The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-29
A Revival
OF Romance
BY SADIE oLcoTT

from men who wished TO marry iron
some interested motive One wante,
her because she would bring her hus
band some means. another because sh,
would give him better social position
and still others because they wished Il
marry and she was considered one Of
the prizes OF the season.
Miss Warren's father owned, among
other things. ranch In the far west
which had fallen to him through a
foreclosed mortgage. One morning dur
Ing the early spring Josephine heard
him say that his ranch, which he called
his western elephant, would ruin him
II he did not go out and look after Il.
DO 60 papa" she said, "and take
me with you
His having his daughters company
decided him. and within few weeks
father and daughter were In a west
ern ranch house and Miss Warren In
stead Of receiving the attentions Of
young men In silk hats and spats was
surrounded by cowboys with sombreros
and spurs.
One night Josephine was awakened
by a serenade under her window. A
man. accompanied by a guitar, was
singing with voice smooth as run
ming brook. Moreover, his whole heart
seemed to come out with his voice, and
his song was one of passionate love.
Josephine could not help comparing 1t
with the lovemaking she had listened
to from the gilded men of the eastern
social world.
Rising from her bed, she went to the
window. The moon was at the full
and shone directly upon the face of the
serenader He was In cowboy apparel
except for the hat, which lay on the
ground beside him. Whether 1t was
the moonlight or that bis face was
really more refined than the average
cowboy or the effect Of the music, he
certainly appeared to Josephine as a
superior being. Q
he sang but one song. which seemed
altogether too short to the listener,
then went away, leaving Josephine In
q sort OF ecstasy she had never felt be-
fore Oh. that she might be wooed in
such fashion by one Of her own sta
toni
The next morning she asked those In
the house who was the serenader.
They had heard the serenade, but no
one knew any cowboy who could sing
anything except ragtime music, and
there was no musical instrument
among them except banjo. Josephine |
was disappointed. And yet what ben. |
eft would she derive from knowing |
which of the many herders had poured |
forth an impassioned love songf She
return to the east and settle down to
the artificial life of a woman of society
with some man who spent part of the
day in trade, the rest at his club and
his evenings escorting her to social
functions.
Josephine hoped that the serenader
would favor her again. Every night
she lay awake till sleep conquered her,
hoping 10 hear those delicious notes
once more. When she rode out, which
she did a great deal on horseback, she
scanned the face of every man she met,
ooking for that of the serenader. But
10 one appeared with the same fea-
ures. and Josephine at last concluded
hat the moonlight had given the one
The had seen its heaven born express
ion.
When her father announced to her
hat he had done what was to be done
n respect to his investment, which was
o sell the ranch to a neighboring
anchman, her heart fell at the idea OF
ca wing. The last night she spent at
be ranch was one of regret She was
DING to sleep thinking of her sere-
ader when again that melodious voice
anne up from under the window.
The next day the father and daugh-
err rode twenty miles to the train, and
DON after boarding 1t Mr.. Warren
rought man to his daughter and In
reduced him as the purchaser OF his =
anch. He was about thirty years of +
ge and evidently a gentleman. 1t soon
ppeared that he was one of those
Dung men who, having inherited
leans, prefer free life to one of con-
nement and go in for ranching. He
as going east to raise funds TO pay
IT the property be had bought from
Ir. Warren.
The ranchman Travelled all the way to
10 Atlantic coast with the Warrens
nd upon arrival became, for the time
, remained In the east, frequent
sitor at their home. When he had
inverted some securities be owned
to money he paid for the ranch he
Id bought, received deed for 1t and,
e transaction being closed, asked Mr..
'arren for his daughters hand. He
as referred to Josephine, was accept
|, and she informed her father that
n fiance would remain In the east till
e wedding. which was fixed for an
rly date.
When the couple, after a quiet we'd
demonstrating the social standing
the bride-were speeding westward,
e groom asked his bride how 1t came
at she had accepted him in prefer
ce to one of her eastern suitors.
Because" she said, they never WOO
me. In this commercial age II is %
pposed that romance is dead. II will q.
yer die with us women. Your wooing =
Is delicious. Your serenade"- x
Ny serenade! How did you know7 +