The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1882-01-12
A CHANCE INTRODUCTION.

A CHANCE INTRODUCTION.
Delayed by railroad accident and
compelled to remain over Christmas at
Fordsville! Here was predicament
for an overworked reader for popular
magazine off for hard-earned holiday!
What made it the more exasperatins
was that l happened to be on my way
to visit some friends who had with them
young lady guest who had been de-
scribed to me as such paragon of love-
illness and worth that had quite settled
it in my mind that she was destined to
prove the ''inexpressible she" whom
had hitherto sought in vain.
Fordville! Where had l heard the
name before, and what association had
with the place? Diving deep into the
recesses of my memory. Imade the rath-
er startling discovery that | had once
actually had correspondent in Ford
vile. 1t happened in this way:
A few months back manuscript had
been put into my hands for examination
which as | at once perceived, was the
venture of very young lady, whom |
subsequently discovered to be certain
Miss Nelly Temple. This fact was
stated in a confidential note to the ed
itOr, the young authoresS desiring that
only her nom de plume Ga sweetly senti-
mental one) should be given to the
world. After reading her story, had
written to the young lady, and the con-
tents of my letter | now found it rather
irksome to recall. After a somewhat
more lenient criticism of her manuscript
than was usual, | had been compelled to
write and decline the honor of it's pub
LEGATION. had chosen this task myself
instead of intrusting it to the CORE
spending clerk, Because l had an ire
sistible desire, which hardly knew how
to explain to myself, "to let her down
gently as the phrase is. The fact is,
the little letter that had accompanied
the story interested and pleased me in
inverse ratio to the effect of the work
itself. The letter was girlish, natural
and frank, while the story was arti-
fetal, mawkish and dismal. All
the hearts were mere shattered
wrecks, and all the hopes DESC
late and unrequited. The heroine
sighed and sobbed her way through
from beginning to end, and the hero
only appeared upon the scene to glare
about him with orbs of consuming gloom
and to discourse solely upon such sub
jects as wasted hearts and blighted hopes,
in basso-profundo voice. In the end,
although no reasonable obstacle to their
union appeared, they We're ruthlessly
torn asunder, and the authoress dropped
her curtain over them like a black pail.
1t was eNecrable, and there was nothing
to do but decline with thanks. This |
did in note unnecessarily apologize
and diffuse, which had the effect of pro-
curing me another letter from the young
authoress. 1t was pretty little epistle,
as the other had been, and interested me
much in the same way. She asked for
counsel and advice, and appealed with
awed timidity to my wide literary expe-
rience. She told me that she desired to
make literature her profession, it being
necessary for her to support herself,
though, like DR.. Johnson's man, she &C
knowledged that she had several other
irons in the fire. | refrained from imi-
tating his advice and telling her Ito put
this where the other irons were;' but
confessed that the witticism REQUIRED to
me with startling fitness. Two or
three more letters passed between us and
then, though had been really interested
in the innocent young creature, l had, as
it annoyed me to remember now, let the
correspondence die out 1t had left me,
however, with real curiosity as to her
nature, experience and surroundings. 1t
was strange that so very young a lady
should have come to regard life as such
a howling waste and the world so aw-
fully hollow. Certainly could imagine
that she might prove rather melancholy
company if her conversation and ideas
resembled her .heroine's, as of course
they would. She was just the sort of
writer to feel impelled to write an auto
biography, and yet, though it seems par
adoxical, while her heroine seemed to
me the quintessence of dismal insipidity,
felt exhilarated by the thought that my
Christmas at Fordville was to be en-
livened by the acquaintance of Miss
Temple.
1t was too late to make any effort to
find out the young lady that night, so
after eating a very well prepared supper
at the village inn, which proved to be as
comfortable within as it was dilapidated
without, went to bed and slept sound
~, waking next morning in frame of
mind Mark Tapley might have envied.
A bright wood fire was cracking on the
hearth as l walked to the window and
drew aside the curtain. Outside the
ground was covered with snow which
had fallen during the night, and which
now lay crisp and sparkling in the brill
liant winter sunshine dressed hastily.
The vital necessity of having sleigh
ride at once presented itself, quickened
by the sounds of bells coming and going
swiftly over the country roads.
After doing justice to a deliciously
cooked breakfast, found my way to the
front porch, where my host was walking
up and down, enjoying his pipe. / had
begun to question him as to the practi-
cability of procuring a sleigh when the
sound of merry laughter smote upon my
ear, and at the same time dazzling lit
tie creature with fluttering red ribbons
appeared on the porch of the neat cot
tage across the way. She was perfect
little beauty, with face from which the
ideas of merriment and good humor was
inseparable. The peal Of laughter which
! had heard had evidently been directed
toward some one in the house, for she