McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-07-17
She had lust concluded both letters


when the friendly postman passed her
door bowling blandly. Thinking it would
save her a trip to the postofice in the
morning, she asked the postman If he
would kindly mail them for her, and as
he readily consented, 'swith pleasure"
she hastily caught up her missives,
placing Mr.. Dinsmore's note in the en-
velope addressed to her cousin Frank,
and enclosing the one designed for her,
in the envelope directed to Mr.. Dins-
more.
MIR. Frank Dinsmore was q disap-
pointed man. The alternate heat and
cold of over forty years had passed over
his head without finding him altogether
a wiser, as he grew an older man. Then
he had been an ardent lover of gain and
his Golfers were OVERLOOKING, but their
abundance failed to satisfy him as he
had expected. 1t had been also for sew
eral years a pet dream that he would
marry some beautiful, accomplished
lady, and placing her over his fine es-
Establishment, would imagine himself the
envy of his neighbors and associates.
But The different fair and naughty
creatures he had met at swell parties
| and summer resorts would suddenly
become repugnant to him, as some
slight test would almost invariably re-
veal their real characters-selfish and
hollow.
One afternoon upon returning from
the city little lady had entered the
same car with himself, and something
about her winning face and lady-ike
manner induced him to inquire as to
whom she might be; and the gentle
man next to him had replied that she
was Miss Ellison, a miller living in
the narrower part of the village. Mr..
Dinsmore did not pursue his inquiries
further, but said to himself while dr1v-
ing from the depot to his home, that he
should certainly have sought an intro
duction to that sweet-looking little lady
if she had not been q tradeswoman bun
as usual, there were counteracting cir
cumstances wherever any especial at
traction had seemed to present itself to
him.
So altogether, at the age of forty-two
or three, he had come to regard life as
most vexing and unsatisfying prob
lem. And on this particular morning
of July 1, he was sitting solitary as
usual in his elegant library, Illuminating
on the annoying recollection that in q
few days would come the Fourth, when
all the merry youngsters in town would
keep up footing of horns, blowing
OF trumpets, and ceaseless swapping
of fire-crackers from midnight to mid
night again.
What should he do in the matter?
He believed he would 60 to the city,
take a room at the hotel, and avoid it
all.
Just then the postman's ring made a
little rufae and break in his unenliven-
ing reflections, and the next moment a
servant glided over the velvet carpet
and handed him letter. 1t was a
small letter, in queer little envelope
of a bygone fashion, and the hand
writing, neat and handsome, suggested
to him the hand of little lady.
Breaking open the envelope and be-
ginning to read, his look, which at first
was one of simple curiosity, deepened
into one of blank establishment and dis
gust, as he read the following remark
able eplstle:
ssMY DEAR FRANK-It would give me
pleasure to see you at your very earliest
opportunity. 1 imagine we are both OF us
lonely enough at times, and it msy do us
great good to meet and talk with each other.
particularly wish you would come If pos
sible little before the Fourth, as l am
contemplating making some changes i'm.
mediately after that date if matters work
according to my desires, in which would
greatly like your assistance.
It is my hope that your coming will re-
suit in great profit and happiness to us
both. It surely will be my aim to further
your interests In every way possible. Hop
ing to see you soon, remain,
Yours verv sincerely,
JULIE NJ. ELLISON.
No. 80 Beach St., Benville, June 30, 49,
"What on earth is the woman driving
att" exclaimed Mr.. Dinsmore, as he
laid the letter on his knee and folded
his hands before him, regarding the
note as if it was some distasteful little
monster.
"What on eartn does she mean?" he
repeated, s'addressing such letter to
me? wonder what she takes me for?
The very little lady, too, whose looks
only recently so strongly attracted me-"
He arose and going across to the win
uOW COuIluuOu 1883 CAClGCulyS "a plOUGy,
modest looking little woman as ever l
saw, the very last person in the world
I should imagine could be guilty OF
this" and he glanced more leniently at
the little sheet still held closely in his
hand.
81 don't know" he added slowly,
"but it would be the very best punish
ment I could infict to march boldly
down there and ask an explanation Of
her singular communication. But no,
that is just what she apparently wants
me to do"
All day long Mr.. Dinsmore resolved,
wavered and resolved, until by the
time the tardy twilight came slowly on
he was in a state of mind to say the
least very unusual for a man of gener-
ally prompt and firm conclusions. To
his own surprise he discovered that
down deep in his heart was an mex
pressible desire to 60 and find out little
Miss Ellison's motive in addressing
him with such freedom and presump-