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

ture. The carvings on my frame are
etched in gray with the dust Of many
years, and the brilliancy of my face
is partly gone, giving me an appear
ance anything but like the reflective
beauty of my youthful days.
My owners customers do no speak
of me in enthusiastic praise, as they
do of these old spinning wheels and
grandfathers' clocks around me, for
L am not quite old enough to be con-
sidered valuables as an "antique, -
and still my history may be as inter
esting as that of my fellow objects.
Away back in the years I stood in
the boudoir of beautiful maiden.
Daily she looked into my face, and I
in re turn scanned her closely and saw
that her sweet face was the truthful
outward Indication Of a beautiful
mind and true heart.
watched her progress from girl
hood to womanhood as one would
note the gradual unfolding Of bud
into the half blown blossom. My
creatures who unconsciously attract
every one with whom they come in
contact. Her friends were innumer-
able, and her girlhood passed with
only happiness and freedom from
care. It did not seem strange to me,
knowing as I did the beauty aud
goodness 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 DOMINIC new coats of
green she came to me, and the beau
tiful eyes looked into my face saw
something had happened. Always
bright and happy, Gladys was never
more so than now. A tender light
shone in her eye. I saw her take
from her bosom a letter, which she
read slowly and then pressed TO her
lips. "Ah!" 1 thought, "I have seen
this experience come to other maid
ems, perhaps to mark the beginning
of their greatest happiness, and again
well, my prayer is that this dear
girl may know love only as a bless
ing" AS time passed my wish was
most abundantly fulfilled; I 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 fleet
ness never before known by those
happy lovers. From the window OPP
posite which, stood I could see them,
now strolling through the shady wood
ON the other side of the road, again
ON horseback cantering along the
shady bride paths, sometimes with
gay party of young friends, but more
often those two alone. But, alas!
there came day when trouble forced
his unwelcome presence upon them
and wove about them his threads of
and perpleXity until their
meshes were so closely Iatticed there
seemed to be no way out. Hope for
sock them, and the happy light died
out of her eyes.
War, cruel war, whose muttered
threats we had long striven to for
get, had at last begun to execute his
terrible promises. For months COM
plications had been rising, and our
nice peaceful country was transform
ed into a woeful state of dissension.
Even in our quiet little village, SO Sc
GUIDED from the noise and turmoil of
the world, we began to hear terrible
things. Before we realized the
terrible truth that war was upon
Us mastering officers came, and after
4 day or two left bearing upon their
rolls the names of our brightest and
oravest men. Gladys lover was
the number of loyal men who
Are willing, if necessary, to sacrifice
Ill for their country's sake.
One gloomy day she came into her
.oom, and as she passed me saw
her eyes were heavy and tremulous
her face I shall never forget. She
seemed to be in the deepest despair. |
knew at once that the day of sorrow
lad come. Gladys and her lover had
parted, perhaps forever. ct would
lot have you otherwise than loyal,
lear" she had said to him, "but it is
lgony, this struggle between our pa
lriotism and our love for each other.''
In his reply there seemed an effort
20 be hopeful.
Eight Governors, including Govern
'r Pattison of this State, were pres
mt on Thursday of last week at the
dedication of the monument to mark
he site of Wochinnto,,,n rr;o4e,.z- -