Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-11-27


at the west window. His hair had
grown gray on the temples, and there
was about him the calm. of one whose
part it has often been to wiring vic
tory from defeat He was. in fact, as
the world agreed, a successful man.
But for weeks past, now, he had
felt restless and dissatisfied and found
it hard to concentrate his mind upon
his work, which failed to interest him.
Though never retrospective, he had
suddenly begun to think of himself as
q being with needs and emotions, rath-
err than a kind of intellectual machine
to be brought to the highest perfection
of workmanship. His mother had died
some years before, and his young sis
ter having married abroad, the old
house was empty, with boards barring
the doors and windows. Having reach
ed the longed-for heights, somehow
to-day he found them cold and bar
rem.
"After ALL" he reflected, "of what
| good is success, when there is no one
but oneself? Is it worth while?" He
thought Of his connections and ac-
uuaintances almost without number
"Yet none of them really cares a rap
for me; and that is not the worst of
| thos, "there is no one for me
to care for. 1 want something, and
don't know what it is" and he sighed
deeply. 81 suppose 1 am tired out
and need to get away from this hot
place, but 1 can't think of anywhere
1 care to CO."
It was then that a strange thing
happened. AS Cowden gaZed unhap-
PLY and with unseeing eyes through
the sunny window, suddenly vision
came to him through the mist of the
past. In a flash there quickened from
the depths of memory a scene long for
gotten. SARAH" he heard himself
saying SARAH Townley!" A sweet
face smiled at him across the years;
a slender girl stood on vipe-embower-
ed veranda and offered him a glass
Of milk. He was hot and tired and
thirsty, and he longed to rest in the
| shade with the girl, but a countryman
and an old horse waited on the road
below.
For Cowden the door of his mind
had opened to let in a shaft Of light.
On the instant his heart was the heart
of a boy. Life was worth living, after
all. He knew what he wanted!
When, a day or so later, he found
himself on train and actually on the
way south, he was not conscious that
there was anything remarkable in his
action. 1t was his nature to go
straight after what he desired, taking
wished to WOO and win Sarah Town
ley as soon as possible. Perhaps she
was already married, though the
cranky old father might deter a good
many men. 1t did not make any diff
ference to him about the old man. He
would be glad to make his last days
comfortable. This would please Sarah,
and his heart warmed at the thought.
There was a chance, too that the
old man had died, and that she had
been forced to seek the protection of
that unworthy kin Of whom Jake had
spoken, and might be living with them
on sufferance. His blood boiled at the
thought.
Then there was the chance, though
he found her still living in the old
place and still unmarried, that she
would have none of him. This really
troubled him more than anything
Heaven knew there was nothing about
him to attract a lovely young woman.
Yes, he fully realized that the
chances were against him. Only were
she to remember him after all these
years, would he feel encouraged. Ten
years it was and she had seen him
but for a moment. True, he remem-
bered her. but that was different.
Arriving at the little town, he or
dered a horse, and started out at
once over the old country road. His
was a very sober face as he rode
thoughtfully along. If she only re-
ullu
The sui was still shining, but the
cool Of evening had fallen on the land
when Cowden reached the lane and,
dismounting, tied his horse to a tree.
He went slowly UP the hill, but his
heart beat just as fast as it had long
ago when he had to run All his
thoughts seemed to frame themselves
in the one phrase-"If she remem-
bers!" He had planned to knock at
the door, and to ask for the major on
some pretext Of business. He had not
thought it possible to find the girl
where he had left her, but as he
emerged from the lane he saw her at
once.
She was sitting on the steps, gazing
thoughtfully over the fields Her sew
ing had dropped from her fingers and