Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1886-08-05

ceptible tremor of his white, shapely
hands as he read the communica-

ceptible tremor of his white, shapely
hands as he read the communica-
tion. F.!
DEAR Mr.. CoLEMAN:-I have no
doubt but that You will be very much |
when you find have tax
en- the liberty OF writing to you, but |
what J. wanted to say / thought /
had better write. Please do not be |
angry with me for venturing as 1
have done"
He read on:-
Il am not sure that 1 am doing
right in telling you all I do, but /
have thought 1t over and over, and l
have come to the conclusion that 1
will. OF course, you know how poor
mamma and l are, how she has to
sew, and how l have been employed
in Mrs. Emmett's family with the
children from nine till three. But she
has discharged me, and sent the child
rem to a regular school, and, Mr..
Coleman, / cannot imagine what is to
become of me unless you will have
me-"
He paused point blank, and read
the long sentence over again, a Curl
Gus expression coming into his eyes,
and smile creeping under his NOUS
tache.
"Unless will have her. my little
blue-eyed fairy, my poor little help
less bird. Can it be possible she has
really cared for me-cares for me
enough to lay aside all conventionali-
ties, and SO gracefully, sensibly offer
me her precious self?"
His eyes were tenderly solemn, yet
triumphantly happy, as he went on,
touched to the heart by her artless-
ness
II know I am very bold in daring
to ask such a favor of you. am al
most sure you will be vexed and re-
fuse me, but l do not mean any harm.
l must not let dear mamma be
weighted with me, and I know you
are very good and kind, and indeed,
| will try hard to please you in every
way. Please, please, Mr.. Coleman.
let me come, will you not? But, if
you would rather not have me, do not
be afraid of hurting my feelings by
saying SO. Unless you really do
want me, I would rather you said no
than take me just because I have
ventured to ask. If you will write
to me, just a word, or would take
the trouble to call, 1 would be very
much obliged. Yours,
MAY E. DEAN.
There were more suspicious of emo
tion in Rowland Coleman's eyes than
had been there for many long year
as he folded up the letter, almost
reverently, and put it in his inside
pocket.
There was no thought of the pro-
jected improvement in the huge cot
ton mills now, no thought of the de-
tails his very soul loved to struggle
with.
He walked up and down the libra
~, his eyes on the floor, his head
dropped, his hands clasped behind
him, thinking CT the strange revela-
tions the letter held, trying to i'm.
agine the fiushes that had tinged
Mays fair cheeks when she wrote it,
and being alarmingly aware that his
heart was at least unsealed, and
that May Deans little hand had
been the instrument to accomplish
that magical feat.
With every passing moment this
| odd hero of ours became more and
| more convinced that it was fate that
had ordered all these things so; be
knew that, although all the love Of his
splendid, mature manhood went out
to this little blue-eyed girl who had
pleaded for it, he would never have
dared presume to think she loved him.
"For she loves me-my little
brave darling! She loves me, and
1 love her with all my heart and
soul, and strength! Refuse her? My
little pet! 1 will bring her here and
make her life such fairy poem that
she shall never regret having giver
me her pure, girlish love. She is like
a snowdrop beside faring hollyhocks
My own, own little grill"
He did not permit an hour to pass
inactive.
''She will be IN no enviable state O
suspense until | answer her modes
little note. / will go to her at once
and tell her how l love her--how faI
from refusing her l am.
| Twenty minutes later his coupe
stopped in front OF the house where
Mrs. Dean occupied rooms, and {
moment latter he stood in the plail
little parlor, where May stood, he
sweet face alight with glad surpris'
| and conscious finishes.
at is very good of you to take thu
trouble to come, Mr.. Coleman"
), His heart fairly thrilled under he
sweetness and shy gracousness.
!, sYou mean it is more than goo,
in you TO allow me to come. Littl'
girl, you have made me very, yer,
happy. Let me kiss you, May
j But she shrank away, surprise il
every feature of her face.
"Mr. Coleman!"
He was pleased with her shy re
serve more than with her modest Lit
| tIo Jotfar