Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-09-12

lNI ulu-IdS hQRed. "Old-fashiOned and
out of date and irritable and cranky.
by George, sir" said he to himself a 5
he watched the blue flames struggle
unsuecessfully to leap into something
ike cheerfulness. Even my fire won't
burn. I've Jawed every man in the
Office to-day, quarreled with every
client l have seen, bullied the ianitor
and spent the intervening time in hat
ing myself. guess Eastman is right.
ought 70 take a vacation, and see if
can't get into some sort Of harmony
with things in general"
What was it all worth, anyway
these days and nights of toll? To be
sure, he was successful, far beyond the
measure that comes TO the average
man, his reputation was high in the
profession-the greatest cases came
10 him, and he generally won them.
His name stood high in the commune
ty, and honors on the bench or in POI
litical life waited him at any time he
would accept them. But these things
held no fascination for him. For 20
years his life had been conferred in
this old-fashioned back Office. He had
enjoyed no social life and little com
partnership with his fellows, excepting
his relations with his partners, his
clients and his opponents in the court
room. He trembled to think of the
result should he lose interest in his
work
And yet it had not been always so.
Nor was he BY nature designed for a
life apart from his fellows. Ia his
younger days he had been a prince Of
good fellows, and had numbered his
friends by the score.
But this was before the broken chap
ter in his life. and that broken chap
ter had changed an the rest Of the
story He thought as he tried TO coax
some warmth out Of the CRATE how dif-
ferent it al might have been. He
arose and locked the door leading to
The outer Office, and then he went to
the old-fashioned safe, and, unlocking
a drawer. took from il an old da-
guerrotype. Going back to his seat,
ne contemplated the portrait long and
earnestly. II was the face Of beauti-
full, high-spirited, impetuous girl.
This was the face which had caused
the broken chapter. As he looked al
the old daguerrotype his features soft
ened and he lived over again the old
DAYS when an the horizon was rose
coiored. This was away back when he
was a boy. He was accounted a smart
boy and was making strides in his pro-
fession. and every effort and every am
bifion was conferred upon Amy Lester
She liked him. too-there was no doubt
Of that. Even now. at distance of &c
Years and with the keenest knowledge
Of men and affairs, he did not doubt
that she loved him in the old days
They had been youthful sweethearts
and had built all the air castles of two
lives upon a united future. Then came
the firing on Sumter and the call to
arms bv President Lincoln. The blood
Of the major quickened little even al
this distance Of a quarter of cen
turv a he recollected the thrill with
which that call had been received. y
deIirious month or two and he had
found himself at the front. There
rolled before the memory ofthe major
All the excitement. the dangers, the
aeprivations, the heroisms Of those
dreadful four years; his steady ad'
vancement until he was mustered out
a major Of volunteers.
The perspiration rolled from his
face as he remembered his home.
coming and found that Amy had
plipbted her troth 70 another--one iat
ricber than ne and the choice Of hei
family. He had never asked her T.
NARY him. He had always supposed
Il rs be understood. They had VIII
zen continually. and although her lei.
,ers had grown more formal he nae
Zee, 81 engrossed IN his soldierly pro
session that he had scarcely had me
time 10 wonder what the cause was
g the fun knowledge Of the truth
,,ben he arrived home. nearly took MN
~ III feet. His great pride kept nm
trom doing anything 70 prevent mel
r,s-r,s~e even had IL been possible
and = She had faded from his life, aho
rritb her am the joy and all the hope
~ Mad ever cherished. Then followed
he weary years in the profession e
- 4vs~rpf
knock aroused the dreamer ano
tsstflv stufing the picture in NJ
noclxet he opened the door. II was
as~5 srom one 81 his most proti'aoit
c1is,ts for whom he had recently VOL
bsrdlv-eontested lawsuit.
asbow him in" grunted the major
erudgingly- - d. Van.
aslneier. prosperous, pushing sen.
eomplaeent. but apparently somewhat
worried.
..you have got TO get possession q
.hat Fletcher property, that's ail mere
- n major" said vandelmeler' a.
!. seated himself and moppea p.
-, ~Oh. I know you are noi
ste-iF or a marshal or anything OF
49, lind he went on, as he observe.
~ .,,i,r.s rising Ire. shut what gooe