The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-09-27
A Forgotten
Existence
By ELEANOR MARSH

standing about me, one. woman Win
a bottle or smelling salts in her hand.
l tried 10 recall where ! was going l
could not. Then tried TO recall from
where had come. failed In this too.
Doubtless appeared dazed to those
about me, for a woman said:
shell come all right presently. Give
her a chance TO collect her faculties
After had been asked a few ques-
tons l gave those about me 10 under
stand that l wished TO be left alone,
and one after the other they went To
their seats Then to my horror found
that | didn't know my own name.
didn't know my parents name nor who
they were. Everything beyond the
present was lost in oblivion.
Would Il all come backf ! believed
IL would. But IL did not looked In
my purse and found tickets TO a city
and bank bills to the amount of S24,
besides some silver. / searched among
a few slips of paper hoping TO see my
name. There was not word to sug'
gest who was.
Not caring TO go into large city In
such condition got OF at suburban
station. 1t was springtime. l passed
n snug cottage, In the grounds OF
which were two little girls playing.
crayed some one to speak to and pre-
ferred these innocents to any one else.
The gate was open, and ! entered the
yard, calling to them TO come TO me.
They did so, and put an arm about
each of them. talked 10 them ana
they to me. ! cared not what was said,
| felt comfort In their company.
"Papai"
One of the children looked up at
some one entering the gateway. i FOL
lowed the direction OF her glance and
saw a man about to enter. There was
something so kindly in his face that
felt impelled to tell him my ropble
and ask his advice as to what should
do. He listened to me, asked me few
questions, then said:
Come into the house and we VIII
see what can be done for you
His household was run by an elderly
woman. There was also nurse FOL
the children. He told the former &c
give me a room for the night, and he
and and the children dined together.
After dinner he informed me of steps
he proposed to take on the morrow to
discover my identity, suggesting that ]
examine my clothing to discover II
there was a mark that would help us
After dinner l went to my room ano
made the examination. There was
nothing to give any clew.
Mr.. Seagrave, the gentleman, tele
phoned an advertisement to a newspa
per in the city describing me and the
incident connected with me. He said
he thought my relatives would be on
the lookout for such a notice and !
would hear from them very soon. he
also gave me permission to remain In
his house till I was claimed or my
memory returned. had enough mon
ey to pay my board for two or three
weeks. but after that would be penni'
less.
Time passed and no one claimed me-
I wondered If / had any relatives.
Judged that / was about twenty one
wears old. Had l been married! III
80 my husband would doubtless move
heaven and earth to find me.
When three weeks had gone by ten.
dered Mr.. Seagrave my $24 for my keep
and told him that 1t was all had. He
offered to discharge the nurse and
make me the governess Of his children.
/ gladly accepted.
A doctor who was called in to see
me said that he was of the opinion my
loss of memory had been occasioned
either by former sickness or trouble
7 showed no sign of having been i'll
and there was no evidence Of past
trouble.
What 1 had been I knew not.
knew that I was very happy in Mr.
Seaprave's home. I loved the two lit
tie girls, and I grew to love him. A
widower, he naturally pinned for wo'
mans companionship. had not been
In his house year before he asked
me to marry him.
Alas! knew not whether or no
was free to marry any one. There
was a long struggle between my de-
sire to be his wife and to mother his
two dear little girls. He seemed to
have made up his mind to take the
chances himself. and at last consent
ed. We were married. He, I and the
children were happy.
About two years after my marriage
Iawoke one morning after long sleep
nv former self. 1t was a horrible
awakening. had married a man who
had treated me brutaly, and after
terrible scene had caught up what
money there was in the house and LEFT
him. He had married me in opposition
TO his parents will and had thus given
up fortune.
| told Mr.. Seagrave that my mem
ory had returned. that our marriage
was not legal He babe me be conn
forted. that all would come out right
! gave him information to guide him.
and he proceeded to look up the case.
One day soon after this he came
home and took me in his arms. evil
IDENTIFY very happy He told me that
nv former husband had died and that
his father had advertised for me.
went to see him, and he said be had
sought me that be might make
amends for his sons cruelty. He was
- - .. o,oa Saftlad a MARI