Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-10-16
Her One Love.

ture. The carvings on my frame are
etched in gray with the dust of many
years, and the brilliancy Of my face is
partly gone, giving me an appearance
anything but like the reflective beau
ty of my youthful days.
MY owners customers do not speak
of me in enthusiastic praise, as they
do of these old spinning wheels and
grandfathers' clocks around me, for I
am not quite old enough to be consid-
cred valuable as an antique" and
still my history may be as interesting
as that Of my fellow objects.
Away back in the years [ stood in
the boudoir Of a beautiful maiden.
Daily she looked into my face, and |
that her sweet face was the truthful
outward Indication Of a beautiful
mind and true heart.
I watched her progress from girl
hood to womanhood as one would
note the gradual unfolding of a bud
into the half blown blossom. My
Gladys was one of those magnetic
creatures who unconsciously attract
every one with whom they come in
contact. Her friends were innumer-
able, and her girlhood passed with
only happiness and freedom from
care. It did not seem strange to me,
knowing as I did the beauty and
goodness of Gladys, that many lovers
should come to WOO her.
One May day when all natures
creatures were awakening with new
life and the trees and vines about the
old home were DOMINIC new coats of
green she came to me-, and as the
beautiful eyes looked into my face [
saw that something unusual had hap
pened. Always bright and happy,
Gladys was never more so than now.
A tender light shone in her eye. [
saw her take from her bosom a letter,
which she read slowly and then press
ed to her lips. "Ah!" I thought, II
have seen this experience come to
other maidens, perhaps to mark the
beginning of their greatest happiness,
and again-well, my prayer is that
this dear girl may known love only as
a blessing" AS time passed my wish
was most abundantly fulfilled; I
could see the expression of perfect
trust and content upon her face and
knew that her lover was in every way
worthy Of her.
That summer passed with a fleet
ness never before known by those
happy lovers. From the window OPP
posite which I stood [ could see them,
now strolling through the shady wood
on the other side Of the road, again
or horseback 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 presence upon them
and wove about them his threads OF
suspense and perplexity until their
meshes were SO closely Iatticed there
seemed to be no way out. Hope for
sock 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 begun to execute his terri
BILE promises. For months complica-
tions had been arising, and our nice
peaceful country vas transformedin into
q woeful 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. Before we realized
the terrible truth that war was upon
us mastering officers came, and after
a day OF two left bearing 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
ali for their c~ountry's sake.
One gloomy day she came into her
room, and as she passed me I saw
that her eye were heavy and tremu-
lous with tears. The look Of misery
on her face I shall never forget. She
seemed to be in the deepest despair.
knew at once that the day Of sor-
row had come. Gladys and her lover
had parted, perhaps forever. 81
would not have you otherwise thar
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.