The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-01-11
A MISSING LETTER.


BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
~ suppose was crazy, or shouldn't
have thought of the thinSw mused
young Doctor rorr. "Weil, few Of us but
have our fits of harmless lunacy at times.
Let it pass. That little three-year-old
lad who cried last night ut the hospital
for the moon had 10 keep on crying,
The moon wasn't to he had. Why am
to get my own way any more than ne
had hiss"
Eoctor Dorr had fought his way so far
through life, and in the course of his
hand. TO- hand contest with destiny, he
had learrcd to be philosopher.
s.But l loved her" was his inward
cry. There is no getting aside of that.
Ilovcd her!'
And at The same time, little Lois Yer
ney, dusting the picture frames at home,
aud polishing of the quaint mahogany
table, was murmuring to herself the same
sweet form of words with will prevail
Is long as there are love and youth and
beauy in the world:
II love him-I love himw
While old Major Verney, glaring
through his eye glasses at the little pink
envelope on the library table, found a
husky voice to say:
whats this, Mary Ann, eh3 My
niece writing letters3"
Mary Ann jumped. She stood in NOR
tai fear of the grim major, who was said
70 have killed three men in the Mexican
War, and carried bullet somewhere in
the neighborhood of his left lung still.
''Pleasc, sir, it's letter Miss Lois
gave me to mall" faitered she; "but |
amt cleaned myself up yet, and"
"Ycs, yesp said the major. 'You are
agood girl, Mary Ann. Here is dime
for you. twill attend to the letter"
And Mary Ann responded:
"ics, please, sirl"
Lois dressed herself that night in her
best pin checked silk gown, with pink
ribbon in her hair that flung an answer
ing signal to the color in her checks, and
nat by the window all the evening. But
NO one came.
She made transparent little errand
to walk past the hospital the next day.
BY strange coincidence it was the day
of DIR. DORIS attendance thcre-yes, the
very hour.
He came out, and Lois silly little heart
began to beat; but he only lifted his hat
with icicle-like politeness and passed on.
Lois stood minute looking after him,
a. if she were dazed, and then and there
the candle of hope went out in her poor
little heart.
'If this is love-" said Lois to herself,
'it's very disappointing thing, and
and want no more to do with it. Oh,
dear-oh, dear, wish l were dead"
Doctor Dorr went on with his work in
life. His sist r. q hard fea urcd maiden
Indy, kept honsc for him, and there never
lacked button on his shirt, nor the
proper seasoning to his soup.
Lois Verney, too, worked on; but she,
poor child, was at disadvantage; for
the old major was dead and Lois had a
hard time to keep the provcrbial wolf
from the door.
s'Please, miss said Mary Ann, one
breezy April morning, ''pve brought
back them painted shells and plackets,
and things"
''Plaques, Mary Ann plaques, mildly
correcting Lois.
"Anl the bookseller, miss, please, he
lays there amt no sale for no such, and,
please, he wants the window room for
something else
every we'll, Mary Aun," said Lois,
with sigh deep as AveIuus.
"Aud, Please, miss, the Kerosene oil
man says he has orders not to fill the can
xntil the bill is paid
IsNhoo ryo,lf httrn nort1lcc Moru
Ann," said Lois, 'for we have no money
to pay bills"
''But the grocer, miss, please, he says
he'd rather we'd patronizc some other
store till we've paid something on &C
count"
every wcll," said Lois. listcssly.
She was no Midas. She could not turn
blank paper into money by the touch of
her fingers.
"And please, miss. what shall I tell
the butchcrl' persisted Marn Ann, the
ruthless.
"Mury Ann, do go away!' walled
Lois. elbow do know! There's my
purse. There are two ten cent pieces in
It, and that's al I've got in the world.
And don't see any chance of earning
anything more. There's somc Que knock
ing at the baScmaut-door. Goquick and
zee who it IS"
Mary Ann clattcred down stairs in the
inelastic manner peculiar TO female help.
It was Mrs. Castlcton's maid, with Il
book which her mistress had borrowed
of Miss Verncy.
Sand please, mis:ns nd Ike TO horry
'Pcveril OF the Peak if Mss Verncy'll
let her have it,"
Major Verney had been something of a
book collector in his day, ard all the
neighborhood were low pro ting b: It,
As Mary Ann remarked, "-it did sc"n
= IS ii it took one :'crson's fine % run up
and down stairs with books .or thcm Us
borric1 and rcturnrd.'
swell, I'll scc." aaid Mary Ann.
And once more she clattered up stairs
"Here's Jane Eyre. miss" said she
"And Mrs. Custlr!on wants TO bo!ry
'Peveril's Peak
"Lct her have it, said uis.
Mary Ann advanced close to her mis-
tress.
"Miss. Lois" said she, in Il contiden-
tial undertone, "if it aiu't making too
bold, Why don't wo keep circulating
library instead Of free lending place?
heerd the bookseller say to-day, while
Twas wrapping up my plackcts and
things in brown paper, as he made more
money out of his circulating library than
he did out of his regular business. Two
cents day, miss ten cents week.
Tain't but little, know, but as the