Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-06-25


zle the little country maid, and it il
no doubt quite true that she felt fat
tered by the attention he lavisheo
upon her Still her heart was loya
to Hugh, although she could not help
wishing that his manners were more
polished and that he had enough grit
to stand up for his right when tramp
ed upon by the city dandy. That
night she robed herself in the dress
he most admired and with repentant
words on her lips waited for his COM
ing, but her waiting was in vain.
81 will write him a note in the
morning." she said to herself as she
lay tossing to and fro upon her Sleep
less couch, when the morning came
she heard that he had joined Colonel
Armstrong; volunteers and was al
ready very many miles away.
The blow fell with crushing weight
upon her aching heart, but she was
proud and to her disappointment ac-
cepted the attentions of young Lenox,
| the man above all others she most
despised.
Hugh did not write, as she had
hoped he would, and in the letters
that came back to other associates he
never SO much as mentioned her
name.
He had left his old mother in the
care of his brother Ben, and Ben's
wife, who was something Of a gossip,
kept him we'll posted concerning Mar
ion JEWELS Irritation.
Hugh endured the torture in silence
until the thoughtless woman repeated
the report of wedding close at hand,
and then he begged her never again
to mention the name of Marion Jew
ell, a name that had once been so
dear to him.
Marion's eyes lost their sparkle and
her face grew thin and white with her
weary waiting, but she never COM
planned, and except that she was a
trifle more thoughtful than in the old
days no outward change was remain
ing visible in her conduct.
When Thane Lenox went back to
the city, people said that he had
grown tired of the rustic beauty and
had cast her off just as she had done
poor Hugh, and they did not pity her
either. But they were wrong, for his |
going was great relief to her, and
had they known her loyalty to their
favorite they would have been more
considerate in their censure.
The report that came back from |
time to time OF Hugh's conduct on
the battle field, proving that he was
anything but a coward, and others
besides Marion had cause to regret
the hasty words they had spoken in
the days gone by.
The months dragged slowly along
until two whole years were gone, and
Marion was beginning to look for
ward to the time when Hugh's time
would expire, but her days of waiting
ended suddenly, when with the news
Of the conquest on Lookout Mountain,
she learned that Hugh's life had been
part of the price paid for the victory
ease the pain at her heart, and after
the pine box containing what his
comrades sent home as his mangled
body was laid away by the side of his
dead kindred she shed many bitter
tears over the fresh made grave.
But Hugh Curtis did not sleep in
that quiet tomb, for far away Under
southern sky he tossed to and fro
upon his couch in prison hospital.
He was not exchanged until the war
closed, and then knowing that his
friends had long ago given him up as
dead, he determined never to unde-
ceive them, but to make for himself
very lonely home in the sunny south.
The years came and went until more
than score were gone, and yet in all
that time Hugh had never heard
word from the old home nor looked
Upon a face that was once familiar.
Still he was restless and discomfort
I'd, and the yearning in his heart for
he old home and old associates was
1T times almost beyond endurance.
One morning-it was in May, 1882
ust 21 years after Marion had spurned
him from her as coward, he deter
mined to crafty his longings by pay
ng visit to his native town. There
vas some delay in the journey, but ,,
early on the second morning after he
eft his southern home he stepped
lpon the platform of the little hamlet
where his boyhood days had been 8
spent. ,
The village itself had not changed /