Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-10-19
A SPINsTER.

She became a spinster 81 years ago.
Thus fate deereed it.
Young men had become afflicted with
passion for Caroline-wartime gal
lants, three decades back. But before
their mouths had caught courage from
their eyes or their arms had acted out
the convictions OF their silences, they had
received her unspoken ''No." Her proud
bearing was part of natures gift, and if
in part 1t was a screen for her timidity,
the mask was too deceptive, had Caro-
line but known it. Her lovers fell away
one by one, from a fortress that only
seemed invulnerable.
When this troop of towards had yield
ed, there had stepped forward man Of
courage. of broad mental compass.
Though young, he had served his coun-
try-not alone passively, but actively,
in battle, private at first. He had
fought bravely, and when graduated
from the school of war had an ugly scar
on his left arm to show for it. He was
almost ashamed Of it--so slight. The
same bullet had killed a comrade near
by. He had ambitions noble, strong. He
had will Of iron, energies unfaltering.
He possessed, besides a fine physique, the
sufficient physical backing to uphold
him in his exploits. He was persistent
in love as in elbowing his way forward
among his fellowmen. He loved Caro-
| line.
She had often analyzed her feelings
toward him. She knew his love was
honest. She approved his perseverance,
and yet, when he demanded an answer,
she had said "no". Later she had re-
peated it-"No." Still he was obstinate.
Then had come that farewell moment
when he was about departing for broader
| fields to give his ambitions play.
"Answer mel Answer me finallyp he
had demanded.
At that critical moment she had ad-
mired his manner. He had given no in
dication of lack Of hope. She had hes
itated an instant. A denser film had
overspread her eyes. And then, con-
trolling her nerves, she had answered:
Forever, Mr.. Hadon, mol"
Her eyes had looked into his an in
stant, and then upon the ground. The
agony that they suffered on the porch
there together had been Of brief mo-
ment.
81 go now," he had said, and left her.
| She had never called him by his given
name, but, as he passed through the
gateway these words had almost es-
capped her:
II do love you, John! Come backr'
The words were never spoken. That was
the instant in which Caroline became a
spinster.
When she reflected upon what she had
done, she was half regretful. After all,
that which had deferred her from ac-
cepting him was only whim of her
own. He was handsome2 Yes. He was
manly. Without doubt? He possess
ed for her certain fascination, but
| with leap, shat to the whole world ex-
cept herself was unaccountable, her
thoughts went back to the ugly nurse
she had had in her infancy. She shud-
| dered as she beheld then, as clearly as 20
years previous, the aged hag lowering at
her, ogling her through those wary spec
tacles. How she had wondered If she
appeared distorted in the distorted eyes
of Hannah!
But those were tiny cares, childish
compared to the worries Of the present
moment to which her mind returned
/ Undoubtedly another man would love
her exactly like him, except Caroline
had rested her elbows upon her knees
| her face in her hands and was weeping
Her reverie had presently taken a mors
i nrantinal tnrn. How annld aha tall hal