Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-10-01
aeliStellanu.
- -
A POSTAL C0URTSNIp.

Sllc - really the prGttleSt llitlG Crea-
ture ! ever saw said Mr.. Willoughby
Nane, as he turned from the window
for the iiftieth time that morning
"Jane,o he added addressing the
housemaid, who was clearing away the
breakfast things, "have you any idea
who the people are who have taken
old Mr.. Adderly's house opposite%
Well, yes, sir, if you please,n re-
turned the handmaiden. 81 met their
cook at the grocel's the other day, and
she said that her masters name was
black-Captain Choker Black and
that lie was staying here on leave of
absence with his wife and daughter,
sir.n
"Oh, indeed Did she happen to
mention the young lady's name?n
Yes, sir She called her Miss Eya.p
Eva! What charming namew ~
murmured Willoughby to himself; and
then added, aloud:
"Ihat will do, Jane, thank you"
Mr., Willoughby Vane was a bache-
lor, twenty-eight years old, rich, indo-
lent and tolerably good looking. He
lived with widowed mother in a
! pleasant house in the Clapham Road
and having nothing else to do, had
fallen desperately in love with his
pretty ujs-d-vjS, and anXiously sought
an opportunity for an introduction
However, having discovered the name
Of his enchantress he determined to
address her anonymously by letter
Having decided upon taking this
step, the next thing to be done was to
put it into execution; and having shut
himselfin his little study, after many
.Itile attempts, he succeeded in franz
ing an epstle to the lady to his salts
faction; begging her, if she valued his
peace Of mind, to return an answe
to " w. v, The Postotfice, Chapman
common That done, he went out for
a walk, and dropped the letter in the
nearest box.
Regularly three times a day, for a
week afterward, he called at the post
office to see whether VI answer had ar
rived for him. As the week advanced,
! Willoughby began to Lose his appetite,
and grew so restless and irritable that
Mrs Nane like a fond mother, fancied
that her dear boy Eas unwell, and beg
ged linn to consult their medical at
tendont But her son laughed at the
| idea, knowing well that his complaint
was beyond the Doctors skill to cure.
He was beginning to despair of ever
receiving reply, when, to his great
lelight, on the seventh morning, let
ter was handed to him by the post
mistress, written in q dainty female
hand, and addressed to "W. "" AL
most unable to conceal his emotion, he
quilted the shop, broke open the seal,
and drank in the contents.
They were evidently Of a pleasing
nature, for he read the letter over
again and again, kissed the envelope,
put it in his breast coat pocket, and
hurried home to see his inamorate
looking out of the window Of the OPP
/ posite house, as usual.
For a moment his first impulse was
to salute her respectfully; but imme-
diately aiterWard he bethought himself
that, rs be was still inCognito, the
young lady would, perhaps feel insult
ell by his action. Besides, how could
she have any idea that he was "W
/ w" So he went indoors and amused
himself for three hours, inditing q re-
ply to her letter, which he posted the
same afternoon; and in due course n
7econd answer arrived.
/ And so matters went on, a constant
Interchange Of letters being keptup for
a fortnight, during which time Mr..
| Wll0ughby Vane spent his days run
ming ', and from the pOstoffice, writ
ing letters and watching his fair neigh
Dor from the window Of the dining
room.
"ConloUnd itW he would sometimes
say to himself. "How very provoking
! the dear girl is! She never will look
! this way. DO wish l could catch her
eye, if only for a moment What
horribly sour-loolling old crab the
mother is! Depend upon it, Willough-
by, that poor child is anything but
happy al home with those two old TO-
gies, Indeed, herletters hint as much.n
And having given vent to his feelings,
he would put on his hat, and walk to
the postonice, or shut himself in his
room and compose another note to his
dearest Evan
At length, three weeks having flown
rapidly away in this manner, he re-
ceived a letter one morning from the
young lady, which ran as follows:
( "TO w. V.
| "SIR-As it is useless to continue
correspondence in this manner, think
| it is now time for you to throw off your
| incognito, and reveal your true name
and position to one to whom you are
not totally indifferent. Believe me
that nothing inspires love like mutual
confidence. Prove to me that | have
not been imprudent in answering your
letters by at once informing me who
YOU are. 1t is with no feeling Of idle
curiosity ask this, simply for our mu-
tual satisfaction.
Yours, ,Te.e,, EVA
70 which Willoughby replied by re
tur, post:
" DEAREST EvA--If you will permit
me to call you so! Have you not for
weeks past observed young man,
with his hair brushed back, anxiously
watching you from the window of the
opposite house? And although you
have apparently never taken the slight
est notice of him, | trust that his fea-
lures are not altogether repulsiye, |
am that individual.
Charmed by the graceful magic of thineeyc
Day after day watch, and dream and sigh
! Watch thee, dream of thee, sigh for thee
| alone,
Fair star of Clapham- add my own ~
To quote, with some alterations, the
noble stanza of the poet Brown? And
now have favor to ask of you.
Whenever you see me at the window,
take no notice of me at present, lest
my mother observes it. In a few days
she will be going out Of town, and then
we can throw off all restraint. Till
then adieu? My eyas are ever on you.
"Your own,
WILI.OUGHBY NANE."
TO which epistle came up the follow