News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-11-06
The LOve-Letter
ELLA WHEELER.

Ihe LOVe-Lette1
Miss Orinthia Brown set down he
tea-cup with an emphasis that made a
the china rattle. And little Mrs. Meeke
jumped nervously at the sound.
81 never heard anything so ridic
ulous in all my life," said Miss Brown
derisively. colbert Mott in love will
Georgia Arlington ! Why, she's mer
doll, with big blue eyes, and pinl
cheeks and yellow curls."
''She's very fascinating in her man
ners," Mrs. Meeker ventured to remark
'Oh, pshaw u was Miss Orinthia'
contemptuous comment. "And yol
really think he's in love with her 2'
eyes, I must say that think So"
"Ah-h-h p said Orinthia, meaningly
'1f only dared to tell you all r.
''Dear me r said Mrs. Meeker
eagerly; "what do you mean ?"
Nothing" said Miss Brown, with {
nod of her head. "He walked home
from church last night with me, didnf
he ?"
"Yes, but"
"He stayed on my side of the room
oil the time we were decorating the fair.
rooms with evergreens, didn't he ?"
'Yes, but that was because"
"And-but never mind, never mind p
said Miss Orinthia, mysteriously. Time
will showl Georgia Arlington, indeed
why she's nothing but a child-a
mere schoolgirl know better l'
''Do tell me, Miss Orinthia," pleaded
Mrs. Meeker. SIS he really engaged to
you?"
Miss Orinthia pursed up her lips,
dropped her eye-lids with a manner that
was wonderfully eloquent, but she would
commit herself no further
''Let's go up stairs and finish dressing
those china dolls for the grab-bag," said
Miss Brown. 1--WE shall get more money
out of the grab-bag than anything else,
and we must be sure and have it well
furnished r
While the tea-drinking ceremonial
had been going on in the lower part Of
the mansion of Mrs. Meeker, quite a
different chain of circumstances was
transpiring above stairs. Mr.. Gilbert
Mott, who had been inveigIed into the
snares of the Ladies' Fair, nolens volens,
had come early to help in the last prep
arations, and, walking up to the work
room, had surprised a lovely blue-eyed
lassie in the occupation of filling sundry
cones of bright-hued paper with sugar
plums and French bon-bons.
George Arlington shook back her
sunny curls and blushed like June
rosebud, as she started upl
"Don't go, Miss Arlington, please T.
pleaded Gilbert, himself not unembar-
rassed. But George muttered some
thing about roll OF ribbon which she
had forgotten, aid futtered past him
ere he could demonstrate further.
Gilbert looked aftel her, with whim-
sical expression of despair on his coun-
tenapce.
"Now, why does she run away from
me like that ?" he said to himself.
Probably because she knows it tam
talizes me But I'll be even with her
yet-H she won't let me tell her how
dearly love her, I'll write it to her!
And needless of the neglected piles Of
cedar-sprigs and princess pine, yet wait
ing to be wrought into garlands, he sat
down to the table and seizing pen and
ink, began passionate biL1etdoW1 after
the following fashion:
'tMY Own Precious DABLING:
"Why are you so cold and cruel to
me? Why will you not let me tell you
in words what you must so often have
read in my eyes-the story of my hearts
devotion. For I love you and have
loved you, and shall love you to the
worlds end, and you must have seen it
for yourself during the last few days
that we have been working together for
the church fair. Yet you will not give
me word or glance of encourage
mentI
sis this right, my ruthless queen
hearts But am determined that you
shall tell me when we meet again,
whether I may hope or not Until
then, sweet one, 1 am, half in despair,
half hopeful,
"Yours, ever, and unalterably.
&c. NJ"
He had just scribbled off this I'M
studied effusion, when the sound of foot
steps on the stairs chased away the
soft shadows of his love-dream, and he
had Just time to slip the paper under
leaf of Norway spruce twigs, when Mrs.
Meeker and Miss Orinthia Brown en-
tered.
cat work SO soon |" cried the latter,
archly. "Isn't he industrious, Mrs.
Meeker p
"Yes," said Gilbert, hypocritically.
'I'm at work already I"
So he was-but not exactly for the
fair.
He watched nervously for an oppor
tunity TO possess himself of the precious
sheet of paper, without observation, hut
Miss Orinthia, doubtless prompted
thereto by some baleful evil spirit, hov
cred around the spruce boughs, like a
middle-aged turtle-dOve, and effectually
warded off his designs. And presently
he was borne down stairs in the popular
current, to open some boxes of donations,
which lad just arrived by express.
'I can easily come back to get it when
they are busy cackling over the new
things" he thought.
But-fit illustration this of the futility
Of all human plans-when he came re.