Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-03-19

trouble.
So often have heard old people
say to the young: "Now is your hap
ply time. You will never be as free
from trouble as you are now.' What
mistake! Youth has it's troubles,
and they fall SO heavily. Ripened
years and their attendant experiences
teach the lesson of resignation. Youth
struggles to escape the learning.
I hoped so earnestly that Gladys
might again be the happy girl Of yo1 g
and that even the memory of her
grief might be effaced by the joyful
return of her soldier lover.
Now and then cheering letters
would come, and for a long time she
Oh, that I 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 sad
ly 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 he had SO bravely defended,
and in the village 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 great
ly changed. The radiance was gone
forever from her face, but in it's place
was an expression of gentle resigna-
ton.
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 sweet and
comforting one. 1t was this belief
that made her life worth the living
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 people were helped
by her gentle words of encourage
ment, tender sympathy and substan'
tial 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. l noticed
that there were curious reddish stains
upon the paper. Then I knew that
Gladys was living over in memory the |
happy and the sad times before
the 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.
Of later years 1 saw Gladys but
rarely, for had been removed to an
attic chamber, where, for want OF
communication with the present and
it's happenings, was left to ponder
on the past. At last day came when
was rudely awakened from my rev.
erie, and gradually realized that [
was to leave the old home forever.
Then I was carried down stairs into
the hall I remembered having passed
through when was brought into the
house years before, handsome new
mirror then ornamental. AS the men
were taking me out of the door [
again saw my Gladys, and I rejoiced
greatly. for had feared [ was never
to see her again. In that heeting
glimpse of her I saw that her beauti-
full tender eyes were still the same,
but the dusky tresses I remembered
SO we'll we're 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 over her face. Was she think
ing of the days Of her youth and hap
piness and how closely we had been
associated in that glad time?
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 days
of usefulness are gone forever. But
do not mind it, for homely and old
though I am, have been accorded
a great privilege in my time, one not
often bestowed upon those animate
objects that pass by SO indifferently,