often, and
entreated me not to forget him in his
loneliness; that my letters would be the
only sunshine in his pathway.
He left me, and [ felt that all was
blank; teaching had lost its charms
with me, when he was not there. | re-
ceived two loving letters from him, then
they grew cooler, and finally ceased al
together, What did it mean?
& knew that another man was try
ing hard to win my affections, but |
paid little heed. He then told me that
[ was in love with another, and that
was the reason that he could not win
my regard, and | told him it was true.
He then said it was little use for me
to care for that person. | did not I'M
derstand him and was too angry to in
quire his meaning. 1.
Yet [ did not mistrust him at the
time, though [ did not like his persis-
tence. / learned afterwards that he
had written anonymous letters to nv
lover, telling him that did not care for
him, and was in the habit of receiving
the attention of other gentleman.
Had [ known this at the time, [
could have righted matters; but [ was
proud, very proud. | thought he had
no right to doubt me, and [ could not
believe that he had any good reasons
for treating me in such a manner; so [
wrote to him telling him that if it was
such task for him to correspond with
me ! would excuse him.
''Soon after [ heard that he was
married
MY health failed, vacation came,
and [ went home. My parents thought
me, and they insisted upon my leaving
the seminary, which I did. 1 avoided
society: and my parents sent me into
the country for my health.
"a beautiful place among the hills
was selected, where spent the summer,
but [ was far from happy; and while
there made rash promise to myself
| was then 80 years old-that | would
marry the first one who offered him
self, and have something to take my
attention.
"While there [ met a widower in
search Of a wife. Widowers generally
let their wants be known. [ was recon-
mended to him, and he visited me. l
did not like nor dislike him, and when
he asked me to marry him, I said
Yes
Il had three weeks TO get ready. I
hardly knew what l was doing, and was
very unhappy. [ had the impression
on my mind that there was something
wrong-that possibly the rumor in re-
gard to Thomas was untrue.
"The time came; we were married