The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1890-03-08
THE LOST LOVE-LETTER,
How Jessie's Forgetfulness Nearly
Wrecked Two Lives.

A~os ~ duAIh SuC
cession from number of tiny threats
and group of children were scam perine
all over the garden of a suburban resi-.
dence Of New York.
Little girl, little girl" said a voice
from the other side of the hedge, will
you please do me favor?''
EYES, SIR" replied the little maid.
Snow tell me, are you not visiting TO,
few weeks at this house?"
eyes, sir, am'-rathcr curiously
this time.
'Then, of course, you know Miss
Ellsler, the governess?"
"Oh, yes, sir, she just went into the
house. Shall tell her you want her?'
"Oh, no, but would you please give he1
this letter?''
certainly, sir; I'll take it right in tc
her." and she was moving away.
mo, dear, don't do that; wait till she
comes into the garden-she will like it
BETTER" he added, blushing very red, as
he turned away.
Now, little Jessie could not play tag
with letter in her hand, and as she
could not deliver it at once, began
thinking where she could put it for safe
keeping.
"Oh, there's a place." she thought,
and without more ado she squeezed it
under the loosened bark of an old elm
tree which grow close to the house and
returned to her game. Childish sports
have not usually an all-important i'm
preston on the affairs of their elders,
but that afternoons game of tag was
fraught with destiny, changing the cur
rents of two lives almost to their utter
ruin, for Jessie in the excitement of her
play forgot the letter entirely.
Miss Ellsler, the governess, had been
happy during the early part of the day,
even till late in the afternoon, but as
darkness fell and bedtime came heavi-
ness at the heart possessed her and she
was thankful when she found herself
alone in her room.
'Oh, birdie!" she cried, addressing the
only confidante she had-a golden ca
nary, now quietly asleep-''h has broken
his word; he has not come. What shall
do? Must 1 live this drudgery all my
life, made doubly heavy by him? Oh,
why did he speak to me at all? He
knew l was only a governess. Why tell
me OF his wealth and ambitions-whv
draw from me my story of daily humili-
alton if he had no comfort to offer?"
And all the while the leaves of an old
elm tree were brushing the mosqu ito
bars as. if to say:
"Come and play with us, we know
something; search our old trunk where
the bark is loose and find reason whv."
Let us accept the invitation and lust
read the letter.:
my OWN DARLlNG: May I call you 50? I
promised to let you hear from me to day how
you could better yourself in the world, and T
think you must have guessed, dearest the way
should suggest. II your life is half as burden
some as you say, I entreat you to give me the
sweet Joy of ministering to your comfort Be
my wife and make me happy. as shall strive
to make YOU hasten this avowal, as I sail for
the South in a week or two, to be away MANY
many years Your No will be the death of me-
Consider we'll, but let me hear not later than in
three days time OF my great good fortune If
No. let.your silence tell me; it would pain me
less. In deepest love and anxiety, yours de-
votedly ROBERT HICKMAN"
A few days later at breakfast Miss
Ellsler dropped her knife and fork on
her plate and reeled senseless from her
chair to the floor when Mr. haywood
read from the paper that Mr.. Robert
Hickman had sailed on the Cambria for
South America, to- be absent many