The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-10-24
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THE LIVING MEMORY,
BY MILDRED WHITE.
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John Ruggles swung about In the re-
volying chair before his desk, to gaze
over the high roofs beneath the glaring
July sun. There it was again, that
evasive memory of something sweet
and half forgotten What had hap
pened to him in his heretofore salts
fed middle age, that vague longings
should reach out from the past?
Business and Its success had for
years absorbed him, blotting out all
that had been before, making wealth
alone his goal. Now, wealth was
achieved, what had it brought him?
Lillias had dropped out of his life
so long ago he had lost regard for
her when she had chosen in preference
to himself a sort of wandering nomad
for husband. VIII had been dreamy
idea,ist, while he, John Ruggles, even
in that long ago, showed unmistak-
able business promise.
1t was In his youthful engineering
capacity that he had visited the little
village almost buried beneath its en-
eircling hills. Lillias had met him In
the quaint flower garden of her home,
and 1t had been viii who took him
there. viii, who lazily curious about
Johns work, had made friends with
the engineer upon the highway. VIII
had been kind to the stranger, had
made it pleasant for him In the lone
ly village, offering the hospitality Of
his own small home.
John Ruggles had been glad to &C.
cept. There were valuable books on the
crude shelves of Wits one roomed
Notwithstanding curios from oil
parts of the world-and VIII had TAX
en- him to see Lillias; when the engi-
neer looked into the girls rare blue
bell eyes, he decided to remain indefln-
ltely In the village. Decided calmly,
to win her from the man whom she
loved and make her his own, and John
Ruggles had failed that was all.
Then he went back to the great city
where bluebell eyes and fair faces are
"hut thing part" and not "man's
whole existence" Many women had
come and gone in John Ruggles' life
since that youthful time, and he had
been content to let them 90; without
companionship of women his life SEEM
ed complete. But now
Across the tall chimney tops ro-
nance called TO him, Haunting a men,
DRY not unmixed with pain, Of a grass
grown village street, quaint old gar
den set back behind a cedar hedge ;
and about the garden In his memory
dream moved the girl Lillian.
John Ruggles turned abruptly to
press an electric button. He would hu-
NOR his fancy, satisfy this clamoring
( impulse, by a walk down that same
village street, a peep into the old gar
/ den which upon actual observation
would undoubtedly lose its fanciful
/ charm.
| Lillias had married VIII; poverty
then must be her dover. Uncared for
women do not as a rule grow in at-
/ Effectiveness. Reality should forever
silence this tormentlng memory, so In
explicably awakened.
But first he must dismiss the new
stenographer whose work his secretary
had pronounced hopeless. Again John
! Ruggles pressed the electric button.
1t was the secretary who responded.
"The new stenographer had not re-
| ported that day for business" he ex-
| planned, "and her dismissal would be
unnecessary. Realizing her own I'M
fitness for the position. the girl had
telephoned a resignation. Unbusiness-
like TO the last in method" he added
/ smllingly.
The great man paused reaching for
his hat. 81 recall the young person"
he said "She possessed at least the
/ quality Of respectful courtesy" The
secretary bowed. "With personality
quite too dlffident for Office work." he
replied, "as one could tell from q
glance of her eyes"
"Her eyes," the casual remark came
/ to John Ruggles like a flash of inspir-
alton. Here was the solution of his
! awakened memory. the eyes Of the lit.