The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-06
OLD LOVE LETTERS.

OLD LOVE LETTERS.
The old Writing desk; with its odd brass
trimmings, mahogany veneer, its carved
legs and heavy back was covered with pa
pers' 1t was the week after the funeral,
and the executors Of his estate had spent
several days ransacking his study, arraug-
ing, preserving and destroying papers,
preparatory to the arrival Of his nephew
and heir. twas not an easy task straight
ening out these papers, He had a foolish
way Of saving his letters. There were not
many Of them, it is true, for he wrote very
little during the latter part OF his life, but
1t was difficult for his executors to decide
what should DO kept and what burned,
So it happened that when they found in
hait'drawer package Of three love let
tiers tied together with bit Of ribbon,
yellow with ugP, and irsgrant' with the
musty odor OF time, they spread them out
on the desk, and concluded to leave them
there until tho new master arrived, when
he should decide upon their fate, The
search was continued all day, and the sun
was making giant trees Of the rose bushes
which grew beside the library window
when the executors left the room and
locked the door behind them.
For long time there WAS silence, I'm.
broken save by the murmuring complaint
Of those haplesl scraps Of paper buried lie.
meath o pile oil letters, half amothered BY
the weiShs and the rustling, which was
only 10 DO expected when 80 many sheets
Of paper--bent, Cramped, creased and
wrinkled by years Of confinement, sud-.
denly found themselves at liberty, AT
length, one OF the letters In the package
A square, old.iaEhiOned letter, written OH
heavy paper-looked around the library
with an air Of curiosity, and inquired
in rather shrill, feminine voice.
what was the cause Of this unusual con.
fusion.
Don't you know?' gravely asked tho
quill pen, which was suspended in the
rack behind the inkstand.
mo" replied the latter. "Whatis it?"
Where have You been2" asked the
pen.
"Whero do you suppose ?" answered the
letter, petulantly. ~ have been shut up
in that musty old drawer for nearly thirty
years. us a wonder am able to breathe
at all. Would you mind sprinkling a little
dust in. my face? This air is 60 fresh It
almost sutloCatea INC"
The pen regretted that 1t was unable 10
do 80, but informed the letter that when
the housemaid cleaned up tho room in the
morning, 1t would doubtless be accommo.
dated.
"Under these circumstances, continued
the pen. ~ don't see as you are to blame,
SO ! will tell you, He died last week,
"What Is that you toll me-" interrupted
the letter sslIas he died? Well, !
thought he would live ioreypr.n
"ldid, answered the letter, livery we'll.
[ wNg written to him by young lady he
met at the seaside when he was young and
handsome. They had driven together,
walked and read together all the summer
long, and when she went away to her
home in the South and he came back hero
everybody thought they would be married.
So have heard him say repeatedly. lie
thought 30, too. | was the first letter Bhe
wrote to him, and don't suppose there
ever was anything he though so much Of
as no did oil me"
The letter said this with such an air Of
conviction that for moment none Of the
other letters ventured to contradict 1t.
"He used to press me to his lips" con-
.inned the letter, proudly, "and he slept
with me under his pillow for week"
Il think" observed letter half con.
Cealod in a three.Cornered pink envelope
which was sitting, unComlortably, on Its
side by the inksRnd "that lie used To care
good deal for me, too"
"Iou," retorLed the blue letter, sCorn.
fally, for even a Yoman's letter deserves
rivalry.
"Who are you, pray?'
~ came from woman, toe" replied
the triangular letter, nettled by the others
tone.
"AhI indeed2o
eyes, returned the pink letter." warm.
ly, land she was beautiful, too. She was
the sister ofhis college mate. They met
at her home, where lie spent his first Yacs.
ton. They fell in love Of once, and when
lie went back 10 college she wrote me. |
came before you did, and | know he
thought more Of me than he possibly
could OF any other letter."
"HumphI That is what you know
about III I'll leave II to our friend, the
pen.n
"Well," observed the pen, with judicial
dignity, " have notiCed4hat a man tsu-
ally thinks more OF the last letter hD gots
than he docs the first. Men arc iorgetlll
creatures"
"You are not the last letter he has had, +"
retorted the pink letter, quickly. HThefe
arc others he thought more Of than lie did
you."
al don't believe there are" answered
the blue letter, holly. "ife used TO put
me between tho leaves Of his Latin books,
and the professor thought he was the
hardest student In his Clasa."
"He didn't marryeither Of your authors,
did hep" observed the pen, gracefully
changing the subject.
"ko," replied the blue letter, "but II
wasn't his fault. lie wanted 10 marry the
hUlnhu WIN Miuto Iho Duuly ouuuBut !
don't know that she exactly fitted him,
but I have always thought she did. She
was an ilnp0rlois woman and command.
Ing, and determined 10 have her own way,
which she generally did. They cores.
bonded for year or so, until there was
q pile OF letters iust like mo that would
cover this desk. One day he tore up the
rest, leaving INC alone, and from what
lie said, knew that she had refused
"What did he pay2o inquired the pen.
"Not much. Only a few words. II was
more In his tone than In the words them.
selves, As no tore up the letters lie
sighed and tears stood III his eyes. We'll,
he said to himself, sadly, i hope he will
make her happier than ! could have