Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-01-27
MARTHA's DIARY.
For the Audubon County Journal.
In the long run, fame finds the deserving
man." Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
BY LOURIENE.

/
| BY LOURIENE.
| Ten years! Ten long years since I com
| menced my life's work-years of hard work
and strife, crowned by success at last.
Martha Dayton, am no longer nonentity
For have not had homage paid me by
| many worthy and world renowned people:
Yet, does. it satisfy? Did think, when
beautiful works of art, that I, in the future
would contribute one of the most perfect
of sculptured pieces of that noted gallery:
All, my old love! must call it that; does
it still remain in my heart: No, for one
week from the time of our parting l, foolish
girl, believing he held me most dear of all
ment OF his marriage to another, of which
his friends were kind enough to say he
had married for her pure partrician face
and long line of ancestors. 1 then cast
| from my herat the love had for him like
one putting aside an unclean garment,
and in its place arose desire to make for
myself name and future that all cultured
men and women must admire. l have
succeeded far beyond my greatest hopes,
thanks to my severe but excellent teach
Well, we'll! you dear old diary, always
my companion in hope and sorrow, why, /
cannot say L have an uncomfortable desire
Eno $40 6v of thsy fo past With you tonight
in John and wife.
So ends the first day in my native city
~
mages-life is so strange. To think that on
my first day of home coming should hear
his ,,a home .9, c9m1isng should hear his name,
Dear Cousin John, forgetful of the past,
must tell me of my once acquaintance,
Ralph DeForest, and his financial failure,
butterfly of fashion, now an invalid and
great pity entered my heart for the m an
who has taken from me that which we all
hold most DEAR the faith in mankind.
+
Four months OF home, and how much
can happen in four 1nonths am positive
and Laura enjoy it all so much I must
confess that at the Mortimer's we had a
delightful evening, and it was pleasant to
clan, Silas Bennett. What noble counte-
nance. one which denotes tirmness of
character, yet kind and thoughtful. |
the air is so balmy. Laura will enjoy SOME
flowers, will get some for the tea table.
Their happiness makes me feel it is we'll
to have home-most sacred spot.
AT last the unexpected has happened, /
have met Ralph DeForest face to face: his
Grape on his hat, for the wife; who knows,
had she had the love and home blessings,
would have made, if not. noble woman,
speak his thoughts, and his desire to take
gether.
w, tIlG hIloI remains, the past IS past,
and the future is mine, and may my ideal
be realized, life of noble thoughts and
higher aims, one that when my summons
comes may look in life's mirror and see
only the golden threads.
KS
My neglected book. Home ties and pleas
ure drives from me the wish to soleninize.
nine months now only for the past being
brought before me, | feel l must talk it
over with myself. How did it happen: /
failed to see anything personal in his at
tentions. yet tonight he has asked me to
be his wife, take him, to honor, love and
respect
My answer, fear. was severe and UNI
pleasant truth for him, when he forced me
to say. that my life should not be linked
with his, it angered me. You, to stand
here and ask me to put aside my ideal !!
No, Mr.'DeForest, the life of the man /
marry must be like.an open book, of clean
pure pages, that L may turn them leaf bv
leaf. and read and as each page is turned
my honor, love and respect must increase
until the last remaining page, and then
we take it up together, each page side BY
side, and through life read. and enjoy and,
at the. end, may we close it together. /
have found such man in Silas Bennett
That is my answer.
CHICAGO, January u, '9S.