Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-07-15
EEeAeED TO BOTH;
How the Tsngle Was Strengthened.

Dick Powers dropped bis letter with a groan. It fell by the side of its long, slim envelope on the table. The en. velope bore upon it's back the faint i'm pression of dove holding i'll its bill a aoatisg ribbon, upon the ends of which was written, in quaint, but fine little hand, the direction, "To Mir. Richard Powers"
 Again the young man groaned, throw ing his arms on the table and hiding his distressed face in his sleeve.
 The other occupant of the room sat with his heels on the window sill and his chair tilted back at d fearful angle. He smoked, raised his eyebrows, looked at his miserable companion, and went on smoking.
 The letter, half folding upon its pre- else and lady-like crsases, lay face up- ward, and the lines betrayed the same quaintly giriish handwriting, all the down strokes primly shaded, each capi- tai fancny twirled. Dear Richard, " ii began, Qnakerishly, and 1t said, tear fully, " l haven't heard from you for SC long" There was a touch of tender ness in every sentence, and something that told how simple the writer must have been. Somehow 1t all gave rise to d picture of s,ln-bonnet and calico dress, pair of timidly affectionate eyes, and paaked chin with dimple in it. plaintively: Grandpa isn't very well since he had that sickness last winter and when he coughs so 1t shakes him all ovcr. And oh Richard, I'm afraid he Is never going 10 be well again Wouldn't 1t be dreadful to have him die and me alone without you ?" Then fol lowed a wealth of confidence in the words "But. if grandpa should die, should come straight to you, and oh how happy We would be then, wouldn' we?" Wandering on in this loving strain till the end of the third page, thu letter closed with: Affectionately your own Marthy.'
 By-and-by the young man in the tilted chair, eying his friend meditatively said:
 "Your letter don't seem to make 70, happy, somehow, Dick
 "Oh, Ali If you could only knoy what villain I am l" WAS the rejoinde in untitled tone from the folds of hi sleeve.
 At this one eyebrow went up and on, came down. "Well, it's very likely. He looked lazily through the window a a group of loungers before the hotel op posite, and then continued inditferently Whats it all about, anyhow?"
 "Just read that ! 9 was the reply, a Dick passed "atfectionately your owl Marthy's" letter toward him.
 Fisher read the letter through care fully. should say this was yer, sweet little girl," he remarked, mus ingly.
 "So she is, so she is P said Dick straightening up. "She's just tn sweetest and most confding little thin! in the world, IS Martha. That's wha hurt me SO. She hasn't doubt tha I'm as true blue, because she's truth al the way through herself. And I'm wors than a brute, am, AL"
 elf the state of affairs which nov dawns upon me dimly is as it seems, rather think you are, myself"
 ''Confound it You're 50 hanged coo 1t rifles me, said Dick, blnshing.. Jus imagine yourself in my place for m in stant. Six years ago, when I was 19, first fell in love, and I've been doing i ever since with decent intervals between Little Marthy was 15, little aiid rose Vermont girl, just as shy, and as swee and unsophisticated as that letter, an, all her other letters seem to say she is yet feel like boy Of 19 ;n love witl her again, to telk about it to you. Lik the great calf that was, with dollar il my pocket, and no prospects ahead o me, up and told her how felt one da. in the spring, when tine grass was S green and the birds were singing S loud-I had to tell something to some body. Sue looked up at me for mo ment with such smile full of tear coming into her eyes, and such milk ambrose blush glowing upon her cheeks and just took her right up in my arm to do ever since first met her, six week before. Ever since that she has consid cred herself engaged to me.
 A preeocious yolingster you were q 19, must say, and 6 ripe acquaintanc 1t must have been that rooted, biossome' and fruited in six weeks.
 "Well, make fan as you please" an swered Dick, gloomiiy; "you have th whole story, anyhow, and you can think worse of me thau I do of myself.
 "No, Dick, I haven't by any mean all the story yet. As you're %, l sup pose this little girl, now 21. has bee for six years hoping and trusting i you. Very likely she's never permi ta herself another lover. Why, it's p1 thetic Every year she has thought maybe. you would come back ste ha never had suspicion of you She ha dreamed about you aud prayedfor you It's burning shame! And look at yor violently st 'ached to every pretty @ : yon see, riding with t.ssn, two at a tim.