The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-10-28
After Many Years.
ny FREDERICK ). MILLS

gle in life, his years of hardship and
weary toll. inspired by one solitary hope
brought him nothing but bitter dis.
appointment. after all.
Ten years before, with youth, strength
aud energy upon his side. he had entered
upon life's battle. He was successful.
The world called him lucky" That
success bred Of undertaking willis always
great wealth, and he was envied upon
every side.
. Yet, all his successes in life, all of his
wealth of gold, were nothing to him.
T The desire of his carly life, which had
girdcd his loins and led him on to victory
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 beforc-how we'll he remem-
/ bered 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 yondcr," where young
Sidney, although far beneath her in the
social scale, had free entry, because his
ready wit and youthful enthusiasm had
touched the fancy of little katie's par
ents.
Added to this he had some claim upon
their good will-he had saved katie's
life at the risk of his own one day when
she fell from the light wooden bridge
now replaced by massive iron structure
into the river which ran through the
estate
So the tNo grew together, the one a
strong impetuous boy, and the other an
open hearted, generous girl and the
squire watched their progress contented-
" and never said NAY" to their familiar
intercourse.
But when the time came that Sidney
was no longer boy, and he entered upon
the duties of clerkship at the city bank,
post which the squire, his patron, had
procured for him, came also the begin
ming of his trouble.
He was taking ar effectionate farewell
of Katie, making numberless rash prom
Uses for her sake; while she, listening to
them wonderingly, and nothing loath to
hear, bent her face down upon his Shout
der, and his arm stole around her waist.
In this position they were discovered
by her father, and for the first tim: the
truth dawned upon his mind.
He gently led her away, and, returning
speedily to the room where Sidney re-
manned, wondering what was next to
come, the proud mans fury burst forth
in torrent of fierce invective.
migrate, upstart.." were the words he
used-words that went deep into the
soul of Sidney Warde and rusted there;
"mean, dish onorable villain. Pauper.
See that you never dare to set foot with
in these doors again"
Sidney Warde pursed his lips proudly
to stihe the ready answer. Was it not
her father? and what could he not bear
for katie'S sake?
He endeavorcd to reason with the en-
ragged parent, but in vain.
Truly we love each other" lie said,
land our position is unequal-what of
that? Time, which works so many
changes, may vet span the social chasm
that separates us. ! can wait"
Vain was his appeal to the reason Of
4 bo nj 10
WAS in an unreasonable mood just then
and Sidney was thrust from the thresh-
hold he had so often crossed with light
and careless step-out upon new life of
sad reality.
He met Katie once again. 1t was hard by
the little bridge where he had once rescued
her from death, and here he told her of
his love for her without interruption,
and her heart responded word for word
rs his whispers fell upon her ear. He
was going out into the world, he said
he would bind her to him by no promise
he was not mean enoughf for that, but he
would return i'll year or two. maybe
never, however, until he could count
dollar for dollar with the squire, who
was once his friend.
In these ten years he had succeeded
greatly. His footsteps had wandered
into many places, and fortune seemed
ever to attend his efforts. Hehad worked
hard and manfully, and he acknowledged
! that he was rich beyond his greatest an
ticipation. He could breath again now.
Returning to the we'll remembered
scene, his youthful atfection-the one OBJ
iect of his ambition still strong within
him-ful of rich belief of her love-proud
of the equality which resulted from his
own labor-he forgot, that time, which
had dealt so favorably with him, might
also have set its mark upon the old man
sion while those ten years rolled by.
The mark was there. The squire long
since dead and buried the old house
closed up and deserted for its mistress
was away. the wooden bridge displaced
and an iron one erected i'll its stead, the
pretty village "improvcd' into a thriv-
ing little town-thcse were the sorrow
full preludes to a bitterer disappointment
| than all of them.
Katie was married,
Only year before Just one solitary
year, all of those prosperous ten. II he