The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-31

What is my opinion OF sad, sweet
memories? For three or four years ]
have known an old man, whose youth
and manhood knew every luxury, but
whose age has been hardened by
poverty. Almost alone in the world.
had thought, as met him day after
day. reserved and cold, that he had
turned all his memories into worm
wood and gall, and that his heart con-
tanned only the bitterness of life. Yes
terday 1 came upon him unobserved,
and he hastily crumpled in his land
faded handkerchief, dainty and small.
which was spread upon his knees when
1 first saw him. 81 beg your pardon"
1 said, turning to 60. "Pray be seated"
he answered, looking up with moist
ened eyes. 81 may intrude," l re-
piled. "No," ne continued, II should
like to talk to you. You have been
very kind to me, and it has been SO
long since 1 have turned the leaves OF
my heart for others to see what is writ
ten there. that think it would make
me happier if you would sit near me
and read the lines which death may
glorify, but nothing can efface." I
sat by the old man. and as the birds
sang to US in the trees aud the flowers
nodded at our feet, he told me his story,
''turned the leaves of his heart" as he
expressed it.
81 am old now" he said. sand fifty
years has grown up between me and
the time when the sun shone upon my
heart and frightened my life. This 1t
tie handkerchief, stained and faded, is
all that can see of that PARKWAY past,
and it covers the fifty long years which
have stretched their weary, weary
days to this hour. What had done
until found her, to whom it belonged,
and what have done since lost her,
are as nothing. Three score and fif-
teen year, have been allotted me and 1
have lived but six months in it all. Those
six months made up the happy half
year that she and held heart to heart;
when tho birds sang out of tune if both
did not hear, and the rose had no
beauty OF fragrance, unless we shared
it. Life was sweet indeed, during that
blissful Spring and summer. and we
had begun to look into the future, rich
in peace and the hallowcd associations
of home. We never thought of the
shadows that might fall between to-day.
and tomorrow, and one morning, light
hearted and happy, she went
with me to the river, where l was to
take a steamer for neighbor-
ing town on days visit. As the boat
pushed out into the water, she stood
upon the bluff overlooking the stream.
waving me a laughing farewell, and
the music of her voice iiOated out to me
like the notes of a silver bell. She
held this little bit of faded lace in her
hand, white and new and fresh it was
then, emblematic of her white soul, and
l thanked God that He had set our
paths to meet each other and be one
hencefoulh and forever. All. how the
memory of that morning comes to me;
as distinct TO-DAY as it was so many
years ago. While she stood there
laughing and reckoning, saw from
the deck OF the steamer white pebble
drop into the water, followed by an
other and another, and then the entire
bank crumbled and fell, carrying her
with it. saw her as the cruel weight
bore her beneath the water. Help
less, l saw it all. This
little handkerchief, stained with
the clay you see on it, was
taken from her hand, so soft in life, so
hard aud cold in death, when they
found her, and l have carried it next
my heart for fifty years. All that was
bright and beautiful to me has turned
to clay, and why should not this clay
be kept in memory of that sacred dust
to which she has returned? The world
has thought me heartless all these years.
and the world is right. l am heartless.
for the heart that was mine went down
into the wave that summer morning
years ago, and the casket which held
it only waits the good time when its
treasure may be restored, and those
who now see through a glass darkly
may see clearly in the broad light which
casts no shadows, which knows no dark
ness"
The old man stopped talking. His
eyes were filled with tears, and mine
well, 1 got up softly and went away.
leaving him there thinking. and a sad.
sweet memory is something to me now
it never was before.-Herchant 1rGU-
sIer