Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-02
After
Many
Years.
BY TRHD.K 8. MILES.
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Poor Sidney Warde! His great
struggle in life, his years Of hardship
and weary toll, inspired by one soli-
tary hope, brought him nothing but
bitter Disappointment, after all.
Ten years before, with youth,
strength and energy upon his side,
he had entered upon life's battle. He
was successful. The world called him
"lucky" That success bred of UNI
deviating will is always attributed to
good fortune. He amassed great
wealth, and ne was enyied upon every
side.
Yet, all of his successes in life, all
of his wealth Of gold, were nothing
to him. The desire of his early life,
which had girded his loins and led
him onward to vlctory-the one
thought and darling wish of his soul
through all these years of battle, lay
dead at the bottom of his heart
Ten years before-how well he re
membered the day-he had parted
from the playmate of his earlier days.
She was the daughter of the squire,
and she lived at the "big house yon-
DER" where young Sidney, although
far beneath fner in the social scale,
had free entry, because his ready wit
and youthful enthusiasm had touched
the fancy of little Kayie's parents.
Added to this, he had some claim
upon their good Willie mad saved
Katies life at the risk of his own
one day when she fell from the light
wooden bridge-now replaced by a
massive iron structure-into the river
which ran through the estate.
So the two grew together, the one
"a strong, impetuous boy, and the
: other an open hearted, generous girl,
and the squire watched their progress
contentedly and never said NAY" to
-iheir familiaFiate rcolrse.
But when the time came that Sid
ney was no longer boy, and he en-
tered upon the duties of clerkship at
the city bank, post which the squire,
his patron, had procured for him,
came also the beginning of his trou-
BILE.
He was taking an affectionate fare
we'll of Katie, making numberless
rash promises for her sake; while
she, listening to them wonderingly,
and nothing loath to hear, bent her
face down upon his shoulder, and his
army stole around her waist.
In this position they were discoy-
cred by her father, and for the first
time the truth dawned upon his mind.
He gently led her away, and, re-
turning speedily to the room where
Sidney remained, wondering what was
next to come, the proud mans fury
burst forth in torrent of fierce in
vective.
"Ingrate, upstart!" were the words
ne used-words that went deep into
the soul of Sidney Warde and rusted
there; mean, dishonorable villain!
Pauper! See that you never dare to
set foot within these doors again."
Sidney Warde pursed his lips proud
ly to stifle the ready answer. Was it
not her father? and what could he not
bear for Katie's sake?
He endeavored to reason with the
enraged parent, but in vain.
"Truly we love each other" he
said, land our position is unequal
what Of that? Time, which works SC
many changes, may yet span the so
cial chasm that separates us. car
watt
Vain was his appeal to the reason o
the enraged and passionate squire
He was in an unreasonable mood jus
then, and Sidney was thrust from tn
threshold he had so often crossed
with a light and careless step-ou
upon new life of sad reality.
He met Katie once again. 1t wa
hard by the little bridge where Ii
had once rescued her from death, an
here he told her of his love for he
without interruption, and her hear
responded word for word as his whii
pers fell upon her ear. He was 81
s. ing out into the world, he said-h
would bind her to him by no promis
he was not mean enough for tina
but he would return in year or tw
maybe-never, however, until
could count dollar for dollar with II
squire, who was once his friend.
In these ten years lie had succeedt
greatly His footsteps had wandere
into many places. and fortune seem'
s. ever to attend his efforts. He hi
worked hard and manfully. and he q
knowledged that he was rich beyol
his greatest anticipation. He cou
breathe again now.
Returning to the well remember
scene, his youthful affection-the OF
object of his ambition still strol
within him-full of rich belief of h
3 love-proud of tie equality which
6 suited from his own labor-he forg
that time, which had dealt so cavt
ably with him, might also have S
its mark upon the old mansion viii
those ten long years rolled by.
The mark was there. The squi
long since dead and buried, the q
house closed up and deserted, for
mistress was away, the wooden brid
displaced and an iron one erected
Its stead, the pretty village "imprc
ed" into thriving little town-the
were the sorrowful preludes to
terer disappointment than all of the
Katie was married!
s Only a year before-just one SC
tary year. of all those prosperous tie