The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-12-03
TRUE AS STEEL /;
TOLD IN FIVE LETTERS,
BY ETHELIND RAY.

BY ETHELIND RAY.
From the Portland Telegram.
DEEP DALE, May 18th, IS
"MY DEAR FANNY:-Now, please don't
scold me for neglecting you SO long, for
you see am just having the most de-
Ightful time in the world! / had no idea
it could be so pleasant in country vii
lage, and you know how l cried when
papa said we must move out here; but
now 1 am real glad came; I don't envy
you at all, poor thing, you must nearly
die, shut up in that hot, dusty city!
Down here the grass is fresh and
green, the flowers bloom, the air is sweet
and the dear, little robins sing from
morning till night! What more could a
heart wish?
OF course, Fan, you will say in your
vulgar way why a fello,o, to be sure, SO
Just let me inform you that I haze one
already"
There, the secrets out, and now, of
course, you'll say that's why the birds
sing so sweetly, and the country seems
SO nice, etc.; but don't care what you
sayl I'm so happy don't know what to
do, and if Ralph Durham loved yOu,
you'd be happy too!
He has never said that he loved me,
Fanny, but his eyes say SO, and believe
them; and I-ohl wonder if it is wicked
to love any one as do himl-he is my
hero-my idol-my Godi You, you cold
hearted, cold -blooded, little wretch, you
have never been in love SO, of course,
will laugh at me!-but 1 don't care, dear
laugh, If you choose!LI am SO happy
1 can afford to be laughed at.
Hs-Ralph, I mean-is an artist, and
as handsome as poets dream! He has
black, waving hair and mustache, and
soft, dreamy, dark eyes-the girls are all
in love with him, (Talong with the rest,
but he has eyes only for mel
Harkl The gate clicks! o. my heart,
be still-6e still! Fanny, Fanny! 1t
is mel Farewell! LURA."
MAY 80, 1S-.
''MY DEAREST FANNY have just re-
turned from a picnic, and though the
hour is late, and I am very tired, still 1
must write you a few lines in reply to
/ ami
No, dear; Ralph has not proposed to
me vet, but he took me to the picnic, and
was so very attentive that all the girls
were green with jealousy! And at the
gate, dear Fanny, he-now, you straight
laced, little thing, don't scold-he-well,
he kissed mel There, its out now! Of
course he would not have done that if
he did not love me-do you think he
would?
Now, please, don't sit down and write
me long lecture on 2oropriety and all
that sort of thing, Fan, for, after all,
where's the harm in kissing the man
You love, even though you are not en-
gagged to him, ESQ long as you expect to
be sometime) or rather, dltOwinq him to
kiss you, for, of course, I would not
like to kiss man! Ughi should think
moti At least, dear Fan, should be
Awfully ashamed afterwards, if I did it.
And oh! must tell you about the new
minister's sister. She is about my age
eighteen-and the most beautiful girl I
have ever seen. She has great guam
tity of yellow hair-"golden," Ralph
calls it-and great, soft, blue eyes, and
her dresses are all satin and velvet.
(Ralph says she is very beautiful, but he
prefers brown eyes-you know mine are
brevn.)
The new minister is young man, and
very quiet and graye-he looks at me
often in church, and talk about him
just enough TO make Ralph Jealous
ue&F nalpn. now L love ulu!
I know he loves me, Fanny, but he
is poor, you know, 80 of course he is
diffident about asking me to be his
wife; mean to give him every, en-
couragement, however, for it must be
trying ordeal anyhow proposing, I
mean.
Last night we sat down on the rus
tic bench at the gate, and the moon
beams came through the leaves of the
maple tree, and quivered on the green
grass; there was light breeze kissing
(now do not imagine that I have ''kiss-
some crickets, chirping in the shrub
berry, and altogether it was most
scene.
And Ralph sighed, and began speak
ing of the past. He has led such
lonely, loveless life, dear Fanny-it
makes me sad to think of it! And when
he spoke of the future, and wondered
whether it would be any brighter, felt
how embarrassed he must be, and
wishing to encourage him, I said
gently:
SIT shall be brighter, if anything
can do will make it so, Ralph"
Of course thought he would gu right
on then, but he only thanked me, and
taking my hand, told me how happy he
was in having such dear, little friend,
and he hoped / would always be true to
himl And, dear Fanny, will.
Papa is calling me-I wonder what he
wantsl o, Fanny, Fanny was
ever poor girl so unhappy as i? Did
ever one have so many trials and crosses
to bear, in all tie world?
just when Iwas SO happy, and every
thing was so bright. papa had to inter- |
rel He says-ohl how can I tell it,
kt I must not go with Ralph any morel
says he is only worthless artist, and |
You !. allow any intimacy between him
is daughterl But don't care achat
66 viii, or will not, allowl have prom
lsed to be true to Ralph, and I will keep !