The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-01-06
The Silence ~
of FernWOOd. [
Observation-Disclosures ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!
BY ALICE NORES SAULET. :

Vehicles Of every description lined each
side Of the platform, whatever the cir
cumstances; not so with population
that the weather alone at times cru
ely disappointed. But neither weather
nor circumstances ever prevented the
presence OF a man who for several
years almost every day stood in the
same place, in the same unObtrus1ve
position; and most curious did it seem,
tor he was apparently unconcerned.
Still, a close observer might readily
see that while no muscle moved, his
ueep-set eyes searched each hating
car;then as they slowly again moved
away, gradually increasing their speed,
aud the shrill whistle rent the even
ing air, something Of it's dreariness
fell upon this mans soul as he re-
traced his steps homeward. At times
some few would meet him on his way
back 10 his suburban villa, and as he
quietly blew upward the smoke of his
cigar his apparent insouciance would
bring forth the remark: Here comes
the colonel from his evening STROLL"
Colonel Hunt was of medium height;
his square shoulders, erect carriage
and energetic countenance, even to the
curve OF his grey mustache, revealed
the officer. Years before, while fight
ing the Indians, wound about the
eyes caused him to retire with modest
Income. At 40 he was married to a
gifted woman, who was ambitious and
abreast of all new ideas. The married
state soon became to her one of dull
monotOny; iDasmuch as Mr.. Hunts
complete retirement from public life
had been a keen disappointment to
her She was not prepared to appre-
ciate the quiet waters in which her
bark was mOored, nor the change in
her husband brought about through
inevitable circumstances as we'll as
through her vagaries. The little inter-
est shown by him in the great move
ments In her world exasperated her
to degree. This gradually brought on
state OF mind and of things that
eventually destroyed all hope Of hap
piness between them.
One day after weeks of silence, grow
Ing more painful every day, Colonel
Hunt With enforced calm advised his
wife to realize her dream and leave
for the great city where, of all others,
social problems were ever questions
at issue, and he added sarcastically:
Il must be in touch with the times,
II not educated 10 follow the trend Of
thought; the new idea seems this:
not so much Of home, but good men
without 1t. You desire to
provide for yourself: I will see to that,
consider all settled"
This ambition which caused such q
painful arrangement between two be-
ings eminently fitted to understand
one another. seemed to have warped
Mrs. Hunts generous nature. Frank to
fault. she had become strangely Sc
cretiye. Col. Hunt had been keenly
alive to the mystery which pervaded
his home. and when what he feared
had come at last he felt no surprise.
He had long been aware that his wife
carried on secret correspondence with
some one, but Helen remained coldly
fmpenetrable, and with the easy dig
nifty that characterized the man, he,
husband left her free.
Strange to relate, Helen did not re-
alize her husbands anguish or the
pride which made him withhold any
expression of regret. Besides his dis
appointment in her, the thought that
he could not interest her or fill her
life CALLED him into stern silence.
After her departure his carriage be-
came more erect his mouth more
firm. Those who wondered learned
that she had at last decided to cult
vate her wonderful voice; he was sup
posed to see her at times, which he
never did.
Five years had gone by. The old
servant still attended to the lonely
home, which was still closed but for q
few windows. The Colonel was al
ways inDenetrable, as could be expected
of supremacy proud nature. AS the
shadows Of. the evening deepened he
would stroll back from the station t.
the outskirts of the picturesque tow
towards the quaint house nesting
among the oaks and wrapped in gloom,
silence. One evening the moon hat
risen upon silver Cloud that loomet
up from great mountains of blackness
the shadows Of the stately tree
wrought exquisite traceries upon tn
sward; the fragrance from the wealth
Of flowers brought back such memories
. as almost to overpower him. Her
was winding path, a rustic seat AM
table where she had sat and read
through yon archway, formed by tw'
slender olives and trailing roses, coul
be seen huge marble vase; beyon,
was a stone bench where, years ag'
when seeking her, he would find he
dreaming there, those dreams, alas
which had taken her from him. An
from the silvery radiance that ST. vivid
~ brought his past into life again h
turned away with anguish, sternly On
teled his study. and as ON similar oc
casions the wee, small htcurs foun
him working at his civil engineerin