Morris tribune., 1886-03-17
THE LOVE LETTER.

teacup with an emphasis that made all
the china rattle. And little Mrs.
Meeker jumped nervously at the
sound.
Il never heard anything so ridieu-
lous in all my life," said Miss Brown,
derisively. ''Gilbcrt Mott in love with
Georgia Arlington! Why, she's mere
doll, with big blue eyes and pink cheeks
and yellow curls.
s.She's very fascinating in her man.
ners,n Mrs. Meeker ventured to re-
mark.
"Oh, pshawr' was Miss Orinthia's
contemptuous comment. ''And you
really think he's in love with herP'
.'Yes, must say that | think so. 7"
"Ah-h-h" said Orinthia, meaningly.
.If only dared to. tell you all!'
Dear met" said Mrs. Meeker. eag-
erly; s.what do you meanP"
Nothing" said Miss Brown, with a
nod of her head. '.He walked home
from church last night with me-didn't
hepn
.s.Yes, but"
He stayed on my side of the room
all the time we were decorating the
fair rooms with eyergreens, didn't
he?"
..Yes, 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 schoolgirl! know better!'
..Do tell me, Miss Orinthia," plead
ed Mrs. Meekcr SIS 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 further!
Lets 60 upstairs and finish dress
ing those china dolls for the lucky
bag" said Miss Brown. 1--WE shall
get more money out of the lucky-bag
than anything else. and we must be
sure 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
transpiring above stairs. Mr.. Gilbert
Mott, who had been inveigled into the
snares of the Ladies' Fair, ,nOlenS UoLe11S,
had come early to help in the last prep
| arations, and, walking up to the work
| room, had surprised lovely blue-eyed
lassie in the occupation of filling sundry
| cones of bright-hued paper with sugar
plums and French bon-bons.
Georgia Arlington shook back hel
| sunny curls and blushed like June
rosebud, as she started up.
Don't 60, Miss Arlington, please"
| pleaded Gilbert, himself not unembar'
rassed. But Georgia muttered some
thing about roll of ribbon which she
| had forgotten, and fiuttered past him
ere he could demonstrate further.
Gilbert looked after her, with whim
| steal expression of despair on his coun
tenance.
! s.Now, why does she run away from
me like that?" he said to himself
Probably because she knows it tanta
lises me! But I'll be even with her ye
If she won't let me tell her how dear
" love her, I'll write it to her!''
And needless of the neglected piles O.
cedar-sprigs and princess-pine, ye
waiting to be wrought into garlands
he sat down to the table and seizine
pen and ink began a passionate bile
dour 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 in words what vol
must SO often have read in my eyes-tht
story of my hearts devotion? For l love
| you, and have loved you, and shall love yOr
to the worlds end and you must have seer
1t for yourself during the last few days tha
| we have been working together for the
I IL. Ensr Vat not rrixy g
word or glance of encouragement!
us this right, my ruthless queen Of
hearts,? But l am determined that you
shall tell me when we meet again whether
I I may hope or nOtl Until then, sweet one
/ am, half in despair, half hopeful,
Yours ever and unalterably,
He had just scribbled off this unstud
led effusion when the sound of foot
steps on the stairs chased away thu
soft shadows of his love dream, and ht
had just time to slip the paper under {
leaf of Norway spruce twigs, whe1
Mrs. Meeker and Miss Orinthia Brown
entered.
'At work so soon!' cried the latter
archly. ''Isn't he industrious, Mrs
Meeker?"
| eyes," said Gilbert, hyprocritically
I'm at work already!''
So he was, but not exactly for tht
fair.
He watched nervously for an oppor
tunity to possess himself of the precious
sheet of paper, without observation, bu
Miss Orinthia, doubtless prompted
thereto by some baleful evil spirit, hov
cred around the spruce boughs like /;
middle-aged turtle-dove, and effectual
ly warded off his designs. And pres
emily he was borne downstairs in the
popular current to open some boxes o
i donations, which had just arrived by
parcels delivery.
/ II can easily come back to get i
when they arc busy cackling over tht
new things" he thought.
But-fit illustration this of the fulfill
ty of all human plans-when he came
rejoicing back some twenty minutes o.
SO later, the sheet was gone.
| Gone, leaving no trace or vestige be
hind--gone, utterly and entirely!
II believe there has been some super
human agency at workr' thought oul
bewildered hero, as he tumb1ed ovel
the chaotic contents on the table il
vain.
But Mr.. Mott was wrong. The agen
cy had been exceedingly human-nt
other, in fact, than mischievous littl,
Billy Arlington, come up in search O.
stray prizes for the famous lucky-bas
which had been temporarily delivered
into his hands. Cornucopias, pin-cush
ions, Rimmel's scent-bags, needle
books he pounced on alike, and per
ceiving sheet of pink paper, writer
on, he crumpled it into an old enve
lope, directed miss Orinthia. A
Brown" which lay beyond.
| What 1arks it will be-" thought tn,
incorrigible Billy. Some of the girl
III think they'v got loye-letter, ane
how mad they II be when they find i
amt nothing but one of Rintley's re
ceipts or crochet patterns.
| And away rushed Master Billy, ittl,
recking of the mischief he was unwit
tingly working to the cause of tru,
Il 1oyap