The Van Buren press., 1895-05-04
STORY OF AN OLD MAID.
RY lTTA ALLEN FHLlNhR.

sea- as an ''old, old maid" and vet I
know that I, Marie Lacell, am the only
living soul in Belmont who remembers
the great storm Of 1888 and the wreck
OF the fishing boat that was blown
against our rocky coast one night, and
the loss Of the noble young men who
went out to the rescue.
Yes, I, the old maid, "old Miss La
CELL" as l am called, was once as young
and pretty as the group OF merry
schoolgirls who go laughing by my
lonely old house at twilight, and who,
If they See me, look at each other and
seem to say: 'Therc is that old Miss
Larell; wonder IL she ever had o
lover? Poor thing!" 0
All, girls, laugh on and be happy, bu t
leave me alone in my own home. While
sit by the window, gazing out upon
the village street and listening for the
evening chimes In the old church tow
er to ring out their dear old melody,
muse and dream Of sixty years ago.
am no longer an old maid, alone in an
old, old house, but l am Marie Lacell,
the pet and pride Of Belmont,'a village
belle, the only daughter of the village
parson and the happiest girl Ia all the
world, for am Ralph Gordon's sweet
heart, and he loves me.
Belmont was pretty little village
situated upon the rocky shores Of the
great Atlantic ocean. Unlike most sea-
side villages, Belmont had on one side
mountainous lands, with hills, woods
and meadows, but on the east was the
ever raging sea, with its white-capped
waves always chasing each other far
out into the ocean.
Our coast was very rocky and was
seldom iised, for 1t was treacherous.
Only in pleasant summer weather did
anyone venture out from Belmont in a
boat. Often in winter and sometimes
in summer after squall pieces Of a
fishing boat and tackle would be
washed upon the rocks and sometimes
the bodies of unknown fishermen
would be found dead upon the beach.
Now in 1895 the coast is dotted with
lighthouses, but never can l forget the
first life-saving station that was built
by our own boys sixty years ago, and
the noble crew, with its brave young
captain, my lover, Ralph Gordon.
Belmont is fashionable summer re-
sort now, but in 1888 1t was quiet
little place, where every one lived like
the Acadian farmers of old, dwelling
in the love OF God and man, in the
homes of peace and contentment. My
father, the village minister, was much
loved and respected. Our family be-
longed to Belmont, and my father built
his house almost in the churchyard.
Our nearest neighbors were the Cor
dons, and they were our dearest
friends. The Gordon family was one
OF the first families In town. Old Mr..
Gordon. or '.the squire" ss he was al
ways called, WAS the wealthiest man In
the village. The family consisted Of
himself and wife and only son, Ralph,
the handsomest and best young man in
Belmont. 81 ~ -
Ralph Gordon was always hero in
my eyes, and do not remember the
time when I did not love him. When
we were childreD together he was al
ways my playmate, and he taught me
many childish game. He was SO
strong and brave, and used to watch
him with such pride and pleasure as he
rode through the village on horseback
or mingled with the other boys in their
sports.
At school he was the teachers ia
vorite, and thrill Of pleasure ran
through my heart whenever heard
strangers praising his manly beauty,
his graceful ways or his sunny nature.
As we grew older he was my constant
companion and my escort from church
and all our parties and little social
gatherings, for we were very gay in
those old days. The autumn that
Ralph was nineteen and seventeen he
left home for college. How everyone
missed him, for no one could sing as he
could sing, no one could talk as he
could talk, but / missed him more
than anyone, for he was all the world
to me.
The evening before he went away he
walked home with me from a friends
house, and as we were waiting in the
churchynrd to say good-by he took me
in his arms and kissed me. just then
tho chimes rang out, and somehow,
after he had gone away, l loved those
chimes and would listen in the hush OF
evening for them to ring, and when
heard their melodious peal I remem-
bered that loving kiss and he seemed
to be nearer to me. MIA HE
When he came home for the holidays
he looked both well and happy. OF
course he came at once to see me, but
not with quite the old-time freedom,
for we were grown up people then, and
I called him Mr.. Gordon and he called
me Miss Lseell ssss ,,s.f sa4sl
Three ydkrs went quickly by and
Ralph left collsee and came home TO
us. "Such fine young man" the peo-
pie all said, andss'proud might be the
Girl who could win his love-" and
was happy then, for believed that he
loved me. F@
Then the lits-saving station was
built. the crew organized and Ralph
was chosen captain. All the young
men in town were eager to join the
crew as volunteers, and the GIRLS were
not far behind In their enthusiasm.
Everybody was interested and wanted
to do something, for the coast had long
needed lighthouse and life-saving
station. Fairs and sociables were held
and the money needed was soon raised
All summer the carpenters and boys
worked to build the station, for II was
to be q club house also, and big room
was built for parties and social enter