The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-08-11
A LUCKY FIND.
KxoAAAM

the sake of one sho had known and loved. Now war wAs raging, and she sat and thought of tho past, Her dream of love came back to her, There was the little dainty letter. case she had embroidered for Rudolph. A tide of romance swept over her, Why should not the pretty gin be used by some soldier, though foolish ft of jealousy had separated her from the ono 1t had been made forp With q sudden impulse che seized . sheet ot note paper with the monogram Nj. K, on it, and wrote:
 s'Soldier, whoever you are whom this reaches. this la sent to you by a lonely old maid. Long ago she worked 1t for her soldier lover, but before 1t was done their love was over no, not their love. She had always loved him always, always will. It was he who was false. Soldier, takc tho gift from one who Is old enough to bo your mother, though sho will never Do called by that sweet name. Keep your love- lette 2 sn 1t and let it he . tAlia- man to keep you true to the girl who loves you. AN OLp MAID"
 Then she folded the letter in the letter case, tucked it in the too of a stocking and sent 1t anonymously 10 the proper destination for gifts for tho soldiers.
 ESQ.," she said, "I have buried my romance"
 A few weeks later one of the most worthless soldiers In a. certain camp requested to have some stockings given to him. The favor was accorded. The proper authorities divei into \ great box of such things and gavc him three pairs. He put one of them on, and growled great deal about his toes being uncomfortable. The other two pairs he slowed away In his knapp sack, and, In doing so, he felt some- thing hard.
 He drew 1t out and growled again.
 "WhAt Is this (adjective) trashp" he asked. "i thought It was 6 paper of tobacco. There's letter In 1t, too"--. moro adjectives.
 Then he looked up, and near the tree where he sat stood good matt red Major Bray looking at him.
 It was a sort of piping time of peace just then--an oasis In the midst Of the fighting--and people were rather free and easy. At all events, this private 0. evil conversation requested the major to observe what had como in the stocking. And the elderly major took tho thing in his hand.
 "You don't care for it2" said hc.
 Mot l." said the man.
 "Then," said the major, "T'll buy 1t of you. Don't you sec 1t has my first name on it--'Rudolphr
 "Why, 90 1t has," said the private. r Then the major gave him dollar and carried it to his tent. There he sat down and looked at 1t, turning 1t over and over.
 Years and years ago." he said to himself--years and years ago my Ma bel sat working at thing like this. l knew 1t was for me, but she never gave 1t to me. How strangei My name ls an odd one. Let mo read the letter."
 But when he had read 1t he said no more. He laid his face on his hands, and, though he was soldier, the tears crept through his lashes.
 "She wrote It. Mabel--and no one else," he sobbed "but was never false to her. Only there are some women who make man forget every thing but their siren ways for awhile. Little Mabel, ! loved you. l only fiirted with her"
 And the years became as nothing to him, and on the wings of memory he went back to the past and was a young cadet again, and wooed Mabel Earl beside the banks of the Hudson.
 Three days after this there was battle. Major Rudolph Bray was re- ported seriously wounded. Miss Mabel Earl read the news in the morning paper, and it made her for get the letters that had come with 1t. But at last a strange postmark at- tractcd her attention. She lifted the envelope, opened 1t and read the con- tents twice through. Then she walked slowly up and down the room, looking at herself In the glass, asked her reflection If she was dreaming and ended by crying violently and rushing away to pack her trunk.
 This n what was in the letter
 "IN HOSPITAL.
 "Mabel, My Dear :--I know you are alone and living in the old place, and l intended to come and sec you when this cruel war was over, but Pm not sure shall be able. The surgeon tells me it's just toss up whether I live or die, and want to zee you, darling. Come, If you shouldn't get here in time, remember always loved you and have been true to you all these years--true from s mans point of view st least. Come. I can't write l any more. This is against orders, but | l know that the Mabel of old will st