Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-05-27
BY yELMA CALDWELL MELVILLE.
"a

strange, fatal day, ending for Melvina
in darkness and oblivion.
With Lola Brooks and dozen others
she was waiting the distribution of
the mail. while the oracle read
aloud the latest war news. There had
been terrible battle and, though the
bluecoats were the victors, the loss
was appalling and then, with shaky
voice-for he had a son there-the
oracle read the names of the killed.
Suddenly he stopped and dashed his
hand across his eyes as if he doubted
his vision, then looked again, reading
slowly:
Race T. Wardle."
Amid the screams from the girls
and EXPLANATIONS from the men, Mel
vina Sinclair slipped out unnoticed,
nor did anyone remember her until
she was found in dead faint outside.
Still no one guessed the truth then,
or later during the weary weeks,
months and years that the girl carried
her loss and grief ever Rugged to her
heart while she did her monotonous
duty in the home, until one by one
the inmates there were either dead or
married and the property passed into
the hands of the man who had slowly
woven his tolls about the sick father,
allowing only ''the use of the tenant
house kept in fair condition, one COW
and her keep as long as she, Melvina,
needed it"
There was some $500 besides, and
these, with a broken constitution and
heart in much the same condition
were Melvina Sinclair's prospects at
twenty seven.
Quietly she had moved few of the
things she loved best into the small
house, bringing with her Sandy, who
was her very own colt, and a few
chickens. The COW was to be fed and
pastured with the herd, but she went
| over morning and evening to milk her.
And SO the years had passed, thirty
and over now, and only a few old
neighbors. remembered her existence,
the younger generations thinking Of
her only as that queer old woman
But she was not queer: she was
! just maiden now, dreaming her love
dreams DER, growing younger at heart
and living in daily and hourly COM
partnership with the lover of her youth.
Race Wardle's father had brought
i his body home. but nobody knew
whose hand it was that planted flow
ers and kept his grave green all the
years after the last Wardle had
moved far away.
| She was too infirm and too timid to
join the memorial day professions or
go with the crowd to do honor to the
dead, but every time, when the GENE
terry was deserted she carried her
small offering and laid it beside the
gorgeous floral trophies ON the grave
of Race T. Wardle
And SO this morning she waited and
watched as of yore, and then when
the sound of feet and music mad died
away and the dust had settled still
and glazing once more, she returned
to the house to refresh the vase of
wood violets and make sure that no
harm had come to the one giant lily
which she had coaxed through all the
winter and spring to be in readiness
for this day. And then she sat down
and dreamed Of other days until the
noise outside told her it would soon
be her turn.
1t was the next morning that some
one, going to look for a lost handker-
| chief, espied a little dark figure
NESTING close beside the grave of
Race Wardle, a smile on her face, a
bunch of violets and a white lily
clasped in her little bird-claw fingers.
/ But it was not until the ring at her
throat was discovered did Patty True,
now old Mrs. Cashton, even guess the
truth, and not until the packet of vel
low letters. tied with faded ribbon
of red, white and blue, was found
among her effects and read, did it all
become perfectly plain.
"And to think it was Melvina Sin
clair after ALL she exclaimed, "and
wouldn't have been afraid to take
oath she did not know what love
was.
Hers has been perhaps a happier
life than mine" she sighed a little
later, smoothing her velvet gown with
hands that sparkled with rings.
81 have read somewhere that
''The love that's safe beneath the
sod
Or, better still. in the bosom of God,
Is the perfect love complete
/