West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-02-28

cake or preserves, or anything OF that
sort, less trifing commission sent
OoN OF plcm Jam to them, n box that
ought to net me ten dollars at least"
That's Number Two. )" smiled Alice.
Excuse me for saying that have more
faith in Number Two than in Number
One"
the third"
"Yes," encouraged Alice, "tho
Il answered an advertisement for a
wife," whispered Libby, hanging down
her pretty head. ''Yes, Alice. i did.
You needn't start back in that traRlcal
manner. Other girls do it. why
shouldn't II Such beautifully-worded
advertisement A widower, all alone in
the world, siQhing for sympathy and
loye-a widower of means, Alicei"
"lIbby, you have done wrong" said
Alice, with a gravity that impressed her
young companion more than she would
have been willing to confess.
well, I've done it, and there's an
end Of the matteri" said libby, with a
rebellious shake OF the head. $50
no use in lecturing me. Unole Tom
shall find out that Pm not entirely with
out resourcesl A hundred dollars for
the story ,besides all the fame Il will
bring me, ALICE, ten dollars from the
plum jam-and there, you see, is enough
to buy quite neat little trousseau for
marrying the widower. People don't
launch out with silk dresses and dozens
OF underclothes as much rs they did ;
and-n
Libby" urged Miss Markham, ''are
you really In earnesti"
Libbie broke out into little hysteri-
cal laugh.
"Alice." said she, 'T've thought of
nothing else and dreamed OF nothing
else for week. And it's strange-so
strange that 1 never have received an
answer to any Of the three communica-
tions!"
Just then little Tommy, the youngest
hope OF the house of Morse, came trot-
ting across the sere meadow.
"Oh, look here, LibW said he. "The
storekeeper he's found n lot o. letters as
got hid away under the meal bags, where
they was sortin' the mail on Thursday.
They calculate as Pete, the puppy, done
it-he's chuck full of mischief and
tricks; and the stOrekeeper he give me a
lemon ball If I'd take these to you. /
was lickin' the inside of the molasses
keg, with Johnny Piper and Sam Stokes,
under the counter"
Libby grasped the letters, and even
by that imperfect light, Alice could see
the snow and crimson chasing each other
across her face.
They were already inside tho little
gate, and Libby caught at her com
panion's arm with nervous haste.
LET us go up stairs to your room,
Alice, she whispered. "There Is al
ways such a swarm of children In the
keeping-room, and one never can have a
moment to oneself. Besides, there is
only that lamp in the house, and / can't
read by candle-light."
Side by side, In the school-teacher's
apartment, by the light of the flicker
ing, strong Kerosene lamp, Libby
and Alice opened the letters.
The first, whose envelope bore the
stamp of the Titusheld Literary
Clarion, was brief enough The editor
regretted that Miss Morse's manuscript
had proved unsuited to his columns, but
would return it TO her address on the re-
ceipt Of sufficient postage stamps to de-
fray the cost OF transportation by mail.
"There's on end of thatr' cried
Libby, passionately, tearing the letter
in two and fiinging its fragments on the
ground.
The second was an elegantly. written
note, on scented and monogrammed
paper, from the Secretary of the
Woman's Barter Establishment, stating
that Miss Morse's kind favor per the
Rackawaxen Railroad Express, had
been sampled, and had unfortunately
proved to be below the standard which
the establishment had set up. The box
awaited her orders, and Mrs. Geraldus
Gooffreys remained ''hers truly" ETC.,
etc.
ats ell nonseusew cried breathless
Libby. STANDARD Of excellence, in
deed It's all favoritism. There's a
rIng-I know there is The whole thing
ought to be exposed through the news
papers"
The third letter was brief enough, It
was from we'll known lawyer in New
York, stating to Miss Elizabeth Morse
that her communication, together with
numerous others, had been found among
the effects of notorious swindler, who
had fed from justice about a week
previously. It was returned 70 her.
with Well-meant warning 10 avoid
such traps in the future Most OF his
dupes, IL was stated, had inc3osed money,
rings and photographs 20 him, but she
was fortunately among the exceptions.
Poor Libby she burst into angry
tears, with her head on Aires shoulder
"Oh, Alice" she cried, ''what fool ]
have been 70
And Miss Markham was endeavorinp
to console her, when Tommy came clat
tering up stairs TO shoHt at tho keyhole
that ''supper was ready, aud marm had
been frying fapjacks. and there was
some real maple molasses on the table,
better than that on the inside,Of the keO
at Billingses' storew
Alice went down. She knew that it
would give mortal offense 20 Mrs. Morse's
housewifely pride 20 neglect this snm
mons; but Libby flung n hood over her
head, and rushed out into the cold night
air
~ couldn't speak TO any ono Just
now" she pleaded. "You'll keep my
secret, Aiice-won't your
just there at the gate stood Job Lind
ley, a black shadow against the star
light
"Libbyw
10 was all that he said, but the ono
word was 90 full Of devotion ofloesianoo