Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-11-05

Mabel lifted her shining thankful eyes
with a look that fully repaid Lysle
Talcott for his generosity.
''In addition" he added quite as I'M
ostentatiously, Il will deed the old
Ransom homestead to your society as
a home for your proteges. 1 find it
difficult to sell it and wish to get it
off my hands"
The generous donation of the good
hearted Talcott was the talk of the
town. His own interest in the humani-
tartan plan was awakened. He might
have fingered, but a telegram from
the city, inspired by the scheming
siren who had set her wiles to snare
him, lured him again into the vortex
of the only life"
The seed of charity planted by the
little charity circle at Rushton grew
and throve. The life of the spendthrift
began and expanded for Lysle Talcott.
For five years he was led blindly,
recklessly, on by the ambitious siren
who had won him as her husband.
Like cormOrants her retinue of rela-
tives fawned upon the lavish benefac-
tor, who in his honest open way never
suspected their selfish duplicity.
A creature of expensive within, his
wife led him from one extravaganza
to another. There was a palatial city
home and a country palace. There
were trips abroad, social functions al
most rivaling royalty. One baleful
day a terrible piece of news was
brought to Talcott. His wife, her Sis
ter and brother had persisted in a
fire at sea. When the first shock was
partly subdued, he went to seek her
surviving brother To this man he
had entrusted all his business on &C
count of relationship.
A second shock faced him A spec
ulator and a coward, his brother-in-
law had lost his entire fortune in a
swindling stock concern and had fed
the country. Lysle Talcott was
pauper
He was crushed. 1t was only by
voluntarily surrendering all he had
that he was able to escape the stigma
of dishonor. His health broke. Life
had become unambtious. He faced
the future, dumb despair at his soul.
Just one piece of wreckage was
saved from the collapse. When he
had inherited fortune he had decided
to an old servant of his uncle little
farm near Rushton. Just as the affairs
of the collapse were wound up, the
death of his pensioner was followed
by the announcement that the prop
erty had been willed back to his bene-
ficiary.
Talcott evaded the townspeople
when he reached Rushton late in the
afternoon 1t was dark as he returned
farm. He felt more hopeful now, how
ever, for it promised him comfort
able home and a living Curiosity led
him towards a building surrounded
by stone wall and agl0w with light.
1t was the old homestead how
grandly extended and remodelcd!
There were lights over its gateway.
He had not thought of his random gift
for over five years, though often Of
Mabel. He drew nearer to read the
inscription on brass plate on one of
the gate pillars. It read, "Lysle
Warrington Talcott-blessed of all
men. He builded better than he
knew"
A woman passing by halted, gazed
at him, advanced, drew back and he
saw her face.
Miss Deane!" he spoke tremu-
lousy.
Her face lit up as If by magic. Her
soulful gladness affected him as some
rare perfume. He must come to see
her father. 1t was at the Deane home
that Talcott learned of the venture he
had practically started, developed by
Mabel and her charitable assistants
until it had become a noted philan'
thropic work.
Those days his heart took hope
Those hours, when Mabel, reading
Alright his gloom as we'll as his awak-
ened regard for her, ministrated to mis-
wounded soul and brought to it peace
and love.