Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-12-31

lowed in astonishment the postage
stamp he was licking. I thrust the
letter in my pocket and did not read il
until was safely st home. Thus the
missive ran:
DEAR MISS BELL'.-Your piquant
letter prompts me to write you q reply,
not as an assistant editor, but as q
woman like yourself, who is toiling up
the steep path that leads to Parnassus.
l might have known you were woman,
and young one at that, because,
although there is a touch of masculine
strength in your essays and poems, still
there is. too, q sweetness that is only
feminine. think that women more
often have this flavor OF masculinity
than men have anything of that tender
ness which is essentially and purely
feminine. Where ! In position OF
authority, shoul very soon dismiss
the cut. and-dried hack writers whose
contributions, although smooth and
polished, lack the freshness, the spon-
| taneity, which is characteristic of the
/ contributions we sometimes receive
from unknown writers, and notably from
you. But, you see. am merely an as
sistant editor, and person of 10 con-
sequence at all, except as am useful to
do the work, all the glory OF which goes
to the distinguished individuals whose
names are emblazoned at the head OF
the paper. There that sounds better,
l am afraid; but, my dear Miss Bell,
Nthe fates have not been so kind to me
as to you, and it is not for fame / write,
but for the wherewithal to kesp me fed
and clothed. What makes it perhaps
harder is that have known what it is
to have my bread and butter fresh and
sweet-ay, and honey with it, too-and
therefore the thin slices that are doled
ont to me now taste the drier by COM
parison.
Forgive me for boring you with 80
much about myself. Pray, write to me
again. Your luxurious stationary, with
faint, delicate perfume prevailing it, Is
itself delight. Sincerely yours,
"MIss FRANCES BRRTRAM ScREyLN'
As read this letter 1 felt myself a
scoundrel. Ny first impulse was to
write letter of confession to Miss
Screven; but the desire to keep up the
correspondence and try my hand at
composing letters that should besweetly
feminine overcame my scruples, and
sent of the following reply:
DEAR Miss ScRrvEN,-Instead OF
boring me, the glimpse You gave me OF
YOUR life interest d me more than l can
tell. But, at the same time, the con-
trast between your life and mine made
me envious. Perhaps your lot Is hard
one, but it is at least brave and indie
pendent. Here am |, an only daughter,
petted and spoiled TO shameful de-
gree, and bound by letters OF luxury.
Yes, 1 envy you. Sitting here this
morii ing in my silly pink-purtalned
boudoir, with Dresden shepherdness
simpering at me from the top of my
escritoire, feel my idle, luxurious life
hemming me and overpowering me, as
the perfume of tuberoses makes heavy
and sickening the atmosphere of room
that should be flung open to the fresh
air and sunshine, would change places
with you to-day if could"
When reached this point OF my let
ter. read over approvingly what l had
written. Arrived at the lines descrlp,
tive of my imaginary boudoir, 1 smiled
us my glance fell upon boot-lack IN
one corner and the shaying-apparatus
in another. CHANGING at the place
where the Dresden shepherdess ought
to have been, my eye fell instead upon
a pipe, which / took down and filled,
and then resumed my writing with con-
siderable complacency
"This may sound to you rather school
girlish, and I may as we'll confess that
it is not many years-perhaps months
would be more accurate-slnce lett
the precincts of q finishing school.
Finishing school, indeed! Much
learned there besides the art OF doing
up my hair However, the defects OF
nv education I must remedy myself,
and try every day to devote few
hours to serious study. But it is very
hard to seclude myself long enoug b to
accomplish anything. People call; l
must go to garden-parties; must drive
out with my mother; l must hold
solemn conclave with the milliner and
dress maker; in short, l have constant
demands of most frivolous nature
upon my tine.
"All this you will probably laugh at
and, lest write yet more foollshly, !
will bring this letter to q close: If you
are not quite disguised with me, do
write again soon.
Faithfully yours,
JANE BELL"
may as well confess that thought
this letter successful imitation OF
some of the epistles that l had myself
received from feminine hands. 1t
sounded enthusiastic and very "missisb,'
and I sent it off that afternoon with
bold heart.
Jack" quoth my uncle, who met me
as came from the post-ofice, 81 verify
believe you are making an ass OF your
self over some girl. I don't believe 1t IS
the muses. you are counting 1t is no
muse it is q miss" And with this he
passed on, chuckling at his own Wit.
As the days went on, however, my
uncle's words seemed in fair way to
prove true. I thought only OF Miss
Screven. Ny novel I left untouched,
and my rhmying dictionary aocumu-
lated dust slowly, but surely. Fled
were my visions of astonishing the
world with nv genius. / lived only for