The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-07-01
THE DEAD LETTER.
BY HARRY MAPLE.

AAAOoS IN0Lo 1AS e[AAS NSAI OAS
and yet the events of that night could
not be more vivid had they occurred Oh
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 disenchantments
and sad experiences.
How one changes in q decade.
Among my lady acquaintance and
friends none were to me SO fascinating
and perfect In all that goes to make III
the sum of female loneliness as pretty
Jennie Fisk, and / shall not conceal the
fact that the mention of that name bear
to me a cruel memory.
One evening upon arrivinga at my lodg
Ings l found an invitation from Jennie
to attend a party her father intended tc
give to celebrate her eighteenth birth
day. The thought of Jennie's "comine
out" caused me a momentary pang, fol
Twas confident that her beauty and ex
pectations would soon surround her will
q host of admirers. The possibility tina
some n else might lay siege to hel
heart and carry off the prize made me
very unhappy, and 1 determined to see
her as soon as 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. Il
is needless to say that my anxiety about
Tho rocr,1f af NV rHrf4 1oolo 49, 11,ao
what nervous. 1 assembled the steps,
paused a moment to renew my courage,
and then rang the bell.
A servant answered the summons, AND
showed me into the parlor.
81 suppose you wish to see Miss Jen.
ME, the young woman remarked with
mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"Yes; is she at homer"
"She is; I will announce you, and ]
presume she will soon be down"
That, I thought, was suspicious. Al
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
myself again that 1 was presentable, ]
heard the patter of footballs on the stairs
and hurried back to my seat.
Jennie came in. tbonoht T bad
never seen such n vision of loveliness
She was dressed in snowy muslin, that
fell In feecy folds about her graceful
form; q 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 in
loneliness of tints,
She welcomed me with n cordial vet
modest greeting. and T sat down nv her
+. side. The restraint that T feared might
make q coyvord of mo wos soon roDo
and T told ber tbe 0old story 1b;cb
cot 10 aner nou 81 NV 49, IL omLo.
T,k;no bar w;Ii;na bsnJ ~ 49, osInj
Jenn;e 70 he nv 4;fa
Ho, answer, mos NOT do1ovo5 H.,
aves had already ;nd;cated 5er ,en11
o1d bar tona,,a ooneruoaJ a. I,nrIipoJ,
Of bar beor{ sneoL;nn - thos. "ee
Sneal;ng f;e11rat;yely was IN tbe
~"seyentb hea9enn of 3eiiobt :Jennie
had promised to he mine. What more on
earth was there to covet2 STRANGE in.
fat1ation. nassion r. Comes
alike tn al tbe IONS and daugbters M
men-tbe cnItnred and the sa9aoe tbe
naosant and tba kino
We'll tbe NIGHT of tbeb hall arrived 7,
,yas clear and heont;fn1 Tho silver
1;obt ~ The MOON boIbad +ba ola F;sI
nons;on ~ . boIo - Soft ,oJ;oUoa .na
tba stars gieaneJ ond oi;staned EIe oa any
W N 9..iI Steeaa uu SnooIuou eSenII
Jennie's happiness (such was my inter.
probation of the scene) through life.
was among the first arrivals. Jennie
met me with q smile of love and trust
she laid her little hand again in mine,
and though no words were spoken, each
well knew b others thoughts.
She was dressed In exquisite taste.
Every circumstance connected with hel
on that night Will never be effaced from
my recollection. She had never looked
anything but charming to me, but Oh
this occasion she outshone herself. Hel
dress was of the whitest muslin and lace
puffed over blue silk, She wore a neck
lace of pearls, and bracelets to CORE
spond encircled her shapely arms. He
whole toilet was faultless, and during
the evening she was the cynosure O.
many eyes,, the admiration of the youne
men, and the envy of a score or more Of
her own sex.
She welcomed her guests with perfect
ease and grace. The rooms were soo1
filed with company, and then she chat
ted merrily with one and another for
while, and gradually found a place nea.
me,
puo.o.u u u,5
,,ra r ~ tne nus" Ianni sU tnnI iIs pre-
PolaUoAJ HoVo' ooiAno eooh my aIm
LIZ 70 wv Jul Pi"'o az LIN neau u 'n'
p;ohoua DE- l.
young pnyoioLul, hsiolaru iIlGe ~
nanle, ala nus partner. were opposlIe II
In1 quAul5le. ne paiu niue atte1tlo
=; N ner' anu SEEMED rainier aostractea ane
ia ea anno ~ ~ T Iis. my mtSCeLy - ne linen !
Was Was e]nIa;ned LIZ Several pTo 4;mes dn1in :