The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-05-01
THE LOVE LETTER.

THE LOVE LETTER.
Miss Orinthia Brown set down her
teacup with an emphasis that made all
the china rattle. And little Mrs. Meek
er jumped ~nervously at the sound.
II " heard anything so ridiculous
in all my life" said Miss Brown deris-
lively. Colbert Mott in love with
Georgia Arlington! Why, she's 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 re.
ally think he's in love with her?"
"Yes, I must say that l think So"
"Ah-h-h" said Orinthia, meaningly.
"1f l only dared to tell you alp
"Dear mel" said Mrs. Meeker, eager
ly; what do you mean?"
Nothing" said Miss Brown, with a
nod of her head. "He walked home last
night with me-didn't he?"
eyes, but"
"He stayed on my side of the room all
the time we were decorating the fair
rooms with evergreens, didn't he?"
eyes, but that was because"
"And-but never mind, never mind!'
said Miss Orinthia, mysteriously. "Time
will show! Georgia Arlington, indeed
why she's nothing but a child-a mere
school girl! I know betterl"
"Do tell me, Miss Orinthia," pleaded
Mrs. Meeker. Els he really engaged to
your"
Miss Orinthia pursed up her lips,
dropped her eyelids with a manner that
was wonderfully eloquent, but she would
commit herself no further!
Lets go up stairs and finish dressing
those china dolls for the lucky-bag, u
said Miss Brown. "We shall get more
money out of the lucky-bag than any
thing else, and W. must be u and
have it we'll furnished!"
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
transporting above stairs. Mr.. Gilbert
Mott, who had been inveigled into the
stairs 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-huod paper with sugar
plums and French bon-bons.
Georgia Arlington shook back her
sunny curls and blushed like q June
rosebud, as she started up.
Don't go, Miss Arlington, please"
pleaded Gilbert, himself not embar-
raised. Bnt Georgia muttered some
thing about a roll of ribbon which she
had forgotten, and iuttered past him
ere he could demonstrate further.
Gilbert looked after her, with q
whimsical expression of despair on his
c~ountenance.
"Now, why does she run away from
me like that?' he said to himself.
Probably because she knows it tanta-
Lies me! But I'll be even with her yet
If she won't let me tell her how dear.
ly I love her, I'll write to her!"
And needless of the neglected piles
of cedar-sprigs and princess-pine, yet
waiting to be wrought into garlands, he
sat down to the table and Selling per
and ink began a passionate billet douz
after the following fashion:
M Own PRECIOUS DArIING:-Why are yor
80 cold and cruel to me? Why will you mo-
let me tell you in words what you must so Otter
have read in my eyes-tlie story of my hearts
and shall love you to the worlds end, and YOU
must have seen it for yourself during the las
few days that we have been working together
for the church fair! Yet you will not give M
3 word or a glance OF encouragement!
"Is this right, my ruthless queen OF hearts:
But I am determined that you shall tell me wher
we meet again whether l may hope or not
Until then, sweet one, l anu half in despair
half hopeful,
"Yours ever and unalterably, G. NJ"
He had just scrubbed off this un.
syudied efusion 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 a leat
of Norway spruce twlgs, when Mrs
Meeker and Miss Orinthia Brown en-.
tered.
SAT work SO soon!" cried the latte,
archly.. "Isn't he industrious, Mis-.
Meeker?
Eyes" said Gilbert, hypocritically
Tn at work already"
So he was but not exactly for thu
fair.
He watched nervously for an oppor
tunity topossess himself of the pre-
cious sheet of paper, without observa
ton, but Miss Orintria. doubtless promp
ted thereto by some baleful. evil spirit
lowered around the spruce boughs lik,
a middle. aged turtle-dove, and efectu
ally werded off his designs. And pres
emily he was borne downstairs in tn
popular current to open some boxes o
donations, which had just arrived b
parsels delivery.
Il can easily come back and get j