Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-06-26
THE ROMANCE OF A LETTER.


18th an exclamation, drew out a dainty
sitter, addressed In feminine hand. =.
"Just NJ 1 expected !" he grumbied. "Oi = =
curse, 1 forgot III Why didn't think Of
before we left Newark ! might have |
nailed 1t there. Now there's nothing to do ,
,ut 10 tell Clara that forgot It. And, oi !
curse, It is important or she would never
rave hurried 1t of with that blot on the
,orner."
"waveriv!, called out the brakeman.
The young man arose, and, with the letter
in hand, left the car. At this moment, a
carriage, containing lady and gentleman,
drove up to the station.
uTbere's Willis" exclaimed the young |
man. "He must be going to the city IN
get him to mail 1t. Hello, Whilst Going
"Ah Bennett, how are youP Yes, my
wife thinks she must hear Sslvini N night. |
Anything can do for your"
Why, yes II it would not trouble You.
This letter was handed me this morning. |
and, as usual, forgot to mail it. 1t is quite
important and u you'd just drop 1t In q box
for me, I'd be greatly obliged"
"Certainly. No trouble at ALL"
Mr. Willis took the letter, put 1t in his in
ner breast coat pocket and hurried away to
his train, which had Just arrived. Charlie
Bennett passed down the board walk to his
home, feeling that the possible results OF his
iorgetfulness would never occur.
week later, a small company were as
sembled In Mr.. Willis parlor. A young |
married lady who had that day found in her |
husbands pocket letter that she had given
him several days before to mail, made the |
statement that she believed that every man
In the room had In his pocket missives that
he had been entrusted with and had wholly
forgotten. Mr.. Willis denied the charge,
and offered to prove that, so far as he was
concerned, at least, II was an uDjus accusa-
| ton.
One by one, no emptied his pockets of
| letters, which we're all addressed To himself,
| except the last, delicate letter, with tiny
| blot on one corner This bore the address OF
Henry Milford, l2' West street, New
York."
| A look Of astonishment crept over his face,
| followed by one of dismay as he recalled the
| day that Charlie Bennett had entr listed him
| with All important letter to mail. This must
be the one, though he had not noticed the
address. Followed by peais of laughter, he
hastened from the room with an indefinite
desire to do something, he scarcely knew
what, to rectify his error. What should he
do? Should he harness up at this late hour
and drive two miles to Newark, just to mall
this letter. or should he walk over to the
station on the chance of finding some one
going to town? Just at this moment, he
saw, in the moonlight, a man hurrying along
| the walk toward the station, and, recognizing
| a Deighbor he said
"Ob, Grey, is that your Are you going
to town."
ayes, / am going to Boston, and 1 am
hurrying to catch the night train. Anything
j can do for your'
"Why, yes I; if you will Just mail letter
for me, will be obliged. You can drop 1t
in box a. you go along. 1t will not delay
| you"
"Oh, 1t will be no trouble at ALL"
So, once more the letter was placed in a
, breast pocket and started for New York. IL
was destined, however. to take much
I longer journey. Mr.. Grey found himself
pressed for time, and, In his haste, entirely
r | mi N ~ hnT nnsa vrlnr IN
ing, ten days later. he caught sight OF Mr..
Willis, taking the train for New York. The
sight of him recalled the forgotten letter.
Stepping to the office window, he addressed
a | the agent, who stood inside:
o al say. Smith, | want you to do me a
q favor. VIII you give this letter to some one
e who is going on the next train. 1t is a very
o important letter, and must be mailed al
= once"
y "i'lI attend to it, Harris always goes In
y on the next train. He'll take It"
= "Tell him not to forget it"
"Oh, he won't forget He's always doinl
errands for somebody.
@ Much relieved, Mr. Grey continued home
n ward, and Mr.. Smith put the letter up ove
. his desk, where he would be sure to see i
!, when Mr.. Harris came. But, for some rea
i son, Harris did not come. Smith, catching
b sight OF the letter the next morning, con
cluded that as he was going to town in tn,
= afternoon, he would not intrust it to any on
;. else for fear it might be forgotten, As Gre.
n therefore, consigned 10 Mr.. Smiths pocket
d just before he went to dinner.
If As he arose from the table, his wife re
"a marked:
k You are not going to town with that Goa
l. on Leave it here, and l will sew on thos
k buttons, while you are gone"
It Ooedient To the wishesl of his wife, Smitl
put on his Sunday coat, forgetting to trans
% fer his papers from the old one. While Mrs
1t Smith was working upon it. tho papers fel
10 the floor. She picked them up aud care
l. fully laid them in a drawer, where the
q remained until Smith asked for them
several days later. Looki ing them over
l. he discovered the letter to Henry Milford.
lr snow, that is too bad must give ihi
to the first person that goes to town tt
day."
d It CHANGED that the first person that ar
d peared was Charlie Bennett To him Smit
went with the letter.
v "Bennett, wish you'd mail this for me
Of it's been in my pocket a week now"
Bennett took the letter, and, glancn
m carelessly at 1t, recognized it rs the very le
Or ter given him by Clara three weeks before
y "Where did you get this?" he asked
L. rather abruptly.
d meant to give it to Harris, but didn't Sc
ID him. Then thought I'd mail it myssl
r. and forgot it. Do you know anything abou
At itP hope there's no harm done"
"Oh, l guess It's all right l only aske
3, because know the man to whom it is ac
D, dressed I'll see that il is mailed"
ST "lts a shamew said Bennett to himsel
"that did not mail this when 1t was frs
given to me. This is why Clara has bee
looking so down-hearted for the last thre
Nj weaks. Poor girl! Well, it will soon be a
right now"
!" The attempt to mail the letter was th
N time successful, but it was not so soon "a
nj right" as the brother had prophesied.
:, The day before Clara Bennett had give
~ her letter to her brother, she had receive
=, one signed, faithfully yours, Henry Mi
~ ford, and which, after an avowal OF Low,
u, had closed with these words: "If you r,
. ceive this with favor, give me permission
~ come to you; but II in your heart there is n
a. response to my words, silence is the onl
- answer desire"
:, Clara's answer was brief 1t consisted
70 but one word, "Come."
~ : Henry Milford waited very patiently for
!, week, after sending his important lettel
20 But as day after day passed, and no answe
u came, he considered his suit as lost and, Ii
despair, concluded to accept an invtatio
4, from an uncle to visit him on his ranch, 4
~ California
!, Robert Allison, an intimate friend and
e young lawyer, had tried in vain to dissuad
!. him from this step; for he knew no reaso
20 why Henry should become moody and dt
!, spondent all at once, and throw up his hope
% OF business success and promotion, and staI
" " OIL to California. But his arguments wer
~ unayailing. Henry would GO
% "Where shall l forward your letters ?
a asked Allison, as they shook hands at tn
u station.