The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-07

L
perience TO some more practical use than
and tardy promotion. My father was
extremely pleased with what he called
the " smartness OF the young rascal, I"
and agreed that at so safe distance q
correspondence might commence.
A new happiness came into my life
and when the trayel-stained letters from
my literary warrior arrived from the seat
Of war, full OF animation, OF anecdotes
and sketches, and lastly OF trusting affec-
tion, my Joy knew no bounds. This
added new Zest TO my education. for
was not yet finished" according TO the
scholastic term-in fact, by comparison
with my talented lover / often felt an ig-
noram,is Of the most hopeless kind In
details Of the war, however, was quite
au fait. / daily read every word which
came from his brilliant pen, and In this
way hoped to improve my acquaintance,
not only with life, but with my suitor,
Of whom, perhaps, but for the opposition
of my parent, might never have thought
again. Thus does the heat OF paternal
ire often expand into blossom the i'm.
mature shoots OF love which might other
1 WiHt huOW HO ucNclOIiHcHb
One morning, as usual, / opened the
| paper and at once commenced reading
the columns headed "From Our Special
Correspondent" The account was more
exciting than usual-there was descrip-
tion Of Turkish artillery, of march
under trying circumstances without food
or water, and many other adventures,
graphically told. / forget them now,
for what / next read eiTaoed the immedi-
ate past from my memory forever
Under the head Of especial kilograms
was one line:
"Lieut. Blount, our special CORES
pondent, died yesterday OF enteric
fever"
TO very young person the word
death is but n sound-a thing associated
with old age or infrmity If considered at
all. had never known any one who
had died, and confess to have been
utterly unmndful OF such possibility,
when my lover started for the wars.
The omnous line therefore conveyed no
meaning to me, more especially as, in AN
adjacent column, the special correspon-
dents vigorous manhood displayed itself
in every word. For all that, the room
seemed misty as If enyeloped in fog,
through which / could not penetrate.
was seated thus when some one
my father, think--camo in and snatched
the paper from my hand. | had read it
through. he was welcome to it.
/ made no effort to regain il. He
smoothed out the sheet several times,
g., t.a
rolling down his scanned old face.
Then he opened his arms and took me
into them, and whispered many endear-
ing terms, some OF which had not heard
since babyhood
What was the mntterl Did he, too,
think Leslie Blount was deadl
pointed to the brilliantly written
columns and smiled.
THAT letter was sent by post days and
days ago." he snid In broken voice,
whose emotion could scarcely under
stand. Then light began to dawn, or
was it darknessi Yes, chaotic black
ness that preceded the earthquake which
buried all the innocence and hope of my
jocund youth in oblivion.
For whole month lay occasionally
frenzied, occasionally despairing, weep
ing and praying God would have pity on
me, and save my taking up the thread OF
life again. But my prayers remained
unanswered. Then / arose, as we all
must, to face the dreary future. | had
had no experience of lovers joys in the
past, would have none in the years to
rt hn nplu
work my only solace now.
A dreary little fl ure clad in black, l
trudged daily to the South Kensington
Schools, and in one month produced bet
ter work than others did in six. Then
letter came. 1t was from the seat of war.
written by Red Cross doctor, who offered
to deliver up to me some relics OF him
who was no more. From the School of
Art l wrote, "Come," and waited. When
the campaign was over, he came.
The corridor was full OF girls chatting
and giggling and preparing to leave for
the luncheon hour. The swing door fac
ing me opened and an awful sight pre-
sented itself. 1t was the figure of man.
Such figure Hercules come down to
earth, all bronzed and glorious from the
eastern sun.
Though there were twenty girls about
he extended a hand TO me, with look of
recognition, two honest blue eyes as clear
as the sky looked down upon mo with n
reassuring smile. took the hand and
followed him out Of the building into
the museum beyond.
Then he drew from his breast pocket
small parcel and handed it. knew what
its contents must be. A lock of my hair,
some forget me. nots and certain photo
graphs of my extreme youth, aud an
other more recent one taken previous to
Leslie's departure, in all the pride of my
sixteen summers and long gown
moved them one by cne with listless
fingers, scarcely recognizing them.
zone would imagine the sight of
these would make me weep" l said with
dreary smile, "but cannot-every
tear was exhausted long agow
so see, he replied bluntly. " You
must be cautious lest your sight be af-
\ A.