Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-07-29
MUSINGS OF A MIRROR


saw that her sweet face was the truthful
outward indication of beautiful mind and
true heart.
watched her progress from girlhood to
womanhood as one would note the gradual
unfolding Of bud into the half grown
blossom. My Gladys was one of those mag
netic creatures who unconsciously attract
every one with whom they come In contact.
Her friends were innumerable, and her girl
hood passed with only happiness and free
dom from care. 1t did not seem strange to
me. knowing as did the beauty and good
ness 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
donning new coats Of green, she came to
me, and as the beautiful eyes looked into
my face saw that something unusual had
happened. Always bright and happy,
Gladys was never more so than now. A
tender light shone In her eyes. saw her
take from her bosom q letter, which she
read slowly and then pressed to her lips.
"AhP' thought, II have seen this expert
enoe come to other maidens, perhaps to
mark the beginning of their greatest hap
piness and again Well-my prayer is
that this dear girl may know love only as a
blessing" As time passed my wish was
almost abundantly fulfilled. / 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 q heetness
never before known by those happy lovers.
From the window opposite which stood
could see them, now strolling through the
xyn of,f ba hor IA -
again on horseback, cantering along the
shady bridlepaths; sometimes with gay
party of young friends, but more often
those two alone.
War, cruel war, whose muttered threats
we had long striven to forget, had at last
begun to execute his terrible promises. Be
Fore we realized the terrible truth that war
was upon us, mastering officers came and
after day or two left, bearing upon their
rolls the names ofour brightest and bravest
men, Gladys lover was among the num-
Der OF loyal men who were willing IL neces-
sary to sacrifice all for their country's sake
| One gloomy day she came into her room,
and as she passed me / saw that her eyes
were heavy and tremulous with tears. The
look of misery on her face / shall never for
get. She seemed to be In the deepest de-
spair. / knew at once that the day of sor-
row had come-Gladys and her lover had
parted, perhaps forever. ~ would not
have you otherwise than loyal, dear" she
had said to him, "but 1t is agony-this
struggle between our patriotism and our
love for each other"
In his reply there seemed an effort to be
hopeful.
Sweetheart, will surely return. Then
think of our Joy In future together"
~ cannot believe It, Ny heart tells me
that shall never see you again." she sor-
rowfully 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 fidel-
fly exchanged, and he was gone.
| None but l knew Of the nights of grief
she passed In secret; how in utter hopeless
ness she would moan, "Oh, my heart is
broken" ] often wished that might lose
my brightness 30 that could not reflect
her sad. sweet face and remind her Of her
trouble.
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 memory
that awful day when the news of terrible
battle reached us and we read the names Of
our noblest men among the killed and
wounded. The words spoken by Gladys SO
sadly prophetic of 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, 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 he had
so bravely defended, and in the village
churchyard, where he and Gladys had 80
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 day to come when she
and her lover would be reunited in that
happy land where death, that cruel separat-
or of loving hearts, has no power to enter
was sweet and comforting one. 1t was
this belief thet made her life worth the liv-
ing and heaven a 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 peo-
pie were helped by her gentle words of en-
couragement, tender sympathy and sub
stantial aid none will ever know but God.
Often when weary with her labors 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 men,
ory the happy and the sad times before this
unfinished letter had reached her in the un-
expected sad way. They had found 1t on
the bosom Of her dead lover, and these last
penciled words were words Of undying af-
fection for her.
OF later years saw Gladys but rarely,
Tor had been removed to an attic cham
Der, where, for want of communication
with the present and its happenings, / was
left to ponder on the past. At last day
came when / was rudely awakened from
my reverie, and gradually realized that
was to leave the old home forever.
hall l remembered OF having passed
through when / was brought into the
house years before-a handsome new mir
TOR then and very ornamental. As the men
were taking me out of the door again saw
gladys, and rejoiced greatly, for I had
feared was never to see her again. In
that feeting glimpse of her saw that her
butthe dusky tresses remembered 80 well
were changed. Time had whitened them
with touch Of his frosty fingers. but the
change had only enhanced her beauty.
i thought saw an expression of regret
pass over her face. Was she thinking of
the days Of her youth and happiness, and
how closely we had been associated In that
glad timer
/ love to think 30 and believe she was
cad to see me taken away Well thew