Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-03-03

consequence at all, except as am use
/ full to do the work, all the glory OF
which goes to the distinguished indi-
viduals whose names are emblazoned at
the head of the paper. There that
| sounds better, am afraid; but, my
dear Miss Bell, the fates have not
been so kind TO me as to you, and it Is
not for fame write, but for the where
withal to keep me fed and clothed.
What makes it perhaps harder is that I
have known what it is to have my
bread and butter fresh and sweet-ay,
and my honey with it, too-aDd there
fore the thin slices that are doled out
to me now taste the drier by COZ. par
ison.
Forgive me for boring you with so
much about myself. Pray, write to
me again. Your luxurious stationery,
with faint, delicate perfume prevail
ing it, is itself delight. Sincerely
yours,
"MIss FRANCES BERTRAN SCREvEN."
AS l read this letter fe't myself a
scoundrel My 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 be sweet
ly feminine overcame my scruples,
and | sent off the following reply
DEAR Miss SCREvEN Instead of
boring me, the glimpse you gave me
Of your life interested me more than
can tell. But, at the same time, the
contrast between your life and mine
made me envious. Perhaps your lot
is a hard one, but it is at least brave
and independent. Here am !, an only
daughter, petted and spoiled to
shameful degree, aud bound by letters
of luxury. Yes, l envy you. Sitting
here this morning In my silly pink
curtained boudoir, with a Dresden
shepherdess simpering at me from the
top of my escritoire, | feel my idle,
luxurious life hemming me and over
powering Ee, as the perfume, Of
tuberoses makes heavy and sickening
the atmosphere Of room that should
be flung open to the fresh air and sun
shine, would change places with you
to-day if | could"
When ! reached this point of my let
ter, | read over approvingly what | had
written. Arrived at the lines descrip-
tive of my imaginary boudoir, smiled
as my glance fell upon a boot-back in
one corner and the shaving apparatus
in another. CHANGING at the place
where the Dresden shepherdess ought
to have been, my eve fell instead upon
n pipe, which | took down and filled,
and then resumed my writing with
considerable complac ency:
HIhIS NAV an1nd IN ,ya,,
schoolgirlish, and | may as well con-
Tess that it is not many years-per-
haps months would be more accurate
since | left the precincts of a finish
ing school. Finishing school, indeed
Much | learned there besides the art of
doing up my hair However, the de-
fects Of my education | must remedy
myself, and try every day to devote
lew hours to serious study But ii is
very hard to seclude myself long
enough to accomplish anything. Peo-
pie call; | must go to garden parties;
must drive out with my mother; |
must hold solemn conclaye with the
mIllner and dress-maker; in short /
have constant demands of the most
frivolous nature upon my time
"All this you will prabably laugh at;
and, lest ! write yet more foolishly, !
will bring this letter to 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 | had myself |
received from feminine hands. Ii
sounded enthusiastic and very "miss-
lsh, and | sent it of that afternoon
with bold heart.
Jack" quoth my uncle. who met
me as came from the postoflice, 81
rerliy belieye you are making an ass of
yourself over some girl. | don't be
lieve IT is the muses. you are counting;
II Is no muse it is miss" And with
this he passed on. chuckling ut his
own wit.
As the days went on, however, my
lncle's words seemed in fair way to
prove true. | thought only Of Miss
5creven. My novel | left untouched,
md my rhyming dictionary accumu-
ated dust slowly, but surely. Fled we're
my visions of astonishing the world
with my genius. | lived only for the
nail from Boston.
As | re-read the letters | received
rom Miss Sereven, can make some
sxcuse for my infstuation. They were
rank and outspoken. and sometimes,
indeed, tinged with cynicism; but
Trough them there breathed sympa-
by, tenderness, that touches me
wen now, as | read them over. Finally,
II my solicitation, she sent me her
which showed her to be a
egular- featured, large-eyed woman, Of
atlier serious cast of cauntenance
indeed, but with Il lurking smile in her
mouth, that | confess was Il large one
The was not Il beauty, ] saw that, but
he had an earnest, interesting face,
hat grew upon me every day.
Little by little gave myself up to
thoughts of her by day and dreams of
Ter by night. Her letters | awaited
nth q ieverish Impotence, and if one
ierc delayed | was III torment
make no excuses for my folly. dear sir
r madam; but pray DO not forget that
was only one-and-twenty then. and
ad fed myself plentifully with novels
nd poetry. And this was my FIRST
wei
| endured it for just ten DAYS. and
len packed my satchel and went To ,
'oston. Bah! what day il was when
arrived there 1t had showed a little.
nd then n thin, cold rain began To :
rizzle down despairingly. The weather .
lited me better than the garish :
plendor of the hotel, and | wandered {
nth that evening, half-unconsciously I
ending my way toward the street. III /
hich Miss Scrayen boarded. | found 5
lyself opposite the house. From an ,
PIPER window light struggled fsintly {
etween the closed shutters and thrilled +
le through and through. Perhaps she 5
rs there, ill and alone. uncared for. {
I'VE by the mercenary landlady, or,
orse still, by slstternly servant.
ent up the steps and rang the bell. A
Up Of girl opened the door to me,
nd | handed her my card, saying I
lechsnilly, Ask Miss Sereyen if she |
i'll see me-" Z
| trusted that the name John Bell 3
- I 1 ! D.