Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-03-17
THE LOVE LETTER


" - wen, VINO ever uearu tue ike ofled
Fanny Harper, asshe entered the parlor
and threw herself upon the sofa. "Guess,
mamma, if you can, what has happened"
,'I'm sure don't know. Perhaps Sam
and Tom have been quarreling. Dear,
me, what torments those children are ~
"No; they are both at school. Guess
again, mamma"
"Well, then, l dare say that odious
Mrs. Sharp has been limiting that wear
false hair. False hair, indeed Why
mo such thing" interrupted Fanny;
"ten times worse"
''ren times worse % cried Mrs. Harper
turning pale. sob, Fanny; tell me-.
well, said Fanny, sobbing, 'Jalia,
Somers is engaged 7"
Engaged ''Well, | wonder what
people will come to next :"
''Yes, really engaged. If there was
girl in whom thought could place per-
feet confidence, it was Julia Somers. Only
a month ago she joined our Anti-Matri-
monial Society. Oh, mamma, how can
girls be so foolish Poor Julia %
"Why, what can you mean, Fanny ~
asked lady who happened to be present.
"Is it possible that Julia is about to
marry man so unworthy of her Who
is the dreadful creature to whom she is
engaged ~
Ills name is George something =
Thornton, believe"
.'ls he Incorporate ~
Mercy, no How could you think of
such thing His morals are good
enough"
Perhaps he is an ignoramus, then,
or
No, no, no; he is very fine young
| man, as rich as Cresus. very sensible,
and SO handsome! Half the girls in town
are dying for him.
| Indeed Then why is Julia so much
to lie pitied !"
why, because she is to be married, u
said Fanny, impatiently-(sheh had turned
an old maids corner.)
~ confess that cannot see the grea
hardship, after all" suggested Mrs
Harper. But there is the dinner bill.
Fanny declared, however, that she had
no appetite for dinner, 50 to her owr
room she went to write long letter t,
Julia, in which she pointed out the trial:
OF married life, and in the most affecting
manner warned her friend to beware o
the fatal step. What did Julia Somer,
, do with this letter She read it tt
George and George twisted it into twent,
lsmp-lighters, and the twenty lamp
, lighters were on requisition on certain
happy evening of next week, when JUL
ceased to be Julia Somers.
A Months passed away, and Fanny, a
4 | Jula's earnest desire, came to spend
I few days with the youthful bride. TIL
d | bright color and the playful smile sti
dwrlt upon her cheek and lip as of yor,
9 and Fanny might have forgotten that TIL
:. was not the Julia Somers of her earl
o love had not the apparation of man
o hat and coat in the hall recalled her
her senses.
e "Well," thought Fanny. "l'm detei
I. mined to have AZ little to do with h
81 husb as possible Not word will
IA speak except when he asks question
A. for am resolved to hate him with q
As my heart. "
er To hate George Thornton-the ms
,e who adored her dear Julia, who W
" 40 handsome, so sensible, so brimful
love and kindness for every living thin
IL Rash resolve In the space Of one ho
I'd Fanny had opened her heart to the intl
n. enee of his thousand and -one-good qua
ut ties, and he understood her. II
ed week passed pleasantly, and Fanny we
ed home and wrote verses.
ar 1t was very odd. she thought, and, l
reader, you must think as she did, IL
les certain persons of the masculine gend
he were constantly interfering with her m'
ELI | private reflections. If she walked, =
ey feared of meeting some among the nu
re- Der; ii she remained at home she "
at sure they would be there to torment ht
mt if she read, the heroes OF the novelist
til historian would take the shape OF the
ms Thompson, the Mr.. Smith, or the
Of Jones of her acquaintance; if she visit
ion what if Mr.. So-and-so should he thel
ial Ii She dreamed, Mr.. So-and-so certain
.nt was there. Poor Fanny
The years of the life of Fanny Har
rm were many. Her younger brothers
lso sisters wondered that she had never
ing offer, and Fanny herself wondered;
TO | reioiced-at least she said SO. One mt
md ing Mrs. Harper and her i've daught
len were seated together in the parlor; W.
a violent ring was heard at the door.
cru was time for papa's return, but that
ons not papa's ring, they were all sure. CIR
an therefore, was their surprise, when
war Harper, putting and painting, rolled i
the room, bearing high above his hea
ano letter with great masculine seal.
var "A letter-from gentleman, as X
ais, by the flourish he has made in that
Der cried Kate, standing ON tip-toe and try
her to read the address on the letter.
: to "a love letter, did you say!" e
Matilda.
wly "Oh, it is for me, then, 4aid Far
DDS, decidedly. 49,
lao. For me, you mean, cried Lucy,
Of bore the only pretty face of the famil
ano "Isn't it for me!" asked Ann, as
out remembered that Mr.. Gustavus I'll
80 had walked home with her the last
at she was caught i'll shower.
the The matter was speedily settled,
ever, by Kate, who had contrived to
also possession of the letter, and was rea
,e to Miss Frances Harper" in no g.
wing voice.
GODS Give it to me directly, and don't
,es a me- so, Kate, cried Fanny.
With "Wait minute till I've found out
pay it's from, said Kate, peeping unde
pect seal. 'sI4et me- see e. Thorn Thol
lary There, do take it,
paw My dear reader, did you ever write
ceive or read a love letter.
rate mot 1, thank fortune" growls
Wan cross old bachelor.
cru "Nor L, = signs poor Aunt Nabhy,
dent That's secret, whispers p
will Ellen.
the Well, then, TO you who know mo-
cles OF such matters, al explanation or
sight of Fanny's letter would be
telligible; and as for you who
already dozens of your own, you CT
course, feel little curiosity respecting
one. Besides what right have to
nm you Fanny's secrets.
Fanny came down to dinner wi
mber o;, af ai,rn;,y cuita unnsual IN h.r
new sDo tall no wbo tha lattar ia fir
MS asked Lucy.
was "shall you say yes,' called Sam
ms the end of the table.
oerea "Of course she will, and We shs
nave uncles and aupts, roared Tom.
,lonal Thomas, leavs the table dire,
4. j. cried Mrs. Harper.
were "Yes, mamma, said Tom, encou
from by the bushes and filters of the
'hine, sisters, "but is it for saying that
m"sS would say yes, or that We shou
Sc, al unclss and auntst'
ey, of 600 awav Won naughty Loy y
~, u Tom was gone.
ceiling her mother aside ana b.pp-a her t,
room the letter.
II the oval y said Mrs Haru.r n
es a. silence of thirty-fv minutes, g;
iehce' pretty letter, | must say-but who
nm Thomas Somerby ~
IN ms why, mamma" replied Fam
izIlhs don't exactly remember ever seeing