Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-08-16
AWar Blight
BY RUTH GRAHAM


social scale, there is no escape from
the trials and disappointments that be-
set humanity.
The estates of the Earl Of Burlington
and Sir Andrew Martindale, representa-
tives of the old aristOcracy of England
adjoined. The earls only son, Oliver
Tisdale, from the time he was two
years old, was permitted to play with
Gladys Martindale, girl of seven
Then Oliver went to Eton and returned
a handsome manly youth of seventeen
Gladys was at this time fifteen.
There is something delightful in tn.
love of two persons Of opposite sex at
this tender age. They drift together
unconscious of the slowly weaving
thongs that are binding them to each
other. 1t is a spiritual rather than
passionate love- At least it was Sc
between these two. To Oliver, Gladys
was something to be reverenced, pro
tected, a thing of beauty both bodily
and spiritually, not to be profaned. To
Gladys, Oliver was the embodiment of
manly strength and beauty. He was
heir to an earldom, and this cast upon
him glamour, for she was merely a
younger daughter of baronet.
No word of love was spoken between
them at this period, for neither was
conscious of love. Oliver went to Cam
bridge university, where he was gradu.
ated with credit, and choosing the army
for his profession entered one Of tn,
regiments most frequented by noble
men. When he came home as a soldie,
he was a man and Gladys was w0
man.
What had been a sweet companion
ship now burst forth into a passion
The two were inseparable, and in time
their engagement was announced. Ii
was to have been expected that
Oliver being heir to an earldom
would have mated with one of equal
rank with himself and who would
bring him an estate to match his own
instead Of uniting with a portionless
daughter of a country baronet But so
charming was his fiancee that his fam
lily made no objection to receiving hel
as the future mistress of Burlington
castle. Indeed. she was warmly well
coined.
The nuptials and divers coming OF
age were celebrated at the same time
If ever couple seemed destined to
happy life this one certainly did. They
had rank, wealth, health, everything
that was calculated to make life en-
joyable. The young lord was respected
and his lady was beloved.
Nevertheless, to the eastward a dark
cloud was rising that was destined to
overshadow the world. Suddenly grim
war sounded her trumpet on the conti-
nent. 1t was heard across the channel
and there was hurrying to and fro
among British soldiers. Then Oliver
left his bride to whom he had been
married but few weeks to join his
command.
The parting to her came as a great
shock. In such cases the man is
buoyed up by the excitement Of the
hour; it is the woman who suffers
His mind is taken up with that upon
which he is forced to think; her mind
is free to dwell upon the break and
upon gloomy forebodings.
And poor Gladys forebodings in this
case became realities. While that hand
full of British soldiers who formed the
left wing Of the united forces of Eng
land. France and Belgium were driven
southwark upon Paris news continu-
ally came across the strait Of Dover of
I'm ic1, ha
return to his home. Many an heir to a
title and estate went down like the
plainest soldier in the ranks. Among
those reported killed was the man Oh
whom Gladys happiness was depend
ent.
For some time the news was kept
from her, since there was dread that
she would not be able to bear it. But
finally, fearing that she would hear of
her loss through some unauthorized
channel, her friends advised that she
should be informed. Then arose the
question who should inform her and
how the announcement should be made
Both her parents shrank from the or
deal. 1t was finally committed to the
family physician.
The shock brought singular effect
When the bride heard that she was q
widow she was stunned, and at the
passing away Of the first effect she
was left with the hallucination that
her husband was with her. Whether
she saw him in the flesh or in the spirit
was not understood by those about her
When she walked out she appeared to
be communing with some one walking
beside her. While sitting by herself
at home either reading or doing fancy
work she would occasionally make
remark to one sitting beside her.
No one intruded upon her to learn
the exact nature of her hallucination.
1t was something too sacred to be pro.
famed. One feature tended to render
those near and dear to her content
with it. 1t seemed to replace the