Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1891-06-25
A ROMANCE OF MONADNOCK.
From Boston Courier. I

from bOSCOn COurlerJ
A single horseman, with colored SER
want, might be seen at the time of which
we write, slowly approaching the small
village Of M nestled among the hills
at the foot of Mount Monadnock. 1t
CHANGED to be on the eve of the anniver-
sary of the public library of the town-a
great event in so sequestered place.
The sun, like great king, was putting
on before retiring his beautiful robe in
the west. Struck by the picturesque
scenery that greeted This eye on every
side the rider paused in rapt admiration.
"Mars Paul." exclaimed Catawaba,
s'does ye see dat great house on dat ar
hill? Pears to me OATS whar ives left
Missy Mary jus befo' ives listed for de
wah! Pears she mus be heah yit?"
''That, Catawaba, is where my sister
died !; but Mary married and went to Cal
ifornia,' was the very brief reply.
On making inquiry, the friend of whom
the rider was in search proved to be the
owner of the house pointed out, where a
warm welcome awaited him.
At later hour he found himself in
the midst of the social gathering, and
entertainments at the library hall al
ready being ushered in by the ringing OF
Gllc Village UcllS hud UuC UldLluS VI UOu-
fires on many hillside.
Colonel Paul Shelton, a Kentuckian by
birth, was no ordinary man. In person
he was tall and handsome, though
bronzed by long exposure, and his mill
tary bearing, mingled with great natural
suavity of manner, at once won the adj
miration of the good people of NJ,
who became, on Introduction, naturally
attentive to so distinguished stranger.
There was, however, one among those
who gave him warm welcome, whose
appearance especially attracted and
charmed him. What could it mean? She
was still young and beautiful. and withal
possessed of those womanly ways, al
ways so winning to true man, and
gifted with voice whose tones in sing
ing entered his very soul. Strange she
sang ssThe Lost Chord" The never for
gotten past was before him-a vanished
hope possessed him. The dignified colo
mel could not but seek her presence. He
talked with her, restrained only by cir
cumstances that could not be controlled.
She was, as he believed, the wife of an
other, between whom and him scruel
war had interviewed while as yet he had
failed to pledge to her his own heart and
hand.
Mrs. Morton assisted generally in the
musical part of the entertainments of the
evening. There was in the background
sad, strange history in all those minor
tones, and she so unconscious! Again,
and yet again, the colonel sought her,
and would have been happy, indeed,
could he have escorted her home; but
she had come under the escort of neigh
bors and friends. He had the privilege,
however, of calling On the following day
with book to which he had casually al
luded in conversation, of which she had
heard and desired to obtain. Strange, it
was his own last purchase!
Rallied by his friends, on returning
from Mrs. Morton's cottage, he learned,
on inquiry, of her peculiar trials-such as
noble woman alone can bear. She was
widow at least, after long years of
suspense, always so trying, she had come
at last to believe, with others, that her
husband was dead. Five years had passed
since she had heard from him. There
had been something, however, that
was passing mysterious in this long
silence that had led her to hope even
against hope; and hence letter after let
ter had been sent to the place where he
was known to have lived in California.
all alike had proved fruitless. After two
years of Mr.. Morton's absence letters and
remittances had wholly ceased. Having,
however, patrimony of her own, Mrs.
Morton was enabled to occupy cottage
home on the hills. She had made many
warm friends, who felt deep and true
sympathy for her, but to none did she
talk freely. She seemed invested with a
calm, sweet dignity that forbade the
near approach of any to the deeper re-
cesses of her heart, and so had quite
withdrawn from society. Upon the pres
emit occasion, however, urged especially
by her pastor, for whom she had a re-
spect amounting to deep reverence, she
consented to take a part in the library
entertainment. She was much indebted,
under her peculiar circumstances, to
books, and "wOuld do what she could, -