The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-18
The Globes Daily Short story

fell on deafened ears; the shouts of news
boys he did not hear; the fashionably
attired evening strollers he did not see.
But instead there arose before him
peaceful Virginia village that nestled
by the side of the great Blue Ridge noun
tains, an old-fashioned home with wide
verandas running around it; of RUSTIC
bridge that spanned the purling brook
separating his old home from that Of
the Wilson residence.
Now he was in front OF Grace church.
The bell in the great tower pealed sol
EMMY. Family came the voices of the
choir within mixed with symphonies
sweet and soft from the organ keys.
Every sound of the great bell was a
thrust at Vernon's heart. He fastened
onward. For miles he walked. At last
he strolled into cafe. The music did
not sound right; the laughter of the
other guests seemed mirthless. He tried
to eat, but the food was tasteless; he
tried to drink, but the wines We're in
sipid. He arose and walked rapidly
homeward. When he got in bed he tried
to put away the picture of the Virginia
Annie Wilson; tried to sleep, but he
could do neither of these three things.
His mind went back to the old mill where
they used to go and plan for the future.
he would be rich. He remembered the
good-by-the bitterness of tIe parting.
He could shut his eyes and SIZE her tear
stained face ass he stood on the railway
ago; the waving of his mothers hand
kerchief as the train moved away; the
melancholy look on his fathers face.
But he had done as he said he would do
he had succeeded. He had made for
tune. But in doing so he had forgotten
all the softer ties that go to make men
remember their manhood. He was be-
coming sordid The hair on his head was
beginning to gray; his step was becoming
less firm, his appetite more cratic, his
whole being more dyspeptic, month by
month.
The few moments of rest Vernon got
that night were filled with dreams. In his
sleep he heard the cackling of cocks in
the early morning; of the clankng spurs
upon horsemen's boots; the music of run
ming hounds; the strut of the peacock;
the neighing of pastured horses; the
lowing of a Jersey herd; the incessant
murmuring of the millrace; the rustic
of autumn leaves; felt the solemn still
ness of a winters night on the mountain
side; the soft signing Of the naked
limbs of trees; the song of the robin;
the peetet of the snowbirdS; the cry of
the hawk. And with such pictures there
would ever fit between the face of the
girl whom he had once loved passionate
ly-almost insanely.
When Vernon awoke the following
morning his eyes were heavy. Hastily
he summoned a servant.
"See that my breakfast is put on the
table. Have my carriage at the door
in twenty minutes and let John go
with me down town. l want you 10
pack three trunks and have them at
the Chambers street ferry at l o'clock.
Understand? One o'clock AS l am
to be gone for some days and you
are to go with me, you had better pre-
pare yourself for the TRIP"
Where are the trunks to go! asked
the servant
ooh, yes. I forgot to tell you. Ross
wright. Virginia. Will you remember
Then to himself: 'That will put me
in there at midnight, but 1 know where
my old room is"
An hour later Vernon was closing his
account at the bank.