Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-11-14

"Good-bye, Bob," she said, softly.
"Kiss me, Bob.'
l bent and kissed her. presume if
Mr.. Nickelby Glasgow was looking, his
sense of prudence and propriety WIS out
ragged; however, kissed her not once but
twice and thrice, and then
Goodbye, Bob"
Goodbye, Mary"
We had parted.
That was ten years ago, ten years of
trial, priyation and final reward. At the
outset knew the world Was against ne,
and that was against the world. But
was resolute, perseyering, and above all,
hopeful. There was many struggle,
long series of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
when hope was all but vauq uiShed and
despair supreme. But struggled on &C.
termined 10 conquer; and what is not
impossible to youth, blessed with. health,
hope and ambition TO succeed:
cannot bring myself 20 believe that
recital of struggles, temptation and final
achievement, however glowing. told by
ones self is interesting to others; there
fore | shall not lcngthen mine. Simply
suffice it TO say that from the position of
an Office boy 10 Il legal firm | advanced to
clerk, then to student, and finally To
Junior partnership. All this was, of
course, not accomplished rs easily as
written. There was many 4 lapse from
the goal of ambition, many quiet heart
ache, many moment of complete dis
couragemcut. But nothing, however pail
ing, was beneath my notice, nothing,
however great, beyond my energy. From
"Bob" rose to the dignity of Robert"
from that to the high estate Of "young
IIallcck, and finally to the pre-cminence
of "Robert IIalleck, ESQ.," and ten years
had gone by since the May afternoon
when in shadow of the school house wall
| had said farewell to Mary Thorne.
"What of her, you ask?" Well, to go
back again to the outset of my career,
was then too miserably poor to indulge in
luxury of regular meals, to say nothing Of
4 correspondence. But finally did write
a long letter, telling of my battles and
begging reply. a month passed, but
nothing came; then | wrote again and
again, but each letter met with similar
fate. Finally in sheer despair, wrote 10
Mr. Nickclby Glasgow, assuring him in
al apologetic sort OF way that knew he
finally concluded with Il postscript much
longer than the letter itself in which in
quired the whereabouts and fate Of little
Mary Thorne.
Then | waited impatiently enough for
his reply, which came at last, encased in
4 yellow envelope, addressed in large
scholarly hicroglyphics and was alto
gether just such ali epistle rs Mr. Nick
elby Glasgow and Mr.. Nickclby Glasgow
alone could indite. He was glad to hear
of my health and prosperity; hoped read
my Bible regularly Oh rising and retiring,
the former ceremony he trusted occurred
not later than eight o'clock, \. NJ. lie
feared was wrong in leaving my native
community, and lie assured me | was
greatly missed. Then he went TO say the
school had rather dctcriorated OF late; the
scholars were few, and the pay irregular
and small. He limited modestly that the
scholars, young and oll-a deep line un-
der the last clause-werc to make him a
substantial present ut the close of the term
and then referred vaguely to the many
years he had labored in behalf OF child
hood, and the arduous labor that 1t was.
The letter ran 10 n considerable length
he told me the village butcher was dead,
the apothecary bankrupt, the little
widow who kept the millinery shop at the
patience reached the limit of endurance
my eye caught the name of Mary Whorne.
81 am very grieyed," he wrote, 'to in
form you that the Thornes have gone |
know not whittier, the cause thereof be-
ing the recent reycrses sustained BY Mr.
Thorne, whereby his fortune was entirely
consumed. know you will share the re-
grct experienced ut theirremoval 1; they
were excellent people aud Mr.. Thornc's
which the school fund was the principal
one.
tossed The letter away, and my heart
and thoughts went out to the little girl
struggling, fighting the same hard battle,
bearing the same heavy burden, only with
less strength than i. tried 10 find her,
why, do not know, unless | fancied IL
would make both loads lighter to feel the
other near. But all was in vain, and the
yearning of my heart grew less, though
my love never did. laid the silken purse
with its floss monogram "M. T." away,
and laid with it the sweet hopes and mem
ories of one felt was lost to me. Then /
went back to the battle Of life again, for
titled and defiant.
Yet never a speech did make IN
crowded courtroom that 1t did not seem
to me the influence Of Mary Thorne in
sensibly and invisibly affected it. Never
u book did read but the purest, sweetest
character in il / felt was suggested by
and suggestive to hers. Never fair face
did | see but hers was before me, in the
full bloom of the beauty whose opening
tints remained in memory still.
And ten years had come and gone, and
the SHOWS of an early winter lay upon the
streets and house tops, aud shook Il ON the