Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-09-16
PART OF ALIFE.

The speaker, from glance at hi
snowy hair and mustache and sorrow
full dark eyes, one would suppose tt
have been a man well along in years
but on looking more closely at the
we'll knit, supple form reclining a
ease in the study chair it was discov
cred to be an cold head on young
shoulders.n
His deep, musical voice was hall
sad, half tender as he continued to ad-
dress the young man, who, standing
before him, was nervously toying with
book that lay at his right.
perhaps Pm not quite as surprised
as you thought would be. You have
played together as little children, as
boy and girl you were companions,
and now that you are man and she
is woman your hearts naturally turn
to each other, and | will see my dear
est wish realized. The friendship that
has existed between your father and
myself for Is years will be augmented
by the union of our only children. You
are good, manly fellow, Hugh, but a
trif1e hot headed and impulsive. Learn
to control yourself, boy; learn to con-
troll yourself.
''You have much of my disposition,
and [ would save you from the rocks
on which my happiness was wrecked
you and my little girl.
"Sit down, Hugh, here, near me,
and I will tell you a story-an answer
to the question you have so often had
on the tip of your tongue to ask me,
what was it that turned the hair of
such a comparatively young man
white?' Tush, boy, don't look confusd
you couldn't help wondering.
"Well, to begin with, twenty years
ago I married one of the fairest,
sweetest little women that ever won
the love of man. was a reporter on
an evening paper, ambitious and
to rise in my profession.
We rented a little house in the sub
urbs, and although we had not much
of this worlds goods our home was
very happy one for the first six or
eight months. Then little chickering's
and fault finding began. Bitter quar-
rels finally grew out of the most tri-
vial things, and scarcely day passed
that there had not been angry words
spoken by one or the other.
eve loved each other dearly, and
we tried hard to avoid all this. We
had resolved again and again in our
of repentance that we would
treat each other with more considera
ton, be more forbearing, but it seem
ed useless-our troubles increased.
$50 it went on for several months. /
1ad become morose and gloomy, and
and sad that the sight of it made my
1eart ache.
zone lovely morning in early sum-
ner, when the roses that clambered
,ver our cottage walls were in bloom
md nodding their pretty heads at us
through the windows, when the birds,
lewly mated, were singing their JOY
md the air was heavy with the per-
ume of flowers and breathed only
o We and peace, the crisis came.
"While I was getting ready to go to
he Office something occurred to de-
ain me. I was annoyed and spoke
harply to Nora. She answered me
n an insolent, haunting manner that
lways enraged me. Our words grew
otter and more extravaganza. In my |
niger I applied a shameful epithet to
Ter.
"CoWard!n she almost shrieked as
he sprang toward me, her face dis
orted with rage and defiance.
''What devil possessed me I do not
now, but quick as fash I raised my
and and struck her in the face with
IL the force I could summon.
sShe was such a slender little wo-
Ian that she had not the strength to
'ithstand my powerful blow. With
wv, heartrending cry she sank to the
DOR. Almost before she fell my senses
eturned. realized what I had done,
nd falling on my knees beside her
)ok her in my arms, kissed the poor
Leeding lips I had SO brutally lacerat-
j, and with my tears dropping on her
zee implored her forgiveness. She
,emed completely broken. Her anger
as all gone, and there was startled,
rieved look in her eyes that cut me
, the heart.
"She lay motionless i'll my arms
lille I begged her to forgive me.
hen she said softly:
cit doesn't matter, dear. 1t was my
Lult as much as yours. We will never
It it happen again. Now go to work
Lotto n1rnoIrr