The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-30
AWarB Blight
By RUTH GRAHAM


no matter how high one may be in the
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 earl's only son, Oliver
Tisdale, from the time he was two
years old, was permitted to play with
Gladys Martindale, a girl Of seven.
Then Oliver went to Eton and returned
handsome manly youth Of seventeen.
Gladys was at this time fifteen.
There Is something delightful in the
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 so
between these two. To Oliver, Gladys
| was something to be reverenced, pro-
tected, thing of beauty both bodily
and spiritually, not to be profaned. To
Gladys, Oliver was the embodiment of
J manly strength and beauty He was
| heir to an earldom, and this cast upon
him a glamour, for she was merely II
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 the
regiments most frequented by noble
men. When he came home as a soldier
he was man and Gladys was a wo-
man.
i What had been sweet companions
ship now burst forth into a passion
The two were inseparable, and In time
their engagement was announced. 1t
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 wei
coined
The nuptials and divers coming of
age We're celebrated at the same time
If ever couple seemed destined to Il
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 dark
cloud was rising that was destined tC
overshadow the world. Suddenly grin
! war sounded her trumpet on the cont
nent. 1t was heard across the channel
and there was hurrying to and frC
among British soldiers. Then Oliver
left his bride to whom he had beer
married but n few weeks to join hi,
command.
The parting to her came as a grcat
shock. In such cases the man Is
buoyed up by the excitement Of th'
hour; it is the woman who suffers
His mind is taken up with that upor
which he is forced to think; her mint
is free to dwell upon the break ant
upon gloomy forebodings.
And poor Gladys forebOdings In this
case became realities. While that hand
full of British soldiers who formed thu
left wing Of the united forces Of Eng
land, France and Belgium were driver
southwark upon Paris news continu
ally came across the strait Of Dover o.
many an Englishman who would ncve
return to his home. Many an heir to ;
title and estate went down like tn
plainest soldier in the ranks. Amonl
those reported killed was the man oI
whom Gladys happiness was depend
ent
For some time the news was KEEP
from her. since there was dread tina
she would not be able to bear II. Blu
finally, fearing that she would hear o
: her loss through some unauthoriZe'
channel. her friends advised that sh
should be Informed Then arose tn
. question who should inform her an'
, how the announcement should be made
Both her parents shrank from the OF
deal. 1t was finally committed to tn
family physician.
The shock brought singular effecl
When the bride heard that she was
widow she was stunned, and at tn
passing away of the first effect sh
was left with the hallucinatiOn tina
; her husband was with her. Whethe
she saw him In the flesh or In the spirl
was not understood by those about he
When she walked out she appeared
be communing with some one walkin
beside her. While sitting by hersel
at home either reading or doing fame
work she would occasionally make
remark to one sitting beside her.
No one intruded upon her to lear
the exact nature of her hallucinatioT
1t was something too sacred to be PR
famed One feature tended to rende
those near and dear to her conten
with it Jt seemed to reDlace tn