The Somerset reporter., 1888-04-12
SELECTED.
ROMANCE OF A LETTER.

SELECTED.
! ROMANCE OF A LETTER,
She was beautiful attractive woman
blaek-eyed and rosy checked, with a splen
did bust and arms, which she did no
mind showing ! was little pale erea
ture, neither ugly nor pretty, but dil
not envy her. Let all the men ON eartl
admire her, one loved me. If | was fail
in his eyes | cared rothing for her.
The other girls were jealous at times
Madge Burt and Barbara Brown declared
that there was no such thing as getting
any attention from anyone where sht
WAS, and certainly she tried her best t.
fascinate. Militant Bray was her namt
and understand that, young as She was
she was a divorced woman.
1t may have been that She was yer,
much ill.used by her husband and had
been the injured party altogether-I pre-
sumo it is so often--but pure women will
bear great deal rather than sever til,
holy tie that binds them to husband
side, and there is always Il doubt about
divorce.
Some of the ladies at Mrs, Horton,
shrugged their shoulders and wondered
what the old lady had been thinking of to
take Mrs Bray in. The gentlemen, how.
ever, fought in her defense Beautiful
musical, fond of Irritation and apt at fiat
terry, she won her way into Their liking
For my part did not respect her one
whit. ! did not see anything to love in
her, but | admired her Unlike most we.
men, always found myself able to sec
the charm that men see in personally
attractive woman.
But were man could not do as men
do-tatter these tirts at the expense OF
true-hearted women who love them with
all their souls. When good Mrs Carman
went to her room with tears in her eyes
leaving Mr.. Carman whispering soft moth
ings in Mrs, Bray'S ear, and when little
/ Ellie Fay crimsOucd and trembled with
anger because her lover forgot her while
he turned the bCauty's music and looked
down down into her eyes, | often thought
To myself that those were poor triumph>
after all, and those men who gave them
to her were but silly creatures. She liked
none of them. She Knocked them aud
had little nicknames for each, She was
cold in heart as She was warm in manner
Her imprisoned %lances were those of
an actress, and nothing more.
She gave these glunCcS to my Harry as
we'll as to others, but had no fear OF
their effect. OF course she knew she was
handsome and that she sang we'll. SO did
/.
We had met at Mrs. Horizons | was
an orphan and taught music for my
bread; he was young clerk in IA whole
sale house. At our first meeting we had
liked each other, and he was the only lov
er ! had ever had When gave him my
F. hnt In ,-it IL b,,.l
never met those of any man before, ant
| was glad to think of it. We had beer
engaged three months and were 10 b,
married in the Spring.
We were wrapped up in each other, ano
| believe concerned ourselves very littlt
about Mrs. Bray. | did not. 1t pleaseo
me to think about better women. There
were others whose minds were Continu-
ally running on her, however .Iealou,
Ellie Fay could never quite forget her
Over and over again she sat in her room
with tears pouring down her checks, and
talked of her.
She's wretch" she declared "a bold
forward, cruel creature. She knows
Charlie is engaged to me. She knows it.
! see it in her eyes, and she works so hard
to get him herself. will break with hin
yet, and do love him so. No one vii
ever love him so muCh!"
Then she would cry again and begin the
old story of Mrs. Brays conduct, and of
her looks, her contrivanccS, her bcck>
and smiles. felt sorry for the child
she was but Switzerland sorry, too. for
Charlie, who was acting as most foolish
boys do under the circumstances But
one morning She began another strain.
Mrs. Bray is at work with your Harry
| In chi .l,..f l.,
round her finger soon, as she does my
Charlie. It's witchcraft those women
have-an unhOly power of some kind
You will sec, Ethel, you'll suffer as l dc
soon"
As the day went on | noticed one oil
two things that were suspicious. | saw
that she contrivcd to meet my lover in the
halls and on the stairs, to sit near him al
dinner time, to go out upon the balcony
when he did,
Charlie Beech was allowed to slip back
into his old place in Ellie'S heart and my
Harry was Mrs. Bray'S object
Ellie had been sharper than |, but Harry
was too strong in love with me to yield
| felt sure.
1t was about this time that lIarry's bus
mess compelled him to choose boarding
place farther down town. He left Mrs
Horizons and only called to see me in the
evenings, and we began to write each 9TH
er have the little notes he wrote me
carefully hidden away even now
They are very precious to me. A.
read them over they bring those hours
back again, aud am young and loving
girl once more.
never loved my Harry more tender
ly than when sat down TO my desk one
-. ..s.,4. ~ l. At -.
which | had been invited 10 attend and tC
ask his escort. / shall never forget that
day. After | had posted the letter | sal
in my room and sewed upon the pretty
dress intended to wear, thinking all the
while it was llarry's favorite color, an1
that he would be sure to like it.
Ehe, happy in her recovered lover, sat
with me and read aloud from little boob
of verses that Charlie had given her
They were not fine verses, nor was sh,
an elegant reader, but there was love il
them and that Sutliced.
| had finished the dress and sat looking
down into the street, when | saw Il DO,
hnrrying along. 1t was the errand DO,
at llarry's place, and Ellie, who had seer
him also, ran down stairs to bring IN,
note to me, for we both knew that it wa,
my answer that shimmcrcd in the ittl,
white envelope in his hand She raj
down galy, humming a tune. She retur
ned with very serious face. 4 note wa,
in her hand with my name upon it il
lIarry's writing, but her expression frigh
| tened me so that caught my breath.
What is it, Etlic =
Ethel she said very sadly, Il mus
tell you, though youll hate me. The bo
who brought that note brought one 70
Mrs. Bray"
| was so relieved that burst into II
a of laughter.
, why should that trouble me ?" | in
quired.
. Don't you see your Harry must hay
written both ?" she asked.
NO. said | II do not. am no
jealous of Harry
Then broke the seal, and these wer
the words read.
Madam. | have another engagement
and am obliged TO decline yours
II. ilEArnCorE.
put the billet down with IA strang
chill at py heart. What have | done /
deserve this What shall do ? Auot
like this from Il betrothed lover whom
had parted from with the tendcrest ca
resses Ellie saw that was in trouhl,
and forebore to question me. but she Iii,
ed out of the room and did not retur
for All hour. When she came back h,
face was wet with tears.
J You cannot tell me what it Is : Il
asked.
~ 4 4 1