The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-01-15
IN LIGHTER VEIN.
THE LOVE LErrrRs, STORIES


trimmings its mahogany veneer its
carved legs and heavy back. was covered
with papers It was the week after the
funeral, and the executors of his estate
had spent several days ransacking his
study arranging, preserving and DESTROY
ing MS papers preparatory 70 the arrival of
ms nephew and heir. It was not an easy
task strengthening out these papers. He
had foolish way OF saving his letters
Ihere were not many Of them, II Is tr1le
Tor ne wrote very little during the latter
part OF his life, but it was difficult for his
executors to decide what should be kept
and what burned. so Il happened that
when they found IN a half hidden drawer
package of three love letters tied TO
gether with a bit of ribbon yellow with ACE
and fragrant with the musty odor OF time
/ they spread them ont on the desk and con-
oluded to leave them there till the new
master arrived, when he sbould decide
/ upon their fate. The search had con
tnued all day, and the sun was making
/ giant trees upon the rose bushes which
grew beside the library window when the
executors left the room and looked the
door behind them For long time there
was silence unbroken save by the muir
muring complaint Of some hapless scrap
OF paper buried beneath a pile OF letters
half snothered by the weight and the
rusthng which was only to be expected
when so many sheets Of paper. bent and
orumbled, creased and wrinkled BY wears
of confinement suddenly found themselves
At liberty. At length one of the letters
In the package square old-fashioned
letter written on heavy blue psper-looked
around the library with an air of curiosity
and inquired in a rather shrin feminine
voice what the cause of this unusual con
fusion.
Don't you k.o gravely asked the
Quill pen, which was suspended in the rack
behind the ink-stand
NO" replied the letter s.yVhat is ity,,
"Where have you been2" asked the
pen.
Where do you SUPPOSE" answered the
letter Petulantly. Il have been shut M
IN that musty old d.eEer for nearly
breathe at all wouR beou mind sprink-
ling little dust in my faces This air il
20 fresh II almost suffocates me"
The pen regretted that il was unable "a,
do 50, but informed the letter that when
the housemaid cleaned uO the room in the
morning II would doubtless be sccommo-
dated
Under these circumstances ~ continued
the pen, 81 don't see as you are TO blame
So will tell you. He died last week.
and"
What is that you tell me'" interrupted
the letter HAS he died' Well l
thought he would live forever
"You knew him, them"
II did, answered the let1er. very
wei / was written to him by a Young
lady ne met ct the seaside when he was
young and handsome. They had driven
together, walked and read togcf her all the I
summer long, and when she went g,ya,- u, 4
her home in the South and he came back /
here everybody thought they would he
married 50 / have heard him say re-
peatedly. He thought 50 too. l was the .
hrst letter she wrote to him, and I don't I
suppose there ever was anything he !
thought SO much Of as he did OF me
The letter said this with such an air m
conviction that for a moment none Of the /
other letters ventured 20 contradict it
''He used TO press me to his lips" con
tinued the letter, proudly, tand he silent
with me under his pillow for a week"
81 think" observed a letter half con-
cesled in a three-cOrlered pink enveIoue
which was resting uncomfortably on its
side by the inkstsnd, that he used 10 care
q good deal for me, too"
your retorted the blue letter scorn-
fully, for even a woman's lester detests n
valry. who are you, prayf"
81 came from woman, too" replied the
.. lgular letter nettled by the others
tone. -,
IN. ,, -r,S the pink letter warmly,
,..,,5 p ae IIIcL.,S, too. She was the
.tNIt Siiu She I was Oeautii n They met at
h
her home where he spent his fiS~s -
ton. They fell in love at once. -, g.
Ehen ne went back TO college she wrote me.
l came before you did and 1 know ne
Thought more Of me than he possibly could
OF any other letter"
'Humphl That Is what you know
about it. WI leave il to our friend. the
pen"
well" observed the pen with judicial
dignity, 81 have noticed that man usually
thinks more OF the last letter he gets than
be does OF the first. Men are forgetful
creatures
'You are not the LAST letter he has had. -
retorted the. pink letter There sre
others he thought more of than he did of
you"
"Yes" that may be 80" replied the
blue letter, ''but you are mono OF those
came after You did"
II don't believe there are answered
The former hotly '.He used to put me
eetveen the leaves of his Latin books
and the professors thought he was the
hardest student in the class"
"de didn't marry either of your authors
11d heF observed the pen, grscefully
changing tha subject
No" replied the blue letter. "but II
wasn't his fault He wanted to marry
he woman who wrote me badly enough
don't know that she exactly Tilted him,
'ut have always thought rho did. She
vas an imperi0us woman and command
ng, and determined Ia have her own ,yay.
which she generally did. They CORES
'onded for year or two until there WAS a
'ile OF letters Just ike me that would
over this desk. One day he tore up all the
est, leaving me alone, and from what he
aid know that she had refused him"
''Nhat did he says" inquired the pen
''Not much. Only a very few words.
was more in his tone than in the words
themselves. As he tore the letters he
ighed and tears stood in his eyes. Well !
e SAID 70 himself sadly, Il hope he will I J
make her happier than l could have I
one "
''Why didn't he tear you toos" asked .
irC pink letter. s
''secause he thought too much OF me- 8
eplied the other
''Weu," remarked the pink letter ..tEe
III Who wrote me died or he would have 9
larrrd her. II she had lived he would I
ever have fallen in love with your 9
uthor" q
'iDon't % too sure of that broke in the /
en- salsel5, FOR il knew considerable of the :
'orlu for pen. The first love is not ]
l"ays the lasting one. So l have no :
ced" a
Yes. bat this would have been an ex- 8
option he loved her 50 much WHY Z
m never saw such devotion, They were 4
young, too. But they were as devoted as 5
So grown people. Isn't that unusuale' \
At this the pen spread fts points IN n 7
lred deriSion ~ IS f--~l 4
'Well" continued the letter. Il don't
IRE what you think about IT, I know It
as unusual 50 every one used to saw n
ld am sure If she had only lived they u
ould have been very happy. At any rate q