The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-05-08

timental again in spite of myself. Posi-
lively crying-as if that's any good!"
Mrs. Martingale straightway rises
erect, smooths her hair, tries to dis
cover at looking glass in the dark
whether her eyes are red. and is lust
resolving to sally forth at once to lec-
ture on Missionary Experience
Amongst the Ojibbeways," of which a
circular lies upon the table, when her
housemaid enters with an earnest re-
quest for "Mim" to step into the ''kitch-
ing," on business in regard to which she
will take no denial.
10 Miss Martingale's surprise she dis.
covers on her return to the room that
the girl has, for some unaccountable
reason, left it in darkness, save for the
lamplight, albeit she had remained be-
hind ostensibly for that purpose.
"Why, dear me, Kate, aren't you
there?" Miss Martingale exclaims, as
she gropes for the bell. The girl hasn't
even closed the shutters!"
Perhaps it is as we'll the shutters are
open, for the lamplight, shining full
across the table so as to obscure every.
thing else in deeper shade throws a
ghostly sheen upon the white envelope
OF letter lying there, addressed, surely
enough, to the mistress of the house haf-
self.
"What! That handwriting Or
iginal's handwriting! Now surely, sure.
ly, this can not bel"
Miss Martingale is halfway into Q
swoon from fright.
From him No, of course not! How
ridiculous!"
Nevertheless, her breath comes in
quick, short gasps as she re-reads the
superscription. When she summons up
courage to open the missive, and, by
.straining her eyes at the window, sue
ceeds in deciphering the contents, you
may, fguratively speaking, knock down
Miss Martingale by the simple opera
ton of blowing at her.
From him? To he sure it is!
my DEAR MARY--I am afraid that
long ere this you have given up wasting
your thoughts upon so worthless an OBJ
ject as am? Yet, remembering the af-
lection We once had for each other,
am tempted. even after this long silence
how painful to both of us!-to hope
that you had not quite forgotten me.
My two last letters to you must have
miscarried, for they were never an
swered. After I had waited long I
heard you were married, and in des.
pair at what thought your cruelty and
unfaithfulness, I hated ever to return
home. Only recently I discovered the
mistake, and learned how patiently
through all these years you have, as I
still hope, cherished my unworthy
memory. Dear Mary, is it too late?
Guy"
From Guy! Oh, thank heaven!"
Quite overcome by the good news,
Miss Martingale no sooner receives il
than she displays signs Of foregoing in one
moment all that happiness which she
has waited till old-maidhood to obtain
She falls breathlessly into the arm chair
| under the window in whirl of mixed
emotions, which, finding it impossible
to choke her, at length vent themselves
in duet of laughter and tears.
Who shall blame her for such an ex.
hibition of feminine weakness.
Not the strong minded ladies' of her
own age, nor any male admirer Of ten
der-heartedness. Least of all the list
ener who, be he burglar or lover, springs
at this moment from amongst the deep
shadows Of the corner by the clock.
One hasty step, joyful shrek, q
simultaneous exclamation O." ooh, Guy!'
and "Mary!" and then the most deli
cious little fainting scene, in which, tc
the horror Of the mahogany witness
that remarkable phenomenon of years
ago is audaciously repeated by the Orig
| NAL himself. philadelphia Call.