Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-01-31

| "oulu return With a strange
ngh' IN those eyes l knew so well, and
many's tho time 1t all ended with q
night of tears A ="
KNOW listened to the murmur.
lngs OF the flowers, and flowers ara NOT
sate confidants, though women folk.
think they are. They rustic and tell
each other all they know. One has but
to listen and the secret is out, carried
tar and wide by the birds, their lovers.
-, 1T was dreary, bitter night, and
the little ona knelt before the fire with
her slender hands, that trembled SO thew
stirred the lace about the wrists out
stretched before the b.aze She seemed
to see face in the red ashes.
Now, she murmured, If that does
not fade for ono whole minute I shall
take it as good omen and CO. heard
tho words and trembled Oh, how !
was torn in Two! The one pride of nv
HE had been to tell the truth to every
one, and here was my mistress making
that a burden for the first time. 1t was
a struggle, and somehow habit won.
The minutes passed, and l announced
1T in a choked old voice, but she did not
seem to know that; only sigh of pleas
ure and tear of regret mingled, and
with pathetic gesture she threw he,
hands in the air, as if throwing all care
to the winds and accepting fate Then
she came and stood before me, as she
had done SO often as tiny one, and
looked up at me.
AT half past 10. old friend, don't
fail to tell me- l shall be listening with
all my heart You need not strike very
loudly | shall hear-I shall be sure to
hear! And she had gone slowly up the
stairs. Time felt weight upon me az
l tolled the minutes out. l am only the
servant of time, just to speak the words
he tells me. to keep straight. fair rec
ord of how he flies.
"Tick took, tick tockl felt as if
should smother. At 10 l struck the
number out Never before had known
how loud was my voice. We are all of
us what we are made. Each one in this
world has so much to do, no more, no
less. Tick tockl The very heaviness of
my trouble was making me dim and
uncertain
II heard the master of the house and
his friend and guest--the man liked,
the elder, quiet man-close their doors,
and everything was still except my
voice. Would that could crush it out
"They say that things like myself
can neither feel nor suffer, but the bur-
den of my thought was. Could l save
my mistress? The wish was so great
that it overpowered everything. 1t was
near the half hour. when suddenly
everything seemed to come to a stand
still. All power Of movement was taken
from me. l could go no longer.
''For the first time in my existence
failed to tell the time.
"My little mistress was above, wait
ing, waiting, but did not dare to stir
until the appointed hour.
II don't know how late it was when |
l found her standing in the hail. pale
as the ghosts that are said to haunt the |
woods at midnight.
You have failed me-failed mer |
was all she said And her slender fin
gers worked at the big bolt that barred
the door. 1t was at length forced back
to its rest, and the maiden. all muff1ed |
in a heavy cloak. had drawn it and was
gone.
"What tell you now heard from
the whispering flowers. The guest was
a learned man who thought great |
deal, then gathered the best of these
heaven sent gifts and, setting his hand
to paper, told them to the world. On
that night he had opened the window
Of his room ard was watching the clouds
as they chased each other in the old
moons light, and somehow the noise of
the hall door closing aroused him. He
looked and saw slender figure hurry
ing across the lawn.
''In a moment he was out. In the
sweet scented garden where the high
wall rises against the banks of the river.
and where little boat rocked upon the
tide, he found the maiden on the grass
with the young lovers head upon her
knee. The young man had waited for
ler to come with the key to unlock the
loor, which was half hidden by the
vines which covered all the wall. I'm
patiently he had paced to and fro; then
tried to climb in order to hasten to his
ady s window and give signal. He
1ad slipped and fallen and in some way
turned his foot.
cat a glance the elder man took in
all the scene, and a touch of pain tight
enad the firm mouth as he said: You
heard a cry Of distress and came to find
he cause. So did l. Let me help you,
lly child, for this is no place for You.
And the Young man was as brave in
hat moment as the elder and replied
1t is my fault. was going home late
md tried to shorten my road across the
GARDEN.
" 'Trespassing, sad his senior. lis
lot the worst of sins. Sir, will help
'ou, and being very strong he lifted
Up the young man and made him lean
II his weight upon his shoulder, and,
alf carrying him, drew him from the
arden.
1.-The young man left the village in a
ew days alone. The boat drifted out
oward the ocean and was lost. The
tory was never known.
Folks wondered the next day to
nd Inc silent. had no power to tick
or many days, but when l was myself
gain saw with JOY my little mistress
ad been awakened from an illusion,
nd. though for a time she seemed shy
nd afraid to look the good man in the
ace. it passed. and the next year, with
he coming of the roses, he won her. 1t
,ns Tho nro11dest day of my life when / |