Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1889-02-09

about three miles from She nearest
post office, ACC mail for our neigh
borhood was often brought by some
of she neighbors and left at 81. Hol-
din's, at the cross roads, about half
mile below Mr.. Bethel's house.
Here went for my mail, day after
day, waiting for the promised letter
from LucieD, but none came.
"Helen told me that she received
letters from him almost every day,
and atlast, in great confidence, show
ed me ring and told me that she
and Lucien were engaged that that
was his reason for coming home on
leave of absence the day after he
started. AS I had never told any
one that we went that day to Mont
Vile, or that he had been absent, l
felt that she must be telling the
truth, else she could never have
known. Further than this, Helen
showed me number of letters adj
dressed to her in his familiar hand.
"lTlom that day to this | have
never spoken his name. Father and
mother grew aged, and died without
knowing what had happened between
us. At The Battle Of Bull Run he
was reported killed. Perhaps | have
been very foolish, butt (the soft, blue
eyes filled with tears, and the lips
trembled) II lost interest in many
things then, and / have never met
anv one that cared for since"
Il am glad you told me this" |
| said, rising and folding my sewing.
Ny hands shook, and my cheeks fla
med up into my eyes like small fur
naces. Crossing the bit of space be-
tween us, | stopped and kissed my
friend.
"Why, dear" she said, catching
my fingers, "did lay my burden on
you? Your hands are like ice.o
"No, no 1 am only little ner-
vous. III move around a little, and
that will set the circulation right" /
! said preparing to leave her.
Upstairs / went, bounding breath
lessly. Once in my den, l pulled out
pencil and paper and wrote:
"MY DEAR OLD FRIEND You
need not be surprised when / say you
must drop your pen and come here
Immediately. You must trust me
implicitly, and start as soon as this
reaches you. You need not be de-
tanned an hour, unless you so desire.
More than ever your
"lNKYFINGER.n
Then / ran down to the postbox
and dropped my letter in.
After glancing hastily at my mail
on the following morning, went out
on the west porch where Janet sat
among the clustering flowers of wis
terra.
"I've glad news this morning." /
cried triumphantly. "You have
heard me speak ofmy dear pen friend,
John Anderson?
Janet nodded.
Indeed, / remember now that you
are and ardent admirer of his writ
ings. In fact, now that I think of it
you went out and bought second
volume of his "Story of the War,
just to have it always in your room
Well, if nothing unforeseen prevents
he will make me q visit within the
next few days. I am SO glad that il
is vacation, ard that you did not &c
to the lakes, because you can help me
to entertain him. We will put fresh
flowers in the guest-chamber, and
believe l will make fruit cake, and
we will have whipped cream for straw
berries. He told me once there was
no fruit to him like the strawberry. =
Janet started slightly Ind clasped
her white hands together. Had some
one said the same thing in the old
days?
ran down the walk and came back
with handful of dewy roses, clus-
ter of which 1 pinned at her throat
and one fastened in her hair.