Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-01-30

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the other side of the envelope was pref
ty monogram of three letters, F. H. w.,
or w. II. F., or II. w. F., or some CON-
bination, Tom couldn't decide which. Sc
he opened the letter and read:
"CLARA My heart Is nigh breaking.
May not come back9 was wholly wrong,
but my love for you made me unreasonably
exacting and unwilling to yield. Forgive
me, for Heavens sake, and say may come
to you. l will wait one more week In
Providence to hear from you. Do write.
FRANK"
No date and no signature. "Just like
a man in love, :" said Tom. 1.-The only
thing settled is that the first letter of
that monogram is an F., blue +. That
doesn't amount to anything. don
know the second letter. mean which it
is" Somehow he wa, led to put the
letter one side instead Of throwing it in
the waste receptacle. He thought he'd
like to look at that monogram once more,
it was such pretty one.
Five. six, seven, eight, nine more let
tiers read, and nothing in the shape of
business yet Number ten Number ten
was small delicate hand, directed as
follows: "Mr. Frank II. Wendell, ST.
Albans, Vermont" This letter bore date
of July 81, and post-mark Fitchburg,
Massachusetts,.
Tom had quite forgotten for the mo-
men, the other St. Adams letter, but all
Of sudden he cried to himself, " Hello !!
st. Adams is full of business to-day, He
then opened and read:
"MY DEAR FRANK Il only hope you
have gone back TO 81. Adams, for Heaven
alone knows how else this may reach you.
| take my only chance, 1t seems to me, LEFT
for happiness. / must write, since my
heart will not let me sit longer and feed on
my own sorrow without breaking. Dear,
since you went away from me on that sad,
sad night, not one moment OF peace, no
day when a song was pleasant 10 hear, no
day when | could sit silently glad, has
come 10 me. Only longing for you, was
proud, and angry that you could not trust
me; and though | could easily have ex-
planned, | would not. /, for that short half
hour, believed | could bear everything.
since | bore your harsh words (as they
seemed. Now / know l was wrong.
Darling, will you not write to me!-lust
one word TO say you forgive me, and, II
you can, say you still love me? Shall
never see you AGAIN. Dear heart, | was
never any thing but true to you. VIII you
not write to me? Just one letter, and
will bless you each day live, If God makes
me live a thousand years.
Always being, am still, only yours,
"CLARA +. DESSErT,
wallace Street, Fitchburg.
"P. S.-I am with my cousin, passing
the summer, and, unless hear from you,
trust may never return 10 st. Adams.
"By Jove :" said Tom, "here are two
which go together. Where's that other
letter. Yes As I'm poor lonely
mortal, I've got the two in a heap, and
now | must deal them new hand. -
Tom was rather given to playing cards J;
therefore his language So he put the
two aside, and left them in closer un-
ion as letters than they had been in as
beings. If Tom had been mesmerist
or believer in mesmerism, he would
have probably wondered if the two let
ters would have any influence on the
days life of the two writers. AS he
wasn't, he didn't /. e., wasn't mes
merist or a believer, he didn't wonder !;
he only commenced to form a plan for
his vacation. The commencing ended
lust half an hour after his days work
was over.
"rm going to Providence day after to-
morrow, Mrs. Wilkins" said Tom, that
evening to his landlady.
son business, Mr.. Tom:" (Of course
she didn't say "Mr. Tom," but that will
do just as well.)
Nom; it's my vacation"
81 hope you'll have nice time
"My trust is in Providence" said Tom
a little irreligiously, but he couldn't re-
sist the pun.
"And I've always wanted a clam bake,
and they do say there's no spot on the
earth for a clam bake like the little
backyard they call Rhode Island"
Day after tomorrow became to-day
and Tom started.
Ere long Tom has smoked whole
cigar, and got several miles on his way
toward Providence, Rhode Island. A
Quest he calls it an attempt to find ou
Frank H. Wendall, and then to re-intro
duce him to Clara F. bennett. H'
lived with those two all his journey
Clara had blue eyes and fair hair, he wa
confident Frank wore slight mustach
and was rather thin, he was certain
~ bo hr;lt nm two imapinary per