Smyrna times., 1885-03-11
The Love Letter,

MISS OI1uGulh Drown SAT down 0et
teacup with emphasis that made all the
China rattle. And little Mrs. Meeker
jumped nervously at the sound.
"I never heard anything soridiculous
in all my life," said Miss Brown,
derisively. colbert Mott in love with
Georgia Arlington! Why, she's a mere
doll, with big blue eyes and pink cheeks
and yellow curls."
"She's very fascinating in her man
ners," Mrs. Meeker ventured to remark.
"Oh, pshaw!' was Miss Orinthia's
contemptuous comment. and you
really think he's in love with herP"
Eyes, 1 must say that think so. "
"Ah-h-h, " said Orinthia, meaningly,
"If I only dared to tell you all!'
Dear mel" said Mrs. Meeker,
eager y "what do you mean ?"
Nothing, said Miss Brown, with
nod of her head. He walked home from
church last night with me-didn't heP"
eyes but --"
"He stayed on my side OF the room
all the time we were decorating the fair
rooms with evergreens didt hep"
Eyes, but that was because -"
"And-but never mind, never mind 4"
said Miss Orinthia, mysteriously.
"Time will show! Georgia Arlington,
indeed-why she's nothing but a child
q mere school girl! 1 know better!"
"Do tell me, Miss Orintha, pleaded
Mrs Meeker. els he really engaged to
you?"
Miss Orinthia pursed up her lips,
dropped her eyelids with a manner that
was wonderfully eloquent, but she would
commit herself no furtherl
Lets go up stairs and finish dressing
these china dolls for the luoky-bag,
said Miss Brown. 1--WE shall get more
money out of the lucky-bag than any
thing else, and we must be sure and
have it we'll furnished!"
While the tea-drinling ceremonial
had been going on in the lower part Of
the mansion of Mrs. Meeker, quite 8
different chain of circumstances was
transporting above stairs. Mr.. Gilbert
Mott, who had been inveigled into the
snares of the ladies, nolens UoJens, haC
come early to help in the last prepara
tions, and, walking up to the worllroom
had surprised lovely b bue-eyed lassi,
in the occupation of filling sundry cone
of bright-bued paper with sugar plum
and Fench bon-bons.
Georgia Arlington shook back he
sunny curls and blushed like q Jun
rosebud, as she started up.
Don't go, Miss Arlington, please
pleaded Gilbert, himself not unembar
rassed. But Georgia muttered something
about a roll of ribbon which she ha
forgotten, and futtered past him ere h
could demonstrate further
Gilbert looked after her, with a whim
sical expression of despair on his coul
tenance.
"NOw, why does she run away frol
me like that?" he said to himself
Probably because she knows it tanti
Lies mel But I'll be even with he
yet; if she won't let me tell her no,
dearly love her, I'll write it to her 2"
And needless of the neglected piles
cedar springs and princess pine, y,
waiting to be wrought into garlands, l
sat down to the table and seizing pc
and ink began passionate billet de'
after the following fashion:
my Own Precious DARLING
Why are you so cold and cruel to me
Why will you not let me tell you
words what you must so often have res
! in my eyes-the story of my heart
devotion2 For love you, and ha,
loved you, and shall love you to Il
worlds end, and you must have seen
for yourself during the last few da,
that we have been working together f
the church fair Yet you will not gi'
me a word or a glance of encourag
ment
lis this right, my ruthless queen
hearts But am determined that y,
3 shall tell me when we meet aga
whether 1 may hope of notl Until the
sweet one, am, half in despair, hi
. hopeful.
"Yours, ever and unalterably, G. N
He had just scribbled off this u
studied effusion when the sound
footsteps ON the stairs chased away t
soft shadows of his love dream, and
; had Just time to slip the paper under
leaf of Norway spruce twigs, when NJ
Meeker and Miss Orinthia Brown {
tered.
cat work so so N" cried the latt
ar'hy. "Isnt lie industrious, Nj
Meeker?"
"Yes," said Gilbert, hyproorihcal
"I'm at work already!"
So he was, but not exactly for the ia
y. He watched nervously for an Oppc
90 tunity to possess himself of the precio
"a sheet of paper, without observation,
Miss Orinthia doul tless prompt
b. thereto by some ba eful evil spirit, hC
~ cred around the spruce boughs like
= middle-aged turtle dove, and effectua
warded off his designs. And presen
}, he was borne down stairs in the popu
current to open some boxes of doDatiD
which had just arrived by parcels
livery.
l. "I can easily come back to get
when they are busy cackling over
- new things, he thought.
But-ft illustration this of the fut1
. of all human plans--when he came
ioicing back some twenty minutes or
later, the sheet was gone.
.. Gone, leaving no trace or vestige
by hind-gone, utterly and entirel'l
II believe there has been some SUI
R. human agency at work !" thought
ID bewildered hero, as h. tumb.ed over
@ ce chaotic contents on the table in vain.
II But Mr.. Mott was wrong. The age
NJ | ~ t.,,,, ,,roeo1ineglv human mo Oti