Connecticut western news., 1900-05-03

the words and trembled Oh, how I was torn in twol The one pride of my life had been to tell the trath to every one, and here was my mistress making that burden for the first time. 1t was a struggle, and somehow habit won. The minutes passed, and I announced it 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 her 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 a tiny one, and looked up at me.
 |" At half past 10, old friend, don't fail to tell me I shall be listening with all my heart You need not strike very loudly I shall hear-I shall be sure to hearr And she had gone sle~ly mp the stairs. Time felt weight upon me as tolled the minutes out. 1 am only the servant of time, just to speak the words he tells me, to keep a straight, fair rec ord of how he flies.
 "Tick tock, tick tockl felt as if 
 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 l could crush it out
 ''They say that things like myself can neither feel nor suffer, but the bur den of my thought was, Could I save my mistressY The wish was so great that it overpowered everything. It was near the half hour, when suddenly everything seemed to come to stand still. All power of movement was taken from me. I could go no longer.
 ''For the first time in my existence I failed to tell the time.
 My little mistress was above, wait ing, waiting, but did not dare to stir until the appointed hour.
 ''I don't know how late it was when found her standing in the hall. pale as the ghosts that are said to haunt the woods at midnight.
 '' You have failed me-failed me [ was all she said And her slender fin gers worked at the big bolt that barred the door. It was at length forced back to its rest, and the maiden, all untitled in heavy cloak, had drawn it and was gone.
 What I tell you now I heard from the whispering flowers. The guest was 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 l that night he had opened the window of his room and 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 i tide. he found the maiden on the grass with the young lovers head upon hel 1 knee. The young man had waited fol her to come with the key to unlock the door. which was half hidden by the vines which covered all the wall. I'm. patiently he had paced to and fro; ther tried to climb in order to hasten to his lady's window and give signal. H. had slipped and fallen and in some way turned his foot.
 At glance the elder man took il all the scene, and a touch of pain tight ened the firm mouth as he said: 'Yor heard cry of distress and came to fint the cause. So did I. Let me help you my child, for this is no place for you. And the young man was as brave II that moment as the elder and replied 1t is my fault. I was going home lat, and tried to shorten my road across tn, garden.
 " 'Trespassing said his senior, 'i not the worst of sins. Sir, will hell you. and being very strong he lifted up the young man and made him leal all his weight upon his shoulder, and half carrying him, drew him from tn, garden.
 1.-The young man left the village in few days alone. The boat drifted ou toward the ocean and was lost. Tn story was never known.
 Folks wondered the next day t. find me silent. I had no power to ticl for many days, but when I was mysel again saw with joy my little mistres had been awakened from an illusion and, though for time she seemed sh, and afraid to look the good man in tn face, it passed, and the next year, wit the coming of the roses, he won her. l was the proudest day of my life when struck the hour of their wedding.
 No doubt you have guessed, littl one, the good man was the grandfathe you loved so we'll
 I sat silent in the window, the shad ows had deepened and dusk filled all tn hall. Had 1 dreamed or really heard al my old friend saidr I can never tell Only as I slipped up stairs I smiled a the old clock who had known and save my grandam 70 years ago. Ethel BaI rington in Philadelphia Press. Nineteen Americans Killed. Major Gilmore of the Forty-third vol unteers reports from Calhayon. Samal that d detachment of his battalion wa l besieged by insurgents at Catubfg fo , five days losing 19 killed and two wount ed. Word of the position of the detact ment finally reached Major Gilmore, wh made d forced march, relieved the bs sieged force and scattered the insurgent, Pennsylvania Town Wiped Out. Laurel Forge, Cumberland county. Pa l l was almost wiped out Friday night fire. Fou teen dwellings, two barns au two large ieehouses, the latter owned
 the Lowe Ice company. were destroyed