Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-09-27
HER BEAUTY GONE.

| 20 heavily upon her was broken now by
death, and she was free. But as yet she
Bcarcely realized her freedom. She
moved still with the stiff slowness of
one whose long shackled limbs have
lost the secret of grace and fieetness.
This at least, was peace. No longer
she lived in dread of what the morrow
might bring forth-what new shame or
violence as the outcome Of her husbands
slavery to degrading habit 1t was
good to be at peace. Long ago she had
ceased TO hope for happiness.
Once, since her unfortunate marriage,
Joy had approached her, but she had
resolutely put it away, because 1T would
have been a guilty joy had she embraced
it, and to keep her conscience white was
one of the instincts of her nature. Since
then life had rolled Oh heavily, and at
present she was sunk in an apathetic
calm, with nothing more, apparently,
to fear or hope or expect.
Then his letter came, and something
that had seemed forever dead within her
woke to life again at the touch Of love.
She marveled that he should have gene
on loving her, unforgetting, during all
d.
have forgotten him. He had been re-
membered-oh, with what prayers and
tears and yet with strange sweetness
in the thought that she had been be-
loved by him!
Long ago she had resigned herself to
the idea that her image must have
grown faint and faded gradually from
his mind. Yet now this happiness that
she had dismissed with anguish re-
turned to her, all the dearer since it
had stood the tests of time and absence.
The year was in it's fairest bloom.
Deep upon deep of blue sky shone above
the green masses of the tree tops so
lightly stirred by the soft wind The
air was full Of sunshine and bird twit-
teringS and the smell of flowers. She
had fancy that her liberated heart
would have more room for it's happy
throbbings out yonder in the green little
park than pent up within four walls.
AS she sat there on bench in the
shade Of an oleander tree her vague feel
ing Of wonderment at what had happen
ed scarcely formed itself into thoughts
Her whole being was per1neated by
sense of joy. The human procession
which, only the other day, had seemed
so dull and sad and squalid, was now
transformed by the altered eyes that
looked upon it. Two lovers that passed
had the grace Of youth and passion. The
voices Of the children, as they chased
each other along the shady alleys,
sounded as sweet TO her as the cries Of
birds i'll springtime.
Idly she watched woman coming
toward her resting place, and nearer
approach showed the face to be a famil-
lar one, though not seen for some years.
In her new friendliness toward all man
kind she nodded and smiled, and the
other woman returned her salutation,
at first doubtfully, with puzzled look,
and then with dawning recognition.
why, it is you, after all these
years!' the newcomer exclaimed, hold
ing out a cordial hand. ''To think how
well we once knew each other, and l
was about to pass you by But it's been
so long, and them She stopped,
stammering confusedly over the last
words.
eyes, I suppose have changed, - re-
piled the other in a low tone.
Something dark had come across the
brightness Of the day.
When she was at home again, she in
terrogated her mirror. Yes, she had
changed, but so gradually that she had
not observed it.
Day after day she had seen that face
in the locking glass growing old, but
the serious trials Of her tired, troublous
life had pushed personal vanity into the
background She had been withered by
that want Of happiness which ages g
woman more quickly than years or i'll
ness or hard work There was no gray
in her hair, but it had lost its silky
brightness. The exquisite freshness of
tint which means youth was gone, and
here and there were faint lines that
would deepen presently.
Tears rushed to her sad eyes, once of
such a lustrous blue, and she hid the
dimned beauty of her face i'll her trem-
bling hands.
''After all, - she asked herself mourn
fully, ''was it not perhaps my blue
eyes, my bright hair, my pink and
white skin, that he loved? Would he
have cared for ne if I had then been
the faded, melancholy woman ] am
now?'
It was not as though they had grown
old together, side by side. He remem-
bered her as she had been in the flush
of young beauty, and the alteration
would come upon him with a sudden
shock. It seemed to her that she could
bear to give him up-keeping forever
the dear memory of the days when he
had loved her-but not to face the look
of surprise and regret that would leap
into his eyes when he saw her SO
changed.
So this was the message she sent him:
s.The years take away more than they
rive T am no 1oDoa1. tho woman that