Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-12-26
Tough to give up that luxury for r lii

uough to give up that luxury for. I like
occasional visitors, but don't like TO see toe
much Of the sterner sex. Fyour feelings were
more entangled than lsuspect they are might
beseeeh you not 70 hang, shoot, OF drown youl ]
| thrilling. Indeed, have seen go many
broken hearted men recover and groN
etout that [ have become skeptical about
the ill-efects of rebuff. Doubtless you would
like me to say how deeply my feelings were
touched by yopr offer, how it kept me awake
good sleeper So, my dear child, my answer
is no. Sometimes think colossal fortune
! might tempt me, & love to be Graded in the
lap Of luxury,) but again ! am sure that ever
that would DO in vain. Doubtless there art
| my advice is to so to them and be consoled
,..., Yours, sincerely,
f.; IF Il ( Zs2$ T. sLAvINIA PEro. ;"
Herbert finished, and then burst lntt
laugh as he recalled certain evening
Mary, Kate and he had spent together.
Here, then, was the explanation. But
surely that was Mrs. Peto's handwrit.
ing. Had those mlschievous girls really
let her into the secret?. How was he
to find out? How pay them back in.
their own coin? He then glanced over
his business documents, and finally took
up the last letter. How had it escaped
him that it was Marys writing?, He
hesitated, and held it q moment ere
opening it.
''DEAR HERBERT" (began Mary),-"Is am SO
sorry, and so afraid of hurting your feelings.
It was ever SO kind OF you to want me, but
but do hate to say no, but don't see how
can help,it Please forgive me, as;tl let us be
as good friends as eyer-wont you? I can't
f<>c f1-a T <1r
you. Oh, am so sorry! Do let,me be always
your friend. liARY NEALE.
"11l never take mo- for an answer
from you sweetheart" was his unspok7
ZEN thought as he laid down the letter
strange to say, a little panied, even
though he:realized it WAS but joke.
He hastily finished his breakfast, and
taking pen scrubbed off reply to the
last. The others he would settle Will
Kate, whom he felt to be the real ar,
thor, later. ,... go
''DEAREsT MARY, 1T is with feeling O.
grievous disappointment undertake to reply
to your epistle Ny trembling hands Amos
refused to perform their office when, with
mingled sense OF hope and fear, tore thu
letter I will not weary you with J thu
tale of, the sleepless hours and :, thu
alternate extremes Of JOY and despair that I OK
perienced. It matters not You have crushed
a faithful heart; and though oceans and con.
ctinents may lie between us, as presently they
reign in my bosom. Farewell, them adored
one, and may you never feel a hundreth part
of such sorrow as your cruel words have caus-
ed HEEBERT."
With some satisfaction he read over
his note, and resolved on the policy o.
silence; he would not even 60 to see
them for while That would be more
aggravating, he knew, than, any revenge
he could devise. It would be, and was,
hard thing te carry out, but he stuck
to it manfully, though never had the
days seemed SO long, or the evenings sc
hard to dispose Of Meanwhile the con-
spirators waited, and Kate at least en-
joyed her own little joke very much.
Then came Herbert's letter to Mary,
which both shared and laughed over. {
But as day after day passed and nc
Herbert appeared, Mary began to fee?
seriously troubled, and even got to the
point Of shedding a few secret tears.
Could it possibly be that he wa:
really hurt at anything she hac
saidf Rea " taken It serious
ly? And oh, dreadful possibility!
if by any chance he were going away
without saying goodby This last idea
was too much, and she could no longer
resist the temptation which prompted
her to write to him:
'sHERBERT, -If you care for me one particle
come back, don't know what have said o.
done to hurt you, but can't bear your silence
and absence. MARY"
A little startled, but overwhelmed
with a sudden rush of joyful feelings,
he answered the summons in person.
He did not wait for persuasion, but took
her in his arms, as she glided into the
room. "Thank you a thousand times,
sweetheart" suiting the action. to the
word as he bent to kiss her. Leap
year has made me the happiest of men,
"Leap-year" she said, little breath.
less and bewlldered. ooh, I never
thought of that! It's all joke"
"Well, it's no joke that I've got<you
now and mean to keep you, leap-yeal
+ and every year, Cousin Mary" he said:
, with happy laugh. we'll refuse OF
accept Kate together now" Wrappers
Bazaar.