Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-03-30

| hh"" ''b'N" "''"S WV " WV
leading lawyers Of the day, this wal
not contemplate prospect for his ne
phew
] aaltered myself withIthe idea thai
bis poverty and my wealth kept hin
from pressing his suit, for spite Of hl'
silence, something 10 my own heart
told me he loved me, had once OF
twice caught his eyes fixed upon mine
IN a steady earnest gaze, that wa
quickly withdrawn when ] noticed II
aud more than onee his voice had tai
tered when he spoke to me, II ! ap'
preached him suddenly,
One day when we were strolling VI
and down the broad piazza Of the hote
In the cool OF the afternoon, he told me
something Of his own lie
III have been almost everything,
he SAID to me. III fought as captain
Of volunteers from the fall OF Sumpter
to the surrender before Richmond. !
wrote for the papers to keep clothes in
my trunk while | studied law. ! have
been q telegraph OPERATOR
I caught my breath.
"Where Z" | asked.
In Cincinnati. ! was engaged by
the regular operator for nearly a yea'
to give three hours daily. II was tire
some work at first but had more in
terest in It after time
"Why'
II struck up friendship with ar
operator in Denvers, a small town not
very far from Cincinnati. You who
probably were never in telegraph
office, can form no idea how dull it il
to sit hour after hour on the alert fol
signals when they do not come. The
monotony becomes wearisom beyond
description, and you dare not become
absorbed in anything else, for fear you
will miss your summons when it does
come. was rather fond at such pe'
riods OF existence of trying to stir up
some ol my correspondents .! 1""-
tions. As q rule they were either toe
busy or too lazy to do more than re.
ply but on one summer afternoon
| when the tedium was reducing me to
a complete state Of idiocy, ] woke up
an operator in Denvers who was
neither busy or lazy. You have no
idea what fun it was. He was full OF
wit, and as saucy as girl. He met
me on my own ground at every turn.
1 tried him at every point, and nc
matter where I started, there he was
after me. Ievcn tried him in French
aud Italian, and back came my answer
| in the most accurate sentences of both
languages. I tried the pathetic, and
he scnt me accounts of some OF the
scenes be had witnessed among the
pool that was enough to draw tears.
Was sarcastic, he gave me biting
criticism of manners and things. But
alas 1 lost my friend! One morning
my uncle sent for me IN haste. His
junior patner had died suddenly, and
he wanted me at once in Philadelphia
| I had but five minutes to spare be-
fore a train started, and l sent hasly
goodbye to Deuvers. A year later
was in Cincinnati, and again sent a
message, but my correspondent had
left Denvers."
1 stopped in our walk and faced
him.
"Damon!' cried, "do you not
recognize your Pythias =
He stared at me lin blank amaze
ment.
"How do you know I" he cried
"Because I am Pythiasi Because
when you telegraphed to Dervers, l
ans wered you! Because And
here something rose in my throat and
| choked me, and / stopped.
Perhaps the same something shone
in nv eyes, or crimsoned my cheeks.
I do not know. But do know that
Weston pinioned my hand in his and
told me what so longed to hear, that
he loved me-that life would be hap
py with him if he could only share it
with ME.
"This morning." he said to me, "my
uncle offered me partnership in his
business, and has already settled an in
come upon me that makes me inde-
pendent. 1 will work hard darlin g
to win fame for your sake, and your
love will stimulate my ambition. Tell
me larling may I hope to win your
love?'
"Win what is yours already I" l
said and found my hand carried to his
lips.
We we're wrapped in twilight mists
.,. -. IL $40 at0od tol1iun in