Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-04-13
Ten Years Dead.
The wing of Death sailing the air
Casts awful shadow.

Public Library this face was oppo-
site. If I raised my eyes from my
reading he was there, poring over
pile of pamphlets or sitting with
dreamy, sorrowful face over his for
gotten hook.
He was a man of middle age, APP
parently, with an air of refinement
in his entire person. His hair was
thick and white and was pushed back
from fine sensitive face. But more
than all there was look Of almost
indefnable nature, weariness, a look
of measureless sorrow in every quiv-.
ering line, that irresistibly attracted
I my gaze. If ever the autobiography
of man was craven upon his face
this mans was. 1t grew upon me
day by day and determined to learn
it.
He was so silent, so reserved, so
intent, in the midst of the turmoil of
the busy city that he had upon me
the effect of an apparition. My Gu
riosity was thoroughly aroused and [
determined to speak to him and learn
the tragedy whose sinister lines writ
ten upon a face could so affect me.
A mere accident put US upon speak
ing terms and as we met from day to
day, he grew less reserved. One day
as we were leaving the library ! turn
ed to him and said, NGregory, wish
you would tell me story. Your
face has worked so powerfully upon
my Imagination that | cannot refrain
from asking you point blank in this
way. Come tell it to me-" A spasm
of pain crossed his fine forehead and
he hesitated, but feeling the sympathy
in my voice he said: II will tell you.
But let us go to my room across the
street"
When we reached his room in the
Commercial Hotel / sat down by the
open window through which the roar
of the street came in great puffs of
sound and waited for him to begin.
After a silence of some minutes DUR
ing which he sat in an easy chair with
bowed head, this singular man who
seemed more and more ghostly to me
as looked at his thin hands and
white, sad face, began in low sub
dued voice like man speaking from
under weight.
81 suppose / have the most re-
markable as we'll as the most sorrow
full history that ever entered your
ears. 1t is possible for a man to
suffer more and yet to live to tell it.
but they are few who are called te
bear that which I have borne.
The story shall tell you does moi
require establishment to be woful
the simple history of my blighted life
will be enough.
/ was born and reared upon farm
in the central part of this state. ]
passed the ordinary life of the west
ern farmer lad, working in summer
and going to the district school in
winter, leading the careless happy
boyhood to which most men look
back with pleasure.
At fifteen years of age entered
the preparatory department of s
neighboring college. My father
while not wealthy man, was able te
help me in my course of study an6
during vacation l assisted him on the
farm. In this way spent six years
graduating, at a little past my ma
jority, with credit to myself.
How we'll l remember that com.
mencement night. Father had driv.
en- over from home some twenty
miles bringing mother and sister
And then the next day, a drowsy
June day, we drove home through
the tropical luxuriance of spring just
turning to summer. / found the
farm a pleasant relaxation from study
and rioted in the beauty of the busy
haying field. But must hasten on
That summer I spent upon the
farm working busily, till in August
when l received kind note from the
principal of the college saying that
had been elected as tutor of Ian.
guage and Literature. After the re-
ceipt of this joyful news 1 strained
every faculty 10 get ready for the
work the coming September. / lin.
ger here because this fact which
seemed so full of promise was the in
direct cause of my life's destruction
[ was engaged to be married to q
young girl had met at the college
and all seemed bright and happy
My God how happy and bright that
time seems to me now as look
across that awful abyss
Excuse me, sir, for giving away te
my feelings said the speaker
speaking with long pauses like one
painting with fatigue. ssThe last
thing which 1 remember before that
chasm came into my life was a quar-.
rel with my father. I had been study.
ing very hard and my eyes never very
strong had menaced my studies and
l was irritable. We were both of {
very passionate nature and in Other
things were entirely opposite. Ht
was a good father, and man oi
worth and integrity but intensely
practical in his nature. He bad little
respect for Greek and Latin ane
wonld sometimes jest me about my
i ~