The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-28

be done. good wny." ho added. now com
petcly lost in tho Vaccinations Of condolne
compositlon-" n very good. takin sort OF way.
Is to tell H. and yet seem not to tell 1t; to kinder
ring In cold deck OF Information. and never
let her SEQ We shuf1lc the kccrds. Suthn ike
this. ye know: Honorpd Miss; Enclosed please
find draft for $1,000; same would have been sen;
before hut for Wells Furgo's Office being closed
the day NJ your fathers funeral. The weather
here In fine hut We suppose Ia fur different with
YOU in the East. M your deceased mother often
remarked to the writer Business IL dull, and
ores arc running light. most o the claims on
the North Fork sharing the fate VI your late
fathers property. lc Sec" continued Cupt.
Rats with the glow Of successful authorship
mnntlinG his check. that kind OF letter mout
be written so that by the time she got through
with II. II would s"cm as II she'd knew II nll hr-
fore. and she couldn't get nary soul to sympn-
thize with her. and help her take on" Tho
feeling oi the majority was 40 strongly in favor
Of the last composition TINT they all turned i'm
patiently to the only dsscnter-,Joc Fleet But
at this moment n knock on the door checked
further discussion.
1t was Jnck Foster. exprcssmnn-nert, vigil
liant. familiar. and fnteIul- holding letter
" For John Meritoe.' said the Slrrran Nor
cuty. crisply. AZ we don't have no onls nor
NVfN Nv MS IFPkfW NtlUTfNS, W. utllNPf Ut MS
Inst residence" lIe tossrd the letter on the
table winked and was gone.
II was for the dead MANTLE great first cause
OF their perpleXity. Fora few moments IL lny
there undsturbed. while the men looked Mt
each other IN silence. Then Capt. Rats. with n
decision End Independence new TO him. took 1t
/ up. Theirs no one. BOYS. hra better right to
It than we has, he said propose that wa
open 1t hero oforc each other aud read H."
As to opening It. | SECOND the notion" said
Jnc Fleets voice. but wen scr who It's from
before we read It," added that honorable mnn.
Tho letter was opened. II was signed Fan.
ny Mcrtoe."
The girl hcreclf." said Fleet promptly .
read g."
With hcsitatlng voice. that Mt last seemed TO
almost simulate what might hive been tho hest
inting youthful accents Of the writer. Capt
/ Rate began
How shall I describe II? II WIS simple. II was
girlish. II was nfrrciona,c IL was real. Against
! its candid franknoss md simplicity. poor Rnts's
| previous rhetoric assumed the appearance of
| the most munstrous dupirny and dcccltful
| sophistry. il was evident that the writer had
| scen but little 81 her real father. and that the
rather common JlGcc. homcly. often somcwhnt
/ dcspicahlc figure known to the mrn who now
! listened to her yrrrnings was not tho ideal
parent OF her dreams Al last Cant. Rats
| finished. There was slight huskinrss IN tho
/ Captains voicr. n slight dimncss in his eye
sight ms he ended. and blur upon the fair pnge
/ that was not there when hc hcgnn.
Tho Colonel Ind dropped his head between his
two hands. Horton hnd never taken his eyes
/ from the pnper. Fleet who had walked to the
window aud hnd been apparently absorbed in
staring nj tho starin 2 sunlight without. sudden
/ ly turned. advanced To- the table, and held nut
both his hands In another moment they were
locked in his companions. and tho four men.
/ holding hands. closed round tho table and the
| letter that lay in its centre.
We don't want no letter Of coincidence Capt
Rats. said Joc Fl"rt" s,urdily. for there
amt nnvthn' to condole for don't sac lust
now how II is. or how We cnn fix It. hut ! kno,r
! that that girls parents dint dead. ez long please
God. as we are livng!"
The men pressed cnch others hands In al
| lcnce. until Cipt Rnts. with n burst Of rcvela-
! ton. disengnged his and suddenly brought il
against his RICH, leg with rcsoundine emphasis
That's it-and 1t makes the whole thing chr
| We don't write no letters of condolences Tor
Why We goes straight on anil writes ~ II wa
was the old man. He's let on enough TO ma
about hlssef and his affairs to make II ns easy
M fallin of log. Wen jus, chip In whar he
left or Wen take his hand ms II is play out his
little game. win or lose. and II four sharps like
us can't make 1t casy for that child and rake In
the pot every time. we'll leave the board Yes
gentlemen" continued Rats. taking up tho lei
ter, " I'll answer this tonight myself /. Capt
Rats. late Meritoe. deceased"