Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-11-25
IN A COAT POCKET.

Astley Cowper, hat in hand, was just turning the handle of the street-door, when q soft call from the stair-top made him pause.
 Are you going to the postofiice, Ast- leyP"
 "No, not exactly, but near it. Is there anything you want done?'
 ''Only this letter to post" and girl ish shape fitted down the stair. Ast- ley watched as she descended, and with suddenly sharpened recognition of the fact, said to himself, What q pretty girl Rosamond is"'
 Brothers are not always so alive to their sisters charms, but the fact was that rarely in her life had Rosamond Cowper been so near to perfect beauty as at that moment, when she came down the old staircase, letter in hand her cheeks flushed with deepest pink; her eyes shining. and her red lips part ed with 1 know not what happy stir of emotion and expectancy.
 Two long braids of pale brown hair, thick and glossy as those of German Gretchen. hung down her back. On the fair forehead clustered q fringe of light waving rings, not cut and trained af- ter the manner of the conventional bang, but happy freak of nature and accident.
 The slender figure in its white dress had all the rounded grace of youth and perfect health. Over all was an air of virginal freshness, indescribable but charming. It was one of those bel mo- mclHi which come at times to most young creatures.
 But Rosamond was too much preoc- cupied to be conscious of her looks, as she handed the letter to her brother with fingers which trembled little and said, anxiously, You won't lose it, will you, Astley?'
 Certainly not;'' with superior smile. He stuffed it careessly into Side-pocket of his coat, coat made, like the rest of his suit, of that immac- ulate white duck, in which our youth- ful swells delight to array themselves in hot July weather.
 Forth he went, clean, alert, hand some, the very picture of a luxurious young fellow enjoying a summer hoh- day. No thought of betraying Rosa mond'S trust was in his mind. and his steps had already turned toward the poSt-oflice, when a dog-cart drew up suddenly and cheery hail reused his attention.
 Well met, old fellow. I was just going round to ask if you felt like game of tennis. The Porters sent note early in the morning. to ask me to drive down to the Croft for luncheon and game. and to bring you" ESA II ritrbt I will fi -tlaV iup,11a1 into the cart and in another moment was bowling down the road toward the Croft-a pretty country place some three miles distant. Rosamond's com mission was clean forgotten.
 Tennis was followed by luncheon, | that by more tennis, and conversation under the shade of the branching cedars which flanked the ground. Then pret- | ty Mabel Porter proposed walk, and led the way through a grassy valley to the gorge beyond, where little brook ! tore its wild way from higher levels to i the water meadows below. 1 The rocks over which the party climbed were slippery here and there, and in saving Mabel from fall, Ast- l ley himself had tumble, triiling in it. self, but damaging to the duck suit; so !! damaging in fact that the suit went to the laundress next day. ! Before its return, the weather had changed to that odd, almost autumnal coolness which checkers and tempers the heats of our American summers. It was some time before Astley had occa- sion to wear it again. When it was ta- ken for use, by mere accident, he was searching for something in the pocket, when his astonished fingers encounter ed and drew forth rather thick, fiat, hard square of paper for which he could in no way account.
 His first sensation was one of unmix- ed bewilderment.
 'Why, what on earth? A letter, and what letter?n-and he proceeded tc smooth the rumpled mass out on the ta- ble. A few faintly written character, were discernible on what had been au envelope.
 Mr. DU- Edgr,
 ?. Bor ;5-
 Aet0 Y-
 Dwight Edgar. Why, what doe! this mean. l have had no letter iron him." reflected the astonished Astley still intent on the disorganized frag ments "But stay-this isn't lette from him-but to him. How could i get into my pocket?"
 Here and there sentence could be made out, or parts of sentences. ''