The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-09-01

might lose my brightness so Gnat 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 a mistake!
Youth has its 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 SOL
der lover.
Now and then cheering letters would
come, and for long time she seemed
more like her old happy self.
Oh, that l could blot from my mem
DRY that awful day when the news Of a
terrible battle reached us, and we read
the names of ournoblest men among the
killed and wounded. The words spoken
by Gladys, SO sadly prophetic on that
day of farewell, were realized. She
would never again see her lover in the
world. True she might look upon his
earthly body, but his soul and heart
plighted to her she must not know
again until in the life to come.'"
They brought his poor wounded body
home wrapped in the colors which ne
had SO bravely defended, and 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 an expression
Of gentle resignation.
The thought Of a day to come when
she and her lover would be reunited in
that happy land where death, that cruel
separator of loving hearts, has no power
to enter was q sweet and comforting
one. It was this belief that made her
life worth the living and heaven more
tangible, realistic thing than her former
visionary idea Of the hereafter.
Sorrow did not make Gladys selfish.
Her time was spent in devotion to others.
How many weary, sick and poverty
stricken people were helped by her gentle
words Of encouragement, tender sympa-
know but God. Often when weary With
her 1abors of the day would see her
reading and musing over an old letter.
noticed that there were curious reddish
stains upon the paper. Then ! knew
that Gladys was living over in memory
the happy and the sad times before this
unfinished letter had reached her in the
unexpected, sad way. They had found
it on the bosom of her dead lover, and
these last penciled words were words of
undying affection for her.
Oflater years saw Gladys but rarely,
for I had been removed to an attic cham
Der, where, for want of communication
with the present and its happenings, I
was left to ponder on the past. At last
q day came when was rudely awakened
from my reverie, and gradually realized
that was to leave the old home forever.
Then was carried down stairs into
the hall remembered having passed
through when l was brought into the
house years before, a handsome new mir
FOR then and ornamental. As the men
were taking me out Of the door I again
saw my Gladys, and I rejoiced greatly,
for had feared ] was never to see her
again. In that Aeeting glimpse Of her /
saw that her beautiful tender eyes were
still the same, but the dusky tresses I
remembered SO well were changed. Time
had whitened them with touch Of his
frosty fingers, but the change had only
enhanced her beauty.
thought saw an expression Of re-
gret pass over her face. Was she think
ing of the days of her youth and happi-
ness and how closely we had been asso-
ed in that glad timer
I love to think so and believe she was
sad to see me taken away. Well, they
brought me- to this dusty shop. People
as they pass me say, What an old
fashioned mirror and do not hesitate
to remind me that my dsysof usefulness
are gone forever. But do not mind it.
for homely and old though l am have
been accorded great privilege in my
time, one not often bestowed upon these
animate objects that pass me by so in
differently, but If bestowed the privilege
is not appreciated. have beheld one
of the rarest attributes Of the human
sou1-constancy.-B. n. T. in Chicago
News.