The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-05-19
III.


Let de gals ke:ch de SCUM er de plantsshun call:
Oh, IT'S god night ladies! my love unter yoa all
-Ladies my love unter you ail
Ny love unter YOU all !
THE LOVE LETTER.
well, whoever heard the like cried
Fanny Harper, as she entered the parlor
and threw herself on the sofa Guess,
mamma, # you can, what has just hap
pened.'
I'm sure I don't know. Perhap.
Sam and Tom have been quarreling
Dear me, what torrents those children
are!'
mo; they are both at school. Guess
again, mamma"
Well, then, dare say that odious
Mrs. Sharp has been limiting that veal
false hair. False hair, indeed! then,
why"
No such thing" interrupted Fanny;
item times worse!"
"Ten times worse!" cried Mrs. Harper
turning pale. "Oh Fanny, tell me. !"
well, said Fanny, sobbing, Julia
Somers is engaged"
!" Engaged? Well wonder what PEG
pie will come to next
"Yes, really engaged. II there was
4 girl in whom l thought / could place
perfect confidence, it was Julia Somers.
Only month ago she joined our anti.
matrimonial society. Oh, mamma, how
eau girls he SO foolish! Poor Julia!''
why, what can You mean, Fanny?
asked lady who happened to be present
.sIs il possible that Julia is abont t
marry o man unworthy Of her? Who is
the dreadful creature to whom she is
engaged?"
His name is George something
Thornton, / believe"
Is lie intemperate?"
MERCY, mol How could you think 81
such ! thing? His morals are gooi
enough"
perhaps he i IN ignoramus, then
Or"
mo, no, no; he is q very ine young
man, as rich as CrBsus, very sensible
aud SO handsome! Half the girls in town
are doing for him."
Indeed! Then why is Julia SO much
to he pitied?"
why, because she is to be married, Z
said Fanny, impatiently (she had turned
m old maids corner.
II confess cannot see the great hard
ship, after all, ]" suggested Mrs. Harper
but there's the dinner bell"
Fanny declared, however, that she had
no appetite for dinner, 80 TO her own
room she went to write long letter ia
Julia, in which she pointed out the
trials Of married life, and warned her
against the fatal step. What did Mrs.
Somers do with this letter? She read il
to George, and George twisted it into
twenty lamp-kghters, and the twenty
lamp lighters were in requisition on 4
certain evening Of the next week, when
Julia ceased to be Julia Somers.
Months passed away and Fanny, at
Julia's earnest desire, came to spend q
few days with the youthful bride. The
bright color and the playful smile still
dwelt upon her cheek and lip o. Of yore,
and Fanny might have forgotten tina
this was not the Julia Somers Of he,
early love had not the apparition 81 !
mans hat and coat in the hall recalled
her to her senses.
"Well," thought Fanny, TIN deter
mined to have as little TO do with her
husband . possible. Not . word win
speak except when he asks . question
for l am determined to hate him with
oil my heart"
To hate George Thornton-the man
who sdored her Julia, who was so hand
some, % sensible, 20 brimful Of love and
kindness for every living thing! Rasl
resolved In the space Of one hour Fanny
had opened out her heart to the influence
Of his thousand-an good qualities
and he understood her. Tho weel
passed pleasantly, and Fanny went home
and wrote verses.
It was very odd, she thought, and my
reader, you must think - she did tina,
certain persons of tho masculine gender
were constantly interfering with hel
private reAectionA II she walked shl
feared meeting some among tho mum
Der; # sho remained q home she va.
sure they would Be there to torment her
il she read, the hero Of the novelist o.
historian would take the shape Of thu
Mr.. Thompsons, the Mr.. Smiths anG
the Mr.. Jones of her acquaintance; il
she visited, what If Mr.. So-and-so
should be there? Poor Fanny!
The years Of the life Of Fanny Harpe,
were many. Her younger brothers and
sisters wondered that she had never hai
an offer. and Fanny herself wondered
and rejoiced-at least she said 90. On,
morning Mrs. Harper and her iiv.
daughters were seated together in Oh,
parlor, when violent ring was heard d
the door. II was not time for papa's re
turn, but that was not papa's ring, they
were oil sure. Great, therefore, Was theil
surprise when Mr.. Harper, putting ane
painting, rolled into the room. bearinf
high above his head letter with . great
masculine seal.
"A letter from gentleman, as know
by the flourish he has made on that grea
NJ, cried Kate, standing on tip-toe ant
irving to read the address written on th,
letter.
"A love letter. did you say?' criet
Matilda.
''Oh. its for me them" said Fanny
decidedly.
For me. you mean" cried Lucy
who bore the only pretty face of fhe
family.
Isn't it for me?" asked Ann, as she re
membered that Mr.. Gustayus Thorp hai
walked home with her the last time she
was caught in shower.
The matter was speedily settled, how
over. by Kate, who had contrived to gain
possession Of the letter, and vas readinl
miss Francis Harper" in no gent,
voice.
Give it to me directly, and don't tease
me 90, Kate, cried Fanny.
wait minute till I've found out who
it's from, said Kate. peeping under the
seal. Let me see-Thom-Thomas
There, do take it."
Ny dear reader did you ever write, re.
ceive or read love letter?
Not /, thank fortune" growls thu
cross old bachelor.
Nor ], !" signs poor Aunt Nabby.
That's secret, whispers pretty FL.
len.
Well. then to you who know nothing OF
such matters, an explanation or even o
sight Of Fsnny's letter would be unin.
Al -