The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-12-16

Posfe sobbed outright: "I-dont know
but I begin-to teel-awfully-discou
Hark!" taking her hands from her face and
listening. "There's a knock at the door. Who
can It be, so late as this? Light the lamp
quick, Rica" And as the lamp was lighted
Posie opened the door, to fall into the arms of
q not handsome but good-looking, manly
young fellow, who dropped q brown paper
parcel on the threshold for the purpose Of re-
ceiving her.
"Markr exclaimed Rica-
ayes, Mark, my dear sister," answered the
young man. "Take OF my hat, that's a good
giri-it's heavy with snow and as soon as I've
kissed my darling back to life again, I'll shake
myself out of my ovcrcoat."
But his "darling' came back to life herself.
and clung around his neck, laughing and cry
ing together, while she said, over and over
again, "Oh. MAXI Mark! Markl and have
you come back asain?"
"Tryphosa," said Mark at last, with the most
transparent make-believe sternness, "if you
don't unclasp your arms. and stop asking me-
IL am here when you see am, I'll go away
again, carrying you with me-"
Posie grew sober, unclasped the dainty neck
lace, helped him take or his overccat, seated
him in the big rocking-chair and herself on the
foot-stool at his feet.
"But, Mark" said Ulrica-who had placed
the tea-kettle on the small stove again, where
as though conscious that in honor of the occa-
sion IL should do its best, it began to sing mer-
rily Immediately, and was trying to toast q
diminutive table mat she had taken from the
table, having placed the platter of cold chick,
en- on the slice of bread which should have
been on the toasting-fork-" how did you find
us out?'
"why, don't you know2" asked Mark, In q
tone of surprise.
"She don't" replied Posie, who by this time
had been promoted from the stool to her low
<~.s ss 4 .of~ &hoS
come true, that didn't say anything about it
to her, and it's the first secret ever had from
Rica in all my life.'
Mark drew a little card from his pocket and
handed it to the elder sister, who gravely
placed the scorched table mat on the toast
plate, and read aloud the following lines:
"A merry Christmas, friend, whoe'er you be;
Ipray you pray that Mark returns to me.
"T .YsssA A."
"well?" said Ulrica.
"That's what was doing evening after even
ing last week after you had gone to bed" ex-
planned Posie, speaking very fast, her cheeks
and eyes glowing, "writing those words on
hundreds and hundreds of cards, and put a
card into every package and boz of Christmas
candy sold. praying that Mark might find it,
for knew If he did, and loved me yet'-here
she paused abruptly, but not Intentionally, but
because she couldn't go on while Mark-but
no matter, she did go on after a moment or
two-'he would be sure to find me, but new
er dreamed he would find me so soon."
sand nice time I've had finding you,"
laughed the young man.
"Tell us all about 1t, do" coaxed Posie.
I'm sure twill be the dearest Christmas
story 1 ever heard
MY old chum Sam Lowry sent me the box
of bonbons early this morning by way of a
joke" began Mark. "I opened it Immediate
ly, at the imperious demand of my landlady's
little daughter, who happened to be in my
room when it arrived, and there lay the card.
1 knew the queer handwriting in a moment,
although I'd received but one note from the
writer in my life. By-the-bye, 1 have worn
that note as near as possible to my heart ever
since the first day read and kissed it,
"Don't believe it," said Posie; but she did,
all the same, and was not the least bit sur
prised when he produced it from its warm
resting-place.
"And then the signature. OF course saw
that at once. There could be but one person
on this continent whose name was spelled IT,
one dot, " four dots, and "a II didn't need
the additional proof of my own name to con-
vince me that the card was written by my
long-lost darling"
would kiss Posie at the end of each paragraph
instead of at each period you would get on
much faster with your story"
"Tll think of it, said Mark. "Well, I
emptied my box into the lap of the landlady's
baby, seized my hat and went in search of
Sam. found him smoking and reading the
newspaper in his own room. Where did you
get that box of bonbons?' shouted /, without
any preliminary remarks.
"'Good heavens! were they poisoned?'
asked he, starting to his feet.
"'Posoned! No, they re the sweetest sweets
that ever were. But where did you get them?
Tell me as quickly as you cam
"He saw l was in earnest, and gave me the
direction of the store where they were bought
eyes and dark brown curls, and But
waited to hear no more, but left the house as
precipitately as had entered it.
ITO the store flew. As might have known,
II was closed. From its shut doors to the near
est druggists, where a directory told me tn
residence of the only member of the firm who
resided in the city. Into street car and up
town 1 went; stopped at the door Of a fine
large house.
"'Mr. Easton Is at home, but engaged said
the servant who answered my ring.
"'Most important business, said L; and in a
few moments Mr.. Easton came out into the hall
"a tall, dignified, elderly gentleman, looking
as though he had never even heard of a love
affair in all his life.
"I beg a thousand pardons,' stammered.
and hope you will grant them for the sake of
the day; but can you tell me where can find
young girl in your employ named Tryphosa
MelvilIe2
..His shrewd dark eyes twinkled. He began
to look as though he might have heard of one
or two love affairs. I'm afraid can't help
you,' he said; and then, seeing the disappoint.
ment that clouded my face, he added, kindly
GO to our superintendent; it's very likely he
may know
Thanks, and a merry Christmas said I, as
hurried away. The superintendent lived in
Brooklyn. took carriage, and in a couple
Of hours reached his door.
"Thanks to the blessed Christmas Day, he
was at home with his little ones gathered
around him, and with the kindly Chri stmas
influence upon him he heartily forgave my
intrusion, and tried to remember If he had
ever known where that pretty black-eyed girl
who sold so many candies lived, and came to
the conclusion that he had never known.
" But Miss Tryon will know. Miss Tryon is the
head Of that department., and she is dining
two blocks below here with my sister,"
"He gave me the number, and of started
again, and in five minutes was talking on
the subject nearest to my heart with Miss
Tryon.
"'I Just happened to have Miss Melville 8
direction impressed upon my memory said
she, mischievously. a young man in our es-
Enlistment got co write it on a Christmas
box he was sendh err
t''who is that yoIL.- man, Poster He'd bet.
ter bewareID
"'You're an angel said /, and loft her
laughing. I don't wonder. I must have
seemed rather ridiculous. Back to my native
city / came, and here l am, and there's a
couple of silk dresses I'm the brown paper. i
brought them from abroad when returned
three months ago. And postponing all other
explanations until some future time, let's
make the most of the few remaining hours of
Christmas Day."
And they did.-Hdrper's Weekly.
Sensitiveness Of the Telephone.
The sensitiveness of the telephone
and human ear is something wonderful.
Trowbridge, of Cambridge, found that