Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-06-06
HER FORGOTTEN PAST.

great tenderness. How dainty and sweet
she was. Why was it that he seemed eve-
to stand at the portals of paradise, catch
ing glimpses of the glory within, but never
permitted to enters And yet she had
promised to be his wife, this beautiful
girl, given to him by the mighty ocean thai
tossed its foam dashed spray on the white
beach at their feet.
She recognized his true WORTH his nobil
ity of heart; she had given him all the
love her wonan's heart had to give, and
yet-and yet
He seemed intuitively to feel that there
were depths to her heart which he had
never fathomed; that she was capable of Il
more intense absorbing devotion than any
sentiment he had awakened in her.
At times when his great, unselfish heart
lay bare before her shadow would creep
! into her beautiful eyes and Il tender regret
would CULVER across her face, like the hut-
terings of Il memory; but the shadow never
became distinct enough for her to quite re-
member.
at is as if there was something in my
past which | ought to recall" she would
say, Nesting closer to him, as if imploring
his protection against the memory. "Oh,
that long, blank past of mine What is it
found me on the beach, Jack?" she ques
toned
my darling, would help you to solve
the mystery if could, even though knew
that the solving of it would break my own
heart" he replied, tenderly.
"As if it could" she whispered, slyly.
'sYou are the best man on earth, Jack, and
wonder that you should care for Il foolish
little girl like me, who has forgotten every
thing she knew before she came to you
name, age and all; who is so much part
of your own self that the words she speaks
are your words: the songs she sings, your
songs; the thoughts she thinks, your
! thoughts When awoke from that dread
full death like stupor into which the terror
of the wreck or the almost death in the
waves had plunged me, had everything to
learn again, even to my alphabet and the
names of the household furniture" She
laughed merrily at her misfortune, but the
shadow deepened in the kind eyes regard
ing her so tenderly.
For that reason it seems like most
unkind and unworthy advantage | am
taking" he responded seriously. "There
will always be a thought lying like a
shadow between us, dear, that if you could
remember your past you might never have
been my wife"
81 shall never think it, am sure; but |
do wonder what that past was. 1t is so
trying Jack, to know that part of ones
existence is blank. 1t is as if had lived
on earth, died to it, and then come back
again under different conditions, and-well,
it is very annoying to say the least" Then
seeing the shadow on his face, she laid her
hand in his and added, coaxingly: "But let
US forget it, Jack, dear, since we cannot re-
member, let us try to feel as if all my past
was spent here, in this pretty cottage by
the sea, with the love of your dear mother
and your dear self to fill all the crevices of
it. This is the only home have any knowl-
edge of, and though we know that those
other years were spent somewhere, it mat
tiers little to us where, since we are all the
world to each other, you and L."
He clasped her close in his strong arms,
and kissed her trusting, upturned face,
but the ache did not go out of his heart;
the pain of it grew more poignant as the
days passed by and she became dearer to
him with the passage of each golden mo-
ment.
From his earliest childhood Jack Lath-
rop had loved the ocean. 1t had been his
playmate companion and instructor 1t
had filled all the requirements Of his life
from the moment when, toddling babe,
his mother had found him, waist deep in the
green, salt water, laughing in boisterous
glee as the foam flecked pillows broke over
his head.
The great, grand, mysterious ocean had
been his friend since then. 1t had also af
forded the means of providing for his wild
owed mother, for he was only humble fish
ar o6 hoo rto6 ind Int of
BILE occupation.
The last best thing that his old friend,
the ocean, had done for him was the giving
to him this beautiful girl, who came with
suggestions of a higher, nobler life than
his in every move of her queenly body and
every gesture of her white, shapely hands
She must have received IL blow on the
head at the time of the accident, when she
had been washed ashore, for she had for
gotten every event OF her past life and be-
gan her new life under Jack Lathrops tut
ton, learning with other lessons the lesson
of love and respect for her teacher and be-
cause she remembered no better love than
that which she gave to him, she thought it
the best of which she was capable.
They were very busy in the cottage on
the beach making ready for the coming
wedding.
The morning of the marriage day she
said to Jacks mother:
81 seem to belong to Jack He saved my
life and taught me all ! know. When
once am his wife hope that no accident,
or circumstance, will ever reveal my for
gotten past. would much rather have
no memory but that which you and Jack
have given me-"
Mrs. Lathrop kissed her sweet flushed
face, thinking what darling daughter she
would be, and how Jacks life. and her
own, were blest in her dear love.
Their wedding day dawned, dark and
forbidding There had been d fearful storm
the night before and the angry pillows.
lashed into foam, ran high upon the beach,
almost at times dashing against the cot
tage where the neighboring fisher families
were gathered to join in the marriage fes
tivities
The bride, sweet Elsie, whose very name
had been Il thought of Jacks, looked fairer
and sweeter than ever in her pretty we'd
ding dress. Her blue eyes shone like sap
phires, and her yellow hair crowned her
regal little head like a coronet of glory
The pink flush of shy inodesty huctuated
under her clear, transparent skin, and Jack
maryeled that SO beautiful creature could
consent to become his wife.
"My life shall be one long devotion tt.
her. and whatever will contribute to her
happiness that will do" Jack made this
VOW out under the peppers, and the VOW
once taken, he felt that it bound him by
sacred letters
They were about to go out to the ''best
room" where the minister waited to "make
them one" when an alarm was sounded,
and all eyes were turned toward the beach.
Beyond the line of breakers ship was
helplessly beating about in the storm.
The assembled merry makers rushed out
of the cottage, turning white, startled faces
toward the awful scene, for they knew that
rescue was hopeless.
One solitary figure remained on the deck
OF the i'll fated vessel The rest, as was
afterward learned, had entered one of the
small boats, hours before, taking with them
provisions, and had left this man to his
fate, because he was sick and helpless in
his berth below.
Crawling to the upper deck of the sink.
ing vessel he had discovered land. and saw
that line of ugly breakers tossed between
himself and safety.
Those hardy, storm beaten fishermen
in + No