The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-04-30
Withered Leaves.

For over i've years have been spoken
of as an, old maid, and venture to tell
how it came to be- I am only thlrty-fve
vet my dark hair is silvered, and my
once brilliant eyes -are dim with tears
: that viii come IN spite of me when
think of the golden Summer time when
first met Earl Vincent. It was such a
day as it is now, calm, serene, cloudless,
VS. In Just faint ripple of air in the heat
ed atmosphere. remember it so well
yet it has been fifteen years ago. My
her was a physician. We lived about
les from the bustling, busy city,
keet, pretty little cottage, that had
my home since I was wee baby.
Vincent was the SON of my fathers
be chum, and being in the city he
Sd Earl to come home with him and
send q few weeks at Rose Cottage. ]
see him now walking up the flower
5rdered footpath, by pspa's side, SO
noble and handsome, that my dark
flushed when perceived he was
ing at me with his calm, dreamy,
bl eyes. / knew looked well; some
pie said ! was handsome, with my
der, stately form, and fine dark
this is my daughter" said my
bH. Claudia, allow me to
idle white hand, and
fly over it.
TO meet,you, Miss Nor
Nd, but my heart beat
6EdIF he spokk. We enjoyed our
pleasant 8es ON the cbol veranda, and af-
xferthat weswent o}the parlor, and Earl
asked me to sing I'd him. OF all my ac-
comp lisllments, music was my very life.
4 possessed rich mellow voice, and
did not hesitate to sit at the piano and
sing one of my fayorite airs, .sLa Refine. !"
He stood entranced as my wondrous
voice filed the airy apartment with sill
very sweetness, after I had finished he
' leaned over the piano, and said frankly:
tYoH have a magnificent voice, Miss
CiaqEia; dld you ever sing in public?"
E6ce, answered smiling, sat a
sor Y, papa wished me to; I suppose
tied the public to know what
oice his daughter had"
he'd merrily at his earnest face,
ndsome he was. leaning with
plent, unstudied grace over my
Ny foolish heart throbbed with
pleasure as his dreamy eyes met mine.
We walked in the moonlit garden after
that, and as he talked to me SO eloquent
~, with his eyes full of fire and anima-
ton, felt that my heat was no longer
my own. That was the commencement.
We took long, pleasant walks together,
werode and drove frequently, talked of
poetry and flowers until was perfectly
Rzed with happiness. I knew he loved
but had never spoken of that tender
sion, and I-well, loved him as we'll
occf<v 10 nfrzr xrync nov
Of loving. My life was like an en-
ted dream until Mabel Stuart came
ose Cottage. She was schoolmate
inc, and we were bosom friends,
beautiful girl never beheld-a
y, fairy-like creature that always re-
ia me of SCOTS lines:
rely, laughing face. halsed by golden
es hiding in her cheeks, most divinely
lC was night when she first met Earl.
little tete-a-tete, close by an open win
dow. The wax-lghts shown brightly
down on her beautiful face, the calm
ib--eze stirred the pale, gold ringlets that
clustered over her blue, veined brow,
and the folds of her delicate evening
dress, fell gracefully around her slender
petite figure. I gazed at our two refec-
tions in the mirror opposite us, she so
fair and bewitching; /, yes. was
handsome, in my dark, rich silk and
white lace, but for all that the contrast
was painful to me, for when Earl came
'he, started in surprise when his eyes
Iii on MabelAhe greeted me kindly,
most tendesl and1 presented him TO
Mabel with dark shadow of pain in my
heart. She was a brilliant con
yersationalist, and the hours passed too
quickly. was surprised when the tiny
ormolu timepiece chimed the hour of
eleven. Earl rose to depart-when he
bade me goodnight, he whispered:
4 II never saw you look SO handsome,
Claudia; love as never did before"
) He shook hands with Mabel, and then
Hent awaysto the city, promising to come
Md finish his visit at Rose Cottage. He
been called away on business two
before, and he had driven down
be city to, see me, because he said
IefI me.
hell I questioned after
n;g do you like Earl