The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-01-11
paper on her knee, and read the follow
ing words:

-
face to face with girl of twenty, and tell
her that he loved her; but could not sum-
mon courage to do SO, nor to ask the ques-
ton that follows such confession. So, far
from you, commit my hopes to this paper,
and having in plain words said 1 love you,
ask you, in palmer words still-do you love
me enough to be my wife? If you do, write
to me at once, pray, and make me the
bappiest man on earth by telling me SO. If
you do not, then pain neither Of us by re-
fusal; simply leave my letter unanswered.
can bear it better so. But shall pray for
the letter, for 1 love you better than my
life. HARRY CRAIG"
Jane drew deep breath. $50 it has
gone as far as this" she said. "What
fools men arel She will be glad enough
to say yes but if 1 should destroy this
bit of paper, he would never know it;
and then-well, then he would do his
best to fill her place. Mems hearts never
break, and there is no one whom 1 know
suits NE better. That old man who gave
the letters never read the address. There
can be no inquiries made. 1t would be
safe to destroy it, dangerous not to do so
now, even if wanted Annie to read it"
Then Jane tore the letter in two,
thrust it into its envelope, and looked
about her. 1t would be dangerous to
tear it to bits in the wood. Its white
fragments might attract some eye among
the greenness of the grass. But hard by
a pretty stream babbled away over stones
and pebbles. Once thrown into the
water, that was the end of it.
Jane hurried to the water-side, and
looking over her shoulder, as one might
who expected to see ghost, tossed the
little package in. Itfell with the closed
side downward, and distended by the
torn note, which was roughly thrust into
it. The surface was hard and highly
finished, and shaped so as to resist the
water. A little breeze that had just
sprung up favored it, and away it foated
like a little boat, deftly clearing the
shore and tacking and turning as it
passed the dark. halfhidden breasts of
the little rocks over which the water
played.
"Good-bey," said Jane, laughing, as
she watched it. 81 have set vessel,
freighted with the hopes of Harry Craig,
ahoat in fine style. 1 am afraid it will
make shipwreck, but all the better for
some one else. It's an ill wind that
blows 70 one any good" And, turning,
she tripped toward the house.
At this moment, farther along this
same stream where, in a little cove, lay
hidden a great tangle of .water-lilies,
Annie Conyers sat in rough little boat,
rowed by Mrs. Wilton's son Peter, a
boy of twelve. Little
Fannie Wilton sat beside. her, and the
two girls drew up the dank, dark green
stems of the great, beautiful white
flowers.
off one could only carry them to the
city, said Annie; "but they always die.
How greedy am, can never get enough.
But we'll leave the buds until they open
and there comes one down the stream
to us. Let's try to catch it, Peter"
Peter, in obedience to the mandate,
rowed his boat into deeper water, and
Annie leaned over the side with her
hand outstretched to catch whatshe fan
cied was floating lily.
"Phawp she cried, with a laugh, as
it came nearer, "it's nothing but paper!
But it seems to be lodging me! Pll catch
it, whatever it isl"
And with these wordsher white fingers
closed on an envelope, not yet soaked
through, and within which lay, torn and
crushed, paper still dry.
"Why, it has my name on the back !"
cried Annie. l never destroy letter
when 1 am away from home"
Then her face changed, and the chill
dren saw her pale and flushed as she
pieced the torn letter together and read
it through.
"Is any thing the matter, Miss Annie"
asked Fanny.
"What should be-" said Peter.
what little goose you are, Fam"
Nothing is the matter, children"
said Annie; "only as the adage says,
Truth is stranger than fictionP"
"Ehp cried Peter.
$50 odd for a letter of mine to float to
me on the river" said Annie.
"Ha, ha, ha! Ain'tit?' roared Peter.
And it was stranger than Peter knew,
for it was Craig's love-letter that Annie
had just read.
She was a wise little woman, and kept
the matter to herself, but Fanny did
not.
"Wasn't it funny, mar she cried.
" Miss Annie found one of her letters
floating down the stream, just like a
boat, when we were getting water-lilies."'
sop cried Mrs. Wilton, for at this
moment the teacup Jane had lifted to
her lips dropped from her hand and
dashed to pieces on the floor.
CHOW careless of meW cried Jane.
Hope you haven't spoiltyour dress p
said Mrs. Wilton but ms Jane lifted her
crimson face from the fragments of the
broken cup, she met Annie Conyer's
eyes.
Women sometimes talk to each other
with their eyes; two did then.
But Annie was generous in her
triumph. She never told Craig, and
she sent Miss Heth an invitation to her
wedding, which, Miss Heth, with many
regrets, declined.
IT is a curious fact, says the Toronto
Globe, that in the whole of Newfound-