St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-17
MUSINGS OF A MIRROR.

Chicago News.
Here L stand in this old shop, sur
rounded by all sorts of cast-off furniture.
The carvings on my frame ale etched in
gray with the dust of many years, and
the brilliancy of my face is partially
gone, giving me an appearance anything
but like the reflective beauty of my
youthful days.
My owners customers do not speak
OF me in enthusiastic praise, as they do
of these old spinning wheels and
grandfahers' clocks around me, for l
am not old enough to be considered
valuable as an antique" and still my
history may be as interesting as that Of
my fellow objects.
Away back in the years l stood in the
boudOir of beautiful maiden. Daily
she looked into my face, and L in return
scanned her closely, and saw that her
sweet face was tn truthful autward
indication Of a beautiful mind and true
heart.
| watched her progress from girlhood
to womanh0od as one would note the
gradual unfolding of q bud into the
half-growu blossom. My Gladys was
one of those magnetic creatures
who unconsciousiy attract every one
with whom they come in contact: her
friends were innumerable, and her girl
hood passed with only happiness and
freedom from care. 1t did not seem
strange to me, knowing as l did the
beauty and goodness of Gladys, that
many lovers should come to WOO her.
One May day, when all natures Great
ures were awakening with new life, and
trees and vines about the old home we're
DOMINIC new coats Of green, she came to
me, and as the beautiful eyes looked
into my face | saw that something I'M
usual had happened. Always bright
and happy, Gladys was never more so
than now; tender light shone in her
eyes. l saw her take from her bosom a
letter, which she read slowly, and then
pressed to her lips. "Ah" 1 thought,
Il have seen this experience come to
other maidens, perhaps to mark the be-
ginning of their greatest happiness, and
again Well, my prayer is that
this dear girl may know love only as a
blessing" As time passed my wish was
most abundantly fulfilled. | could see
content upon her face, and knew that
her lover was in every way worthy of
her.
That summer passed with f1eetneSs
never before known by those happy
lovers. From the window opposite
which l stood | could see them, nIW
str0iling through the shady wood OH The
other side of the road. again Oh horse
back, cantering along the shady Bride
paths; sometimes with a gay party of
young friends, but more often those
two alone. But, alas! there came a day
when Trouble forced his unwelcome
than q
them his threads of suspense and per-
pleXity, until their meshes were so
closely latticed there seemed to be no
way out. Hope forsook them, and the
happy light died out of her eyes.
War, cruel war, whose muttered
threats we had long striven to forget.
had at last began to execute his terrible
promises. For months complications
had been arising, and our once peaceful
country was transferred into woful
state-of dissenSiOn. Even in our quiet
little village, so secluded from the noise
and turmoil of the world, we began to
hear mutterings of terrible things. Be-
fore we realized the terrible truth that
war was upon us, mastering officers
came and after day or two left, bear
Ing upon their rolls the names Of our
brightest and bravest men. Gladys
lover was among the number of loyal
men who are willing, if necessary, to
sacrifice all for their country'S sake.
One gloomy day she came into her
room, and as she passed ME L saw that
her eyes were heavy and tremulous
with tears; the look of misery on her
face 1 shall never forget. She seemed
TO be in the deepest despair, l knew at
once that the day of sorrow had come
Gladys and her lover had parted-per-
haps forever. Il would not have you
otherwise than loyal, DEAR" she had
said to him; "but it is agony-this
struggle between our patriotism and
our love for each other."
In his reply there seemed an effort to
be hopeful.
Sweetheart, l will surely return.
Then think of our joy in future to-
gether.'
II cannot believe it. My heart tells
ME that L shall never see you again."
she sorrOwfully replied.
His words Of hope and comfort were
of no avail, and with her heart crushed
with haunting forebodingS the last sad
words OF farewell were spoken, VOWS of
eternal fidelity exchanged. and he was
gone.
None but l knew of the nights of
grief she passed in secret. How in utter
hopelesSnesS she would moan: ''Oh.
my heart is brokenl" | often wished
that | might lose my brightness so that
l could not reflect her sad. sweet face
and remind her of her trouble.
SO often l have heard old people say
to the young: Now is your happy time.
You will never be as free from trouble
| as you now are" What mistake!
Youth has It's troubles, and they fall SO
heavily. Ripened years and their at
| tendant experiences teach the lesson of
| resignation. Youth struggles to escape
the learning.
[ hoped so earnestly that Gladys
might again be the happy girl of yore,
| and that even the memory of her grief
might be effaced by the joyful return of
her soldier lover.
Now and then cheering letters would
come, and for a long time she seemed
more like her old, happy self.
Oh, that | could blot from my men,
DRY that awful day when the news of
a terrible battle reached us, and we
read the names of our noblesG men
| among the killed aud wounded. The
| words spoken by Gladys, so sadly pro-
phetic on that day of farewell were
! realized. She would never again see
her lover IN this world. True, she might
look upon his earthly body, but his soul
and heart, plighteG to her, she must not
know again until in 1.-THE life to come"
They brought his poor wounded body
home wrapped in the colors which he
had so bravely defended. AMI in the vii
lage churchyard, where he and Gladys
had so often strolled on the peaceful
Sabbath, they buried him. After the
! first great wave of anguish had swept
over her she seemed greatly changed.
The radiance was gone forever from
her face. but in its place was all eX-
preston of gentle resignation.
The Thought Of q day U come when