Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-08-14

own letter, which have always carried
near my heart, which it well-nigh
broke
Thereupon he drew from his pocket
book the old, crumpled duplicate letter
which he had received from Mr.. Win
grove a year before. Ada seized it
eagerly, and with blanched face and
quivering lips hastily perused it's con-
tents.
Eyes, yes" she said, when she had
read the first few lines, that is what
wrote-that is-but not; no, this is all
wrong-I never wrote that L confess I
preter'-no, no, not John Harvey
that is not what I meant, but Richard
Fletcher, you, do you hear? Oh, how
has this fatal change been brought
about"
Richard Fletcher was more astonished
than ever, but he was for moment ut
terly at loss to account for Miss Win
groves reputation of her own words.
Surely" he. said at last, "no one
could have wilfully altered your letter.
But might not your father have acct
dentally substituted John Harvey's
name for miner"
"No," exclaimed Ada, "that could
not be. He could never have made
such mistake"
l.
er, after brief pause, "of comparing the
copy with the original?''
eyes" cried Ada, 81 have always
kept it. I have it here in my DESK
In few moments she found the
precious document and turning over the
leaves she exclaimed:
''See, here is what | wrote in my own
hand. Take it, read it, and Judge for
yourself"
Richard Fletcher took the letter and
perused it carefully, line by line, COM
pairing it word by word with the copy
which he held in his other hand.
There was no difference in the two, ex-
cept in the circumstance that whereas
the original covered four sides of sheet
OF small note paper, Mr., Wingrove had
compressed its contents within the
space of two pages.
EYES," observed Fletcher in calm.
cold voice, lit is an avowal of your love
for John Harvey and rejection of my
offer"
NO" exclaimed Ada, cit cannot be.
There must be some dreadful magic in
it. Give it to me-"
And she almost snatched her own let
ter from Richards hands. Then she
began to read aloud:
"My dear father-I have been think
ing long and anxiously over the propos-
ais made to you by John Harvey and
Richard Fletcher. | know them both
to be excellent men, and [ am sure that
one likes me as much as the other. But
o. the two | confess l prefer Richard
Fletcher"
"There, there !" she cried, Richard
Fletcher; see-read for yourself. There
is no mistate. 1t was your name l
wrote here, not John Harvey's."
0poo rooro Elotobar tool> 1otfor
and read it through carefully. turning it
over from page to page and comparing
one with another. He shook his head
doubtfully; then suddenly be started
with surprise.
ooh, heavens - he cried, ''there has
been indeed mistake, and ali dear
Miss Wingrove, it is of your own caus-
ing. [ see it all now. l, like your tath-
er, have read from page to page as in
book, while you intended that the third
page should follow the first and the
fourth the second, and thus the whole
purpose and meaning of your message
has been reversed"
And so it was. Let the reader revert
to the copy Of the letter as written
above, and he will see for himself how
the unlucky error arose. Transpose the
second and third pages as Mr.. Win
grove read them, and the names of the
two SultOrS Will change places.
Poor Ada She had only adopted
practice very common with ladies, and
had, moreover, forgotten to number her
pages.
1t was a sad mistake, and might have
been fatal one. Fortunately it was
found out, and repaired in time.
The end may be readily anticipated.
Ada Wingrove's wedding took place in
due course, but not with John Harvey
as her bridegroom. His treachery in
concealing the mistake he had discov-
cred, and in taking mean advantage of
it, was, of course, easily recognized, and
when he next called on Miss Wingrove,
he was informed that she was mot at
home"
Ada Wingrove, of course, made all
the usual promises at the altar, but af-
ter the ceremony her happy husband
reminded her that there was one which
had been forgotten.
"What is that, Richard ?''
will you VOW never again to write
page two upon page three, or page three
upon page two, so long as you live?"
And Ada answered, ST will"