St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-01-23
The Odd Fellows Pin.
HOW IT WON A WIFE.

HOW IT WON A WIFE.
''That pin Well, yes, it is rather a
pretty one | think MYSELF said Sydney
Morton i'll answer to friends remark,
as we sat in our club room in New York
city, one winters evening.
The pin in question was very hand
some one, of a quaint and beautiful de-
sign, with the three links of Odd Fell
lowship showing plainly in the centre.
1t was fastened to the lapel of Sydney
MortOn's vest, and while the curious
eyes of the company are examining the
pin, you and l, reader, will take look
at the owner. Personal descriptions
are always dull and tiresOme, so | will
only say that Sydney Morton was about
thirty years of age, and possessed of a
noble form and handsome, winning
face. He had free and pleasing ad-
dress, and made many friends wherever
he went. He was wealthy, but he
dreamed of no more miserable existence
than that of a man of wealth with moth
ing to do, so he had adopted the pro-
fession of medicine, and had studied
hard to obtain his diploma then with
an NJ. d. attached to his name, he had
left home for an extended tour through
Europe, from which he had returned
about year before the opening of my
story, bringing with him young and
beautiful wife. Many conjectures had
been hazarded as to who she had been
and where he had found her, but 10 one
knew. We of the club room, no doubt,
had felt as much curiosity in regard to
the matter as the outside world, for
Sydney had been favorite with us all
but he seldom visited US now. prefer
ring to spend his evening with his
charming wife, and to tell the truth we
did not think it strange that he should
prefer her society to ours. Occasionally
however, he would drop into our bach
elOr den to smoke cigar and have an
hours chat about old times, and it was
on one of these occasions that one of
the company had remarked the singular
beauty of the pin which Sydney always
wore, and it was this remark which had
called forth the words in the beginning
of our story.
eyes," continued Sydney, as the
company retired from examining the
pin, after eXhausting all the adjectives
at their command in praise of its beau
ty, 81 think it handsome, but do not
prize it SO much for its beauty or its in
trinsic value as for the associations con-
nected with it; for through the instru-
mentality OF this pin | was enabled to
render an essential service to a brother
Odd Fellow in his hour of need, and at
the same time to find my wife,
''Tell US the story, Sgd, tell US all
about it," were the words that echoed
around the room, for we thought here
was the opportunity of having our Gu
riOsity satisfied.
"Well, boys" said Sydney, eff it will
afford you any pleasure | will relate the
circumstances to you," and lighting a
fresh cigar while we all gathered around
him and chose a favorable position for
listening, he began his story.
at was while | was Oh my first visit
TO Paris" he said, ''that these incidents
happened to me. l had been lounging
about that gay city for nearly three
months, and was intending to seek new
scenes in few days, when one night
going into the dining room to supper,
saw new face opposite me at the table.
| probably should have taken no notice
of the event if the face had not been so
bCdutllui, anu 50
ladylike in its every feature, for changes
were almost an everyday occurrence.
But my eyes were attracted to this face
as by some subtle magnetism, and once
or twice | caught her eyes resting in
quiringly upon me, although l have
since learned that it was this pin that
attracted them, instead of the wearer,
as l was egOtistical enough to suppose
at first. But do not propose to dwell
upon minor details, so | pass over the
next few days during which the face
appeared regularly in its place at the
table, and you may be assured that /
was never absent, for had begun to
take an interest in the owner of this
face which seemed to wear singular
ly sad expression, as if some heavy
weight was resting upon her mind.
had not dared to address her, for L SUP
posed she was some French lady, and |
knew by previous experience with wait
ers and shop keepers what my French
was. | noticed that she spoke nothing
but French in the dining-roo and that
she spoke that perfectly, so dared not
air mine before her. As took my seat
at the table on the evening of the third
mine was vacant, and felt a sense of
disappointment as gazed at the empty
chair. l had learned to expect the fair
unknown to occupy that place, and ii
feeling of loneliness came over me when
| saw she was not there. | tarried
longer than usual over my supper that
night, hoping that the face would
appear, and at last | left the room vex-
ed at my disappointment. Well, what
did 1t matter anyway, my preparations
were all completed, and l was to leave
Paris and France Tomorrow, perhaps
never again to return, and in all human
probability l should never meet the
owner of that face again in all of nv
ramblings. ..i
suppose you are all surprised that
the hitherto invulnerable Sydney Nor,
ton should all at once become so ipfat-
uated with a strange face. Well. bows.
IsuppOse it would have been a little
surprising to me if 1 had stopped to