The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-12-18
By ANNA B. WRIGHT

but portion OF man LIe IL Is
woman's whole existence, or words to
that effect While there are many ex-
ceptions to the rule, there is no doubt
that woman treasures love, or at least
its memory. longer than man. Miss
Amelia Dexter has the half of silver
ten cent piece which has been in her
possession thirty years. At any rate,
she was treasuring 1t till recently, when
she met the man who gave it TO her.
What she has done with 1t since mo-
body knows.
When Amelia was seventeen she WIS.,
tied her aunt, the wife of a professor
of the Naval academy at Annapolis.
There she met a young midshipman
who smiled upon her, showing beau
tiful set of white teeth, while his eyes
laughed with every other feature. The
girl collapsed at once. Whether her
love for the young man strengthened
is a question. More likely 1t was born
all at once.
Nevertheless Cadet Williams and
Amelia Dexter paired off," as young
people call being exclusively devoted
to each other. Williams was Miss Dex-
ter's escort to the cadet dances and
accompanied her In her walks. No
other girl aspired to any attention from
him. and Amelia received no attention
from any other cadet. In short, there
was between them one Of those inno-
cent relations which have not the for
mality Of an engagement-a sort OF
natural youthful emotion preliminary
to mating. In man it is usually a
pleasant tenderness which may or may
not take root. II may be the same in
girl, yet there are cases whersin tt has
been an undying love.
There were special auxiilaries IN thts
case, the academy band discussing
martial music, the cadet corps march
ing on and off parade. the formal sa.
lutes between officers and between OFF,
GERS and cadets. There is an autocracy
among men trained TO fight as well as
a certain swagger, probably intended to
overbalance the fact that what they
are being educated for is to be killed.
Nevertheless 1t is fascinating TO the
young of both sexes, who take very
little account of what it is for. 1t has
always figured largely in love-
Amelia spent a couple OF months at
Annapolis, then went home to begin
another year at school. The nearest
@b4,,, 90 a., o5ors4 a dfnr- t,atxron,, bo,
and her cadet lover was the split coin.
AS to an engagement, neither of them
thought Of such a matter of fact pro-
ceeding. They had not grown mature
enough to make an arrangement for a
lifetime They lived and loved only for
the present. The future was or seemed
to be too far for their consideration.
The split coin represented what they
felt, and its intrinsic value about 30
per cent Of its current valuel repre-
scented the real depth of their affec-
ton.
That is, for the boy. As to the girl.
this is one Of the cases the poet de-
scribed IL was not an egg to be de-
veloped. 1t was born perfect and in
destructible. she left Annapolis with
her half coin hidden away in her
bosom, while underneath it burned
fame like that kept alive by vestal
virgins.
What TRANSFERRED from that time tfll
thirty years had passed is not a pare
of this story. Miss Dexter is now an
old maid. Williams is an admiral and
a grandfather. One summer there
was naval war game on the Atlantic
coast. At reception given to the of
ficers of the feet Miss Dexter, an ell
derby spinster, was present. Admir-
al williams was introduced to her.
They chatted awhile. when Miss Dex-
ter began to ask him leading questions.
She spoke of certain moonlight even
ing on the porch of one Of the pro-
fessors Of the Naval academy. Then
and there he had given her her first
kiss. She contented herself with mem
tioning certain correlative incidents.
The admiral didn't twig. She referred
to a ride on the water in which they
sat side by side in a retired corner,
his arm encircling her waist. The
admiral did not even remember the
boat ride. She mentioned certain cir
connected with their last
parting. The admiral wondered what
she was driving at.
Then the admiral began TO rally her
IN not having married. saying that it
vas undoubtedly her own fault She
admitted that she had had an affair
when very young with naval Off
.er and, taking in her hand fine
yold chain she wore about her neck.
lrew from her bosom half a dime.
She told the admiral that the man who
lad kept the other half had forgotten
Ter.
IF you'll tell me who he is" re-
lied williams, "and II he is ever I'M
Ter my command I'll make him wish
lie had a better memory"
Miss Dexter sighed, but made no
eply. The admiral clustered about
he fine sense of honor of officers OF the
lavy in matters pertaining to woman.
declaring that the saying that sailor
las a sweetheart in every port is slur
IN the service. Then. being called
way, he made profound bow and
continued to pour forth his repertory
( complaints upon the next woman he
net
Why did not Miss Dexter tell him