The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-06-25
THE DEAD LETTER.
BY HARRY MAPLE.

Ten years Yes, just ten years since
that night.
As memory retraces the journey of
those years the time seems very long,
and yet the events of that night could
not be more vivid had they occurred on
yesterday.
Then my hair was brown, my life was
full of hope, my soul full of trust.
There are threads of silver among the
brown tonight, and the intervening
years between that time and this have
brought a succession of Observation-Disclosures
and sad experiences.
How one changes in decade.
Among my lady acquaintance and
friends none We're to me so fascinating
and perfect in all that goes to make up
the sum of female loneliness as pretty
Jennie Fisk, and / shall not conceal the
fact that the mention of that name bears
to me cruel memory.
One evening upon arriving at my lodg
ings / found an invitation from Jennie
to attend party her father intended to
give to celebrate her eighteenth birth
day. The thought of Jennie's looming
out caused me a momentary pang, for
1 was confident that her beauty and ex-
pectations would soon surround her with
a host of admirers. The possibility that
some one else might lay siege to her
heart and carry off the prize made me
very unhappy, and determined to see
her as soon us possible and ask her to be
my wife
Putting on my best suit, and arrang-
ing my toilet with as much care and
precision as a society belle would have
done, set out for the Fisk mansion. 1t
is needless to say that my anxiety about
the result of my visit made me some
what nervous. / assembled the steps,
paused "a moment to renew my courage,
and then rang the bell.
A servant answered the summons, and
Shove me into the parlor.
=" l suppose you wish to see Miss Jen-
ME, the young woman remarked with
miscellaneous twinkle in her eyes.
eyes; is she at homer"
"She is; | will announce you, and |
presume she will soon be down."
That, [ thought, was suspicious. At
least the manner as well as the words of
the girl indicated that my footing with
Jennie was favorable Going to the long
mirror at the end of the room to satisfy
Il
heard the patter of footballs on the stairs
and hurried back to my seat.
Jennie came in. L thought I had
never seen such a vision of loneliness
She was dressed in snowy muslin, that
fell in feecy folds about her graceful
form; n pink rose adorned her hair,
which fell, in golden waves, to her waist.
Another rose Of the same color reposed
at her throat vieing with her cheeks i'll
loneliness of tints.
She welcomed me with a cordial yet
modest greeting, and L sat down by her
side. The restraint that L feared might
make coward of me, was soon gone,
and told her the "old story" which
yet is ever new, of my deep love for her.
Taking her wiling hand in mine l asked
Jennie to be my wife.
Her answer was not delayed. Her
eyes had already indicated her reply,
and her tongue confirmed the language
of her heart speaking through them.
Speaking tig1lratively, 1 was in the
"seventh heaven" of delight. Jennie
had promised to be mine; what more on
earth was there to covet? Strange in
fatllation; wondrous passion. 1t comes
alike to all the sons and daughters of
men-the cultured and the savage, the
peasant and the king.
Well, the night of the ball arrived. 1t
was clear and beautiful. The silvery
light of the moon bathed the old Fisk
mansion in halo of soft radiance, and
the stars cleaned and glistened like gems
in Nights coronet, bright augury of
Jennie's happiness (such was my inter
probation of the scene) through life.
/ was among the first arrivals. Jennie
met me with smile of love and trust;
she laid her little hand again in mine,
and though no words were spoken, each
well knew the others thoughts.
She was dressed in exquisite taste.
Every circumstance connected with her
on that night will never be effaced from
my recollection. She had never looked
anything but charming to me, but on
this occasion she outshone herself. Her
dress was of the whitest muslin and lace,
pulled over blue silk. She wore neck
lace of pearls, and bracelets to CORE
spoDd encircled her shapely arms. Her
whole toilet was faultless, and during
the evening she was the cynosure OF
many eyes, the admiration of the young
men, and the envy of a score or more of
nef own sex.
She welcomed her guests with perfect
ease and grace. The rooms were soon
filled with company, and then she chat
ted merrily with one and another for a
while, and gradually found place near
me.
Presently the music sounded its pre-
paratory note. Jennie took my arm.
and we took our place at the head of the
room.
A young physician, Richard Price by
name, and his partner, were opposite in