The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-06-29
The Two Love Letters.

lOu IL 1llu bn6 ldNeIl IDTEG-QudTLeIS Ol
a mile below. You must have come
right past its door,"
$50 did," said Mr.. Waller, who pos
sessed the insinuating, semi-chivalric
manner that made every lady whom he
addressed feel herself, for the time be-
ing, the only feminine creature in all
the universe; "but no amount of money
would hire me to make my home in a
place like that. Here it is like a glimpse
paradise" looking admiringly around
at the shady lawns, the clematis-bor-
dered porch, and the rose hedges all
sprinkled over with pink buds. "Im
sure, madam, you will reconsider your
decision, and take me in for few days,
and will promise to be no more trou-
bic around the house than kitten"
Mrs. Farquhar was but human, and
the upshot of affairs was that Mr.. Wal
ler's trunk arrived the next day.
"Oh, mOther!" said Patty Farquhar,
knitting her pretty black eyebrows,
"why did you let him in? And we so
peaceful and comfortable here ?"
"Child, why shouldn't 1 ?' said the
widow. HES to pay ten dollars a
week board, and l haven't no use for
the little three-cornered room over the
parlOr."
"I don't know" said Patty, slowly,
"but it seems to me 1 feel exactly as
Eve must have felt when she saw the
serpent writhing his way into paradise"
'Nonsensew said Widow Farquhar,
almost angriiy.
But Patty only laughed, and ran away
under the shadow of pink buds to meet
Morris Newton, her affianced lover.
"Little One," said Morris, imprison-
ing both her soft, white hands in his,
'Pve got bad news for your
"Bad news, Morris ?"
"pve got to 90 to Colorado next week
to see about those silver mines that one
of my clients has an interest in"
"Oh, dear % cried Patty, pursuing up
her strawberry of mouth.
81 shall be gone six months"
"Worse and worse" said Patty.
"But if you say so, Patty" drawing
her gently to his side, 1--WE can be mar
ried first, and make a wedding trip of
it,"
"The ideal" flashed back Patty, draw
ing herself out of his embrace. 'And l
without a single dress mader
1--WE can buy all the dresses after
ward"
"Thafs all a man knows about it,"
"You're sure it's impossible ?' with
disappointed air.
eyes, quite" asserted the little bru-
nette.
"Then," said Mr.. Newton, with a
sigh, "yOu must be sure and write very
often, and be getting your fol derols
ready to be married in as soon as l come
home"
"Yes," said Patty, gravely. "That's
more reasonable"
And she went back into the house,
utterly ignorant that, at the same time,
Mr.. Stuart Waller was laying a wager
with boon companion, at the Easter
worth Arms, "that he would cut out
that conceited lawyer in less than four
weeks"
Mr.. Waller was piqued by Patty's
cool Indifference, and, unfortunately,
his were the "idle hands" for which
Satan is said to find plenty of mischief
to do.
"She's pretty, after fashion," said
he to himself; land 1 mean to make
her dead in love with me before Pm
through"
Mr.. Waller was man of the world.
Patty Farquhar was as young in eXpe-
rience as in years. They were an i'll
matched pair, and it was hardly three
weeks before the tongue of gossip began
to busy itself with the widows dark
eyed daughter.
Mrs. Farquhar came into Patty's
room one afternoon, and found her cry
ing as if her heart would break, and
with an open letter on her lap.
"Heart alive, child! what is the mat
ter z" cried the old lady.
Nothing, mother-nothingr and
Patty hurriedly wiped her eyes. "Only
Tve got a letter from Morris, and it
makes me so glad and so sorry!"
"FOlk's didn't cry over love letters
when 1 was a girln said Mrs. Far
quhar.
But the letter was more to Patty than
the old lady suspected. Every trusting
word, every caressing adjective was an
arrow in her heart.
Patty knew that almost uncOnsciously
she had been led into what seemed TO
her an innocent enough Irritation with
Stuart Waller. She had walked with
him in the twilight, and she had writ
ten two letters when he was tempOrar-
lily absent in New York-careless, girl
ish letters, which, although she had
thought no harm at the time, she would
now give worlds to recall.
"rll ask him-to return them to me.n
said Patty to herself; "and then Pill
turn over new leaf. I'll go to Aunt
Prudencia's while he remains here, and
OeSlu NY HeuulDS cioIueS III SOOu earn
est"
But when Patty Farquhar proffered
her innocent request, Mr.. Waller
laughed in her face.
"My dear Patty" said he, "do you
take nee for a fool?"
"My name is Miss Farquhar," said the
girl, with flashing eyes.
Excuse me; but when you say Dear
Stuart"
81 never said such thingg' inter-
rupted Patty, with burning cheeks and
eyes aflame.
'tIn the letters ?'
''I said Dear Mr.. Waller" painted
Patty.
Excuse me once more, your memory
plays you false"
Twill you return me the letters ?D
"Miss Farquhar," with a low bow.
'they are a great deal too precious to
me-"
''You refuse p"
81 never refuse anything to a lady;
butln
Patty did not stay to hear the conclu-
sion, but flashed out into the afternoon
sunshine, with a huge lump in her
throat, and curious sensation as if all
her blood were turned to fire.
"What fool L have beenw she