The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-01

Boston l1dVeH6f.l
Dearest II was so glad to receive your
letter. thought you had forgotten. You
and Sarah both are mad. / thought dog days
came in August, and that is long past. When
shall you recover j am in Kansas now. /
shall be In Texas or In China soon II you
don't prevent it. What do you think of the
new house on X street? How would 1t do
Yours till death, JACK.
l stood turning this highly mystic epistle
over and over. The postman had thrust it
into my hand this morning and had stalked
off in very postmanlike way. miss May
Clarke" Tread on the envelope, "62 K street.
Forwarded" Before broke the seal won
dered who Of my friends had SO far lost sight
of my later years as to address me by my
child name, and send this letter to the house
where we lived dozen years ago, and now
was in daze. Who was Jack, and who
was Sarah, and what on earth did it all
mean?
Slowly 1t dawned on me. There is anoth-
or Mary Clarke who lives in our old house.
They have made some stupid mistake at the
postoffice. and this letter, written out of a
boys hot heart, was not meant for me to
read.
What should do? Take it down to 60
and explain the broken seal to an indignant
sweetheart? / felt myself blush and stammer
under the other Mary Clarke's eyes. No,
could not do it. would wait for the post
man, decided, and ask him to make the
necessary explanations. should obviate all
personal discomfort in that way.
So waited for the postman. 1t seemed
as If did nothing but walt that day. tried
to read; / tried to write; worked myself
into a fever lest in some impossible way
Mary Clarke should have moved from
have married another man leaving me to
settle this fiery young Jack myself.
And after dinner. when / sank from sheer
WEAKNESS into sort Of doZe, saw Jacks
threatening, Jacks beseeching, and Jacks
deeper relief than when / gave the crumpled
envelope into the keeping Of the gray-and-
black servant of the United States, and eng
trusted him with my apologies.
L went to walk tnat evening with very
brisk step, ate my supper with better ap
petite than usual, played with my cat and
went TO he'd, thankful that my days of bitter
sweet were over, and that l was not the
Mary Clarke who had to keep hot-headed
Jack from kicking up his heels and clearing
off for China. s-
was lingering over late breakfast the
next morning, when 4 heard the quick ring
of the postman, and ran to the door myself,
eager to learn the sequel Of my letter trag-
edy A hand thrust the mornings mail AZ
empty-brought the letter back to YOU"
And the busy man of letters was across the
street, leaving me speeches..
'N0 Mary Clarke at 81! Where is Mary
Clarke then, and who Is to be responsible
for this love affair now"
Staid spinster as / wasYi remembered
when my pulses beat high at 20. and when
had Jack across the seas; and some way
the remembrance OF ii, free as 1t was from
ali regret, made a sunsbiny corner in my
heart, into which this pair of lovers were
creeping would hunt up Mary Clarke.
resolved. 1t eonldn't be so hard thing in
this little town. She must have left her adj
dress with some Of the neighbors.
SO got into my street dress hastily. hur-
ried down TO 90, and found the dear old
house suffered and desolate. looking doubly
so in that trying season between winter and
spring, before the cr0cusses make up their
minds TO start. and the snow still fingers In
dirty patches on the brown grass.
] stopped moment, as always shall be-
fore the old place, to think Of my happy
childhood there. Then went and rang at
the house next door.
"Can you tell me anything of the family
who last lived in the Fielding house p i asked
of the woman who came to the door.
"Do you mean the Clarkes p" she replied.
Ell dop't know very much about them. They
were very good neighbOrs, quiet and gentle
like. Only lived here a short time, and
don't know where they are gone. Seems
kind O. lonesome to have the old place snut
up" she added, with touch OF sentiment
for which mentally blessed her.
"Can you tell me If there was daughter n
Miss Mary-oh. yes
And have you any idea where could hnd
their address,"
with eny of the neighbors; the owner OF the
house might have it-that was the only
person she could think Of.
thanked her and picked my slippery way
down to Mr.. Newman's dusty office, to find
it was in charge of an unusually witless at
tache, who didn't know of the Clarkes-
never saw the Fielding house. S'posed the
gunner would know when he came back,
but he didn't know when that would be, be-
cause he was away on business trip; might
where he was, he replied in answer to my
impatient inquiry he bad no idea, conclusions
left word for Mr.. Newman to call as soon
as hs returned, and after going back and
securing the entire neighborhood, without
success, there was nothing for me TO do but
TO return nome and trust the cause Of my
,6yerS to that special pr0yidence-pagan or
ChFistian--which looks after such things.
But couldn't get it out of my mind 1
the singeheartedness and energy OF an old
woman to whom live interest in life was
an event to be chrOnicled and set aside with
her few red-etter days. Those two miser-
able young things peopled my days and
danced through my nights till 1 developed
nervousness and felt my self growing thin.
Finally Mr., Newman came home, sooner,
on the whole, than / expected. l. saw
shadow on the path one afternoon as sat
sewing, and looked up to find him coming up
the walk
ran to open the door for him, and i'm
mediately began my inquiry. He gave me
little information. Mrs. Clark had not given
mp the house for good; she had made de-
post for the rent, and was coming back some
time, he did not know when. She had been
called away very suddenly, and had left no
address, as they intended to travel. He
didn't ask single question, but he looked
50 round and comfortable and sympathetic
that found myself telling him the whole
st9Iy-al my pangs and terrors.
a ne grew excited visibly as / went on, and
n nns yr very req and very earnest. he burst
put, thunder and guns, Miss Clarke! God
Diess my soul, Miss Clarke it's a shame. and
III tneTes anything can do In this matter.
you may depend on me- '
we chattea LOT while, and he left me feel
ing cRlmer than had since this letter came
Mary Clarke had doubtless written To her
Jack before she left, and things were poino
smoothly between them. Like fussy AZ
women geneTaIly, mad had my stew for
nothing-the heartache, the signs and aii
that were the inventions of my own senH
ment. began to be very much ashamed
then 10 feel injured and Indignant, as people
do who become conscious Of having their
sentiments trifed with.
This was Monday. / was justgettIng back
into my usual quiet mode of life when Thurs
day, coming home from market, found an
other letter for Miss Mary Clarke, in Jacks
nnmistakable hand-frm, plain, determined.
Like the first. it was addressed X street, and
had been forwarded to me by the chief at the
post Office who had known me ever since
was child, and he had given me shilling
bits. hesitated few moments aud then
opened 1t, feeling justified in seeking any
clew 10 this strange complication. / read
the following lines
am coming home to you. nv darling. to
you and all that is dear in life. God bless
you and your letter.
Yours, JACK EMERY.
Write me at Chicago, care Of Brown Bros.
Write himi
Wouldn't write himl / almost lost my
own Identity. thought myself that other
woman. young, and entered into the fulness
OF life and love. In my excitement even