The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-02
"A Shock.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
[original.l

twenty, she not quite eighteen. i wat
going west to seek my fortune. WheI
had made competence-I couldn'
bear to consider more than thre'
months sufficient for the purpose
was to return and take her back Will
me.
life In the meanwhile" she said
"wiil be one long period Of waiting"
ut will seem an age to me-"
'You will be engrossed in business
That will make you forget"
Il shall never forget. shall lay
down thirty days for each month or
paper and each morning check one of
To see them disappear will be my only
comfort"
There was silence for awhile. A dis
tast clock struck IL.
ain seven hours my train will be pull
ing out Of the station. / have vet to
pack"
"Must you go?"
Eyes. Farewell"
But another hour passed, and was
not gone. The same clock struck -,
! drew her 20 me. There was long,
long kiss. Then l turned and without
looking back hurried away.
A month of daily letter writing. a
month Of alternate day writing. a
month of weekly writing-the three
months that had laid out wherein to
attain the wherewithal to bring her to
ne-had passed, and had only just
found position giving me $15 a week.
1.-THE correspondence died peaceful
daath. There were no reproaches on
either side. sYsAad found pleasant set
Of y6ung people with whom I had be-
come intimate, and my sisters wrote
me that a great deal was going on at
home. In youth associations are form
ing and reforming rapidly One au-
tumn 1t is Charlie and VIII Gnd Tom
and Lucy and Mary and Fannie; the
next spring it is Charlie and Arthur
and Pete and Ethel and Maud \and
Kate.
Youth is but kaleidoscope-tlNe
same colors under different groupings.
Two years after leaving home could
not tell who wrote the last letter, she
or /. Three years and couldn't have
told whether her eyes were black,
brown OF hazel. Five years, and one
day In ransacking among lot Of rub
bish / came upon her picture-the pic
ture had dreamed over for hours at
a time. / was astonished that should
ever have thought 1t beautiful.
She married and went to another city
to live. didn't hear her married
name, or If / did forgot it. 1t was
twelve years from our parting over the
gate before saw her again. 1t was at
a summer resort. had become in.
fatuated with girl Of twenty, fresh
as a new blown rose, and when the hot
season came followed her to the coun-
try. She was chaperoned by her aunt,
Mrs. Schenck, apparently about forty.
with grizzly gray hair, pinched ex-
preston and sharp voice. She had
I'VE children, all of them with her. and
no nurse. Surely was not that enough
to spoil any woman's attractiveness?
I became engaged. 1t was evening.
and was obliged to leave the next
morning. told my story and was &C.
cepted at the last moment before my
departure and as everybody at the ho-
tel was going to bed. When l set Off
for the train she went with me down
to the gate, and we stood leaning over
1t, without, she within. held both
her hands in mine and looked into her
moonlit eyes. assured her that
should look forward to her return to
the city with eagerness, and she prom
Used to cut short her stay in the coun-
try. We heard locomotive whistle.
distant rattle, drawing nearer, and
train stopped at the station below;
then presently the moon shone on
something white, and woman came
up the path.
"Oh, Aunt Juanita," exclaimed my
faHcee, where have you been?'
started. had cause to remember
that name-that uncommon name-Jua-
nita.
ITO the postoffice to get Franks let
ter. He always posts IT to come on
this train.''
I'm so glad you're here that you
may congratulate us on our engage
ment. 1t only occurred few minutes
ago. / am 50 happy"
II rejoice with you, my dear. know
Just how happy you feel. because your
lover made me feel just as happy .
dozen years ago"
You are exclaimed. II
Certainly am"
"Oh. aunty, what does this mean?"
"A case Of puppy love between two
puppies"
"And did he--surely he did not play
you false?"
"No more than did him"
Singular" ! interposed. that ]
didn't recognize you"
Not at ALL A woman. especially |
married woman with five chilfrea,
grows old very quickly, while nlSnd
stands still till he is past forty.'
Then, kissing her niece, she said to
her: II wish you every happiness dear.
can conscientiously recommend your
over and assure you that YOU win be
happy with irfne And ought to know.
for I have tested him myself as a
fancee.a
/ departed in singular state of
mind. MY happiness had received a
shock. / regretted nothing. | did not
blame myself nor my first love. Thus
ar / had lived under the impression
hat elderly people had come from
ome far distant land with which the