The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-07-08
Selected Storm.
A Modern Eyangeline.

When circumstances seemed to COM
pei the separation of John Black and
his Young wife Mollie, neither of them
believed that the parting would be for
a long time. John had found what
looked like a good opening in Nevada,
and as he had apparently exhausted his
luck at the East, his wife did not OPP
pose his determination to follow the
advice of Horace Greeley. Mollie was
to go to her parents, who had liveli-
hood on a some what stony Connecticut
farm, and both fully expected that in
year at most Jack would be in posi-
ton to send for her and they would be
able to make a home on the Pacific
slope. They parted in 1866, and the
war had broken out, been fought to the
bitter end, and concluded, before they
met again.
There was nothing much out of the
common in this experience. The case
of John Black is a thoroughly typical
one. He was what is called good fell
low-which generally means a self
indulgent fellow. He was excellent
company" sociable, gay, bright and
attractive. In a mining town such
man naturally and almost inevitably
gravitates to the saloon. 1t is the only
stage upon which he can exhibit him
self. There all his entertaining quail
tiles shine brightest. There he finds
congenial souls. There, too, he ac-
quires habits which are fatal to success
in life.
John Black was full of good resou-
tons, and he loved his pretty Mollie
perhaps as well as such man can love
anything besides the qualification of his
own appetites. No one would have
said that he was vicious, or without
principle. He was not hard drinker.
He did not care much for cards. He
had not the gamblers temperament;
only the foundation of his character
was selfshness, and this defect was in
itself sufficient to determine his destiny.
Present enjoyment always outweighed
future benefits of every kind with him,
and the consequence was that he lived
for the hour and from hand to mouth.
AT first he devoted himself to business.
He was employed in a general store
and there was plenty of work. Pres
emily, an opportunity offered to secure
an interest in the store, and as he had
saved little money he was able to take
advantage of it. Then the specializing
mania began to spread, and the whole
coast was flooded with the stock of
problematical mining properties, of
which nine-tenths had not been opened.
John Black did not go deeply into such
investments, but just enough to absorb
his legitimate earnings and so keep
him from advancing. In fact, he never
did get any farther. AT the end of the
first year, he was barely holding his
own, and could send his wife nothing
but hopes and imaginings. AT the end
of the second year his moderate invest
ments had forced him to part with his
interest in the store and 90 clerking
again. At the end of the third year
he had turned his back on trade and
was embarked in the precarious occu-
patton of prospecting. Then he wrote
that Nevada was "petering out" and
he thought of going to California.
There was plenty of gold yet in the
high Sierra, he said, and man might
light upon a bonanza if he kept his
eyes open and understood the lay of
the country.
Soon after the war began; and from
that time John Black ceased to write,
while Molle had enough TO think of in
other directions, In quick succession,
her parents died. The farm was mort
gagged, and she could not manage it her.
self, so she let it 60, and looked about
for some way of earning her living,
She had a cousin in one of the depart
ments at Washington, and he invited
her to pay him a visit. While at the
capital, she was thrown among people
connected with the government and
the army, and being smart and intelli-
gent, she pushed her way until she in
terested influential persons, and in the
end obtained employment in the secret
service. What her duties were at this
time it would not be easy to say, but,
probably she did little scouting, a
little spying, and so forth. She never
obtained any prominence or notoriety,
and was never taken prisoner, or, so far
as is known, even suspected. She had
very pleasant, frank address, and her
comely face prepossessed the confeder-
ates and helped her greatly. During
this period, Mollie naturally toughened
good deal. She learned to take care of
herself, for one thing. She learned not
to be afraid of violence, wounds, or
even death. She could ride or drive
between the lines without fearing the
lawless guerillas who infested such
neutral ground. 1t was an exciting and
fascinating life, and she followed it
with some enthusiasm, taking pride in
her craft and GOODNESS. Through all,
however, Mollie Black, who loved her
husband, and who had far more charac-
ter than he, looked forward to reunion
with him, and to that end economical
in every possible way. Women do this
much oftener than men. They are
more unselfish and more self.sacrific-
ing. They are not prone to self-indul-
gence, and not seldom they are very
persevering and patient.
Mollie worked and saved steadily un-
til the end of the war, when she found
herself in possession of money small in
itself, but large enough, she thought,
to take her to the Pacific coast, find her
Jack, and secure for both of them a
new beginning at something. She had
heard nothing from her husband for