The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-26
A Sin That Brought
A Blessing
BY OSCAR cox

recommend her but q pretty face. i
used to think that she wished me to
marry Margaret Deane, who knew how
to sew and cook and do lot Of practi-
cal things in which / took no interest.
rather admired Gwendolin German.
Gwendolin was tender flower, Just
such a girl as a man likes to take I'M
der his protection. Her cheek was not
round and rosy, but there was little
pale red In its center like a rosebud
painted on china cup, with lips of the
same hue
The time came when / made up my
mind that unless could win Gwendo-
lin my life would be failure. l was
but twenty, and that's very young for
man to feel that his happiness is
bound up for life in one person. How
ever. proved my constancy by years
Of devotion to the image had set up
in my heart. Fearing that / could not
express myself with sufficient delicacy
to impress one so young, SO modest, so
tender, wrote my proposal in letter.
/ was several days composing it, and
when finished left 1t for another day
on my desk in order to read it once
more before posting 1t.
l was suddenly called away, and
when l returned the letter was gone.
i asked my mother what had become
of 1t, and she said that it had been
posted with batch of letters that had
been sent to the mail while / was
away from home. With this / was
content and confident that Gwendolin
had received it and waited anxiously
for reply.
When l met my love again / was
much embarrassed. My imagination
made her seem to me cold, even Of
Tended, and as she made no reference
to my letter 1t occurred to me that for
some reason-I imagined dozen-she
was displeased with my proposal.
did not call again, and within year
her family left the place where lived,
and she weSt with them. My heart
went with her. | lived on a bachelor
My mother frequently invited Mar
garet Deane to our house, and could
see that she was Intentionally placing
her In my way. Margaret accepted
whatever attention I gave her. which
was not much, but when / was I'M
mindful of her she did not seem to
notice 1t. AS the year passed l made
a friend of her, but 1t did not occur to
me to make love to her.
When I was thirty my mother died.
Before her death she made me con-
fession.
my dearest boy" she said, before
I die I wish your forgiveness. Ten
years ago / saw that you were about to
choose a companion for life who would
not make you happy. I kept the letter
you wrote to Gwendolin German, hop.
ing to gain time to direct your atten-
ton to Margaret Deane. Ten years
have passed, and every year have In
tended to send your letter to Gwen
dolin. 1 have never dol.s 20 till today.
By tomorrow morning she will know
TOR the first time of your proposal, but
by that time I shall have left you free
10 choose for yourself"
And SO my mother, to whom l was 30
devoted, had caused me ten years Of
misery. forgave her and did not utter
! wordppf complaint. Indeed, the pain
suffered at her loss neutralized any ,,
feeling Of regret for my long suffering.
The day after I laid her In the grave
4 took up number of letters that had
accumulated-mostly Of coincidence
~
dolin. 1t brought the first of different |
sensations from what / had experienced
since the beginning of my mothers III !
ness. But with 1t came the remem-
brance of what my mother must have |
endured from her distaste for my |
choice. Margaret. had been with her
constantly In her last days and had
romforted her as If she had been her
own daughter.
/ felt an inclination to complete the
sacrifice my mother had brought about
by acceding to her wishes and giving
Margaret the option of being my wife.
But I was bound In honor to Gwendo-
lin as well as by love. In her letter she
asked me to come and see her IL felt
30 inclined.
A few days later I went to see her.
She still lived with her family, who
were wealthy-more so than when /
had parted from her-in stately man
sion. 1t was evening when ! called,
and I was ushered into private par
Tor. In few minutes a bony, sallow,
scrawny woman came into the room,
dressed In the height of fashion. be-
licked with Jewels, her hands covered
with rings. / barely recognized Gwen
iolin and would not have done so had
she not preserved the rosebud in her
heck by a touch of paint.
$50 your poor mother has gone" she
aid. what silly thing to keep your
etter from me Just as IL / were
on you. You were lovely as a
10Y, admit; but, you know, papa has
always brought me up to understand
hat / must marry money, and of
curse that would not include you. But
We can be friends, you know. Just
low I'm without a cavalier-that is,
me that 1 fancy-snd you must come
,ften, and you shall be my attendant.
'eople viii talk, you know; but, you
mustn't mind that"
There was a good deal more that
I'D not hear In due time I escaped,
nd had no sooner got home than set
Myself to work to win the heart Of
Margaret DeaDe I found that II had