Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-01-15
81 Marpnret wrote as tolIows |:

So Margaret wrote as follows:
"MY DEAR Mr.. LEssING: My friend, Mis-
Norton has requested me to inform you o
her ser Gus illness, which deprives her OF tn,
plensure OF writing to you We hope she will
be better in few days, when she will speal
Tor herself and express TO you more eloquent
ly thanI can, the love which she wishes me tC
send. S merely your friends friend,
MARGARET HAMMOND"
This note was received by Mr. Lessing il
Western city, aud the return mail brought
to Leila a letter overflowing with sympathy
and love. He sent kind regards to Miss
hammond, and begged that she would be
his friend also, aud write to him daily dur
ing Miss Norton's illness.
Quite correspondence followed, for the
fair invalid was sure "John" would be un-
happy if he did not know the details of each
days convalescence, but in the course of a
week or two her health was fully restored,
aud after an aftectionate farewell, Margaret
returned to her own home.
y
How many changes take place in ten
years! Not only those caused by death, but
he inevitable changes of life. Youth is
transformed into maturity, and how many
Of its loves and friendships are discarded as
outgruwn garments.
But the friendship of Margaret and Leila
4 las withstood the test of time, though the
love of Leila and John has long been dream
of the past
Leila's heart now thrills with other hopes
and she is soon to be happy bride. She is
making a visit to Margaret-the last one be-
lore her marriage. She is but little changed,
has still the same winning, chldlike face
and figure.
Margaret has become thinner, a few
threads of gray CLEAN through her beauti-
a hoi hp m wit ct boc
u touch of primness. She has many friends,
but is still unmarried.
Leila" said she one day, "what became
Of John Lessing:n
II believe he went farther West How
strange his name sounds / have not
thought of him for years, and we were once
80 devoted to each other He used to sing
lis such a pretty song about Thine eyes
80 blue and tender.' One verse was some
thing like this
Thy lips are lie the roses
Under an azure sky,
Allured by their marvellous sweetness
How can | pass them by?
and just there he always kissed me. Poor
fellow! he felt dreadful when l broke the
engagement. He said he could never love
again, but here comes the postman. | won
der ii he has a letter for me from Clar-
ence."
There proved to be one, and Leila was
soon SO absorbed in it that she did not notice
Margaret was also reading letter.
Presently Leila locked up, with a smile of
satisfied vanity, and started with surprise
to see the expression of Margaret's face
"What is it!' she asked.
Listen" said Margaret; ''this letter is
from John Lessingn
my DEAR Miss HAMMOND: Pardon the lib.
erty l take in addressing you, but once you
acted the purt OF u friend to me and convinced
Inc that you have warm heart
DO you not remember that about ten years
ago you wrote me number of bright letters |
Tor your friend, Miss Nortoni
You and she were great friends in those |
days and have often wondered what has be. |
come OF you. Win you not be kind to me q ,ain |
and writer have heard no news from Eastern |
friends for some years.
several years ago 1 married, and ! had q |
happy home unit two years ago, when my wife
died have one little girl
Il have addressed you by your maiden name,
though l am uncertain whetheryou still bear II.
"A prompt reply will greatly oblige,
Very truly yours,
JOHN LESSING."
Well? what is 1t you wishl" she asked,
politely.
II want to see Miss Margaret Ham
mond."
II am Miss Hammond"
He qualed beneath the calm questioning
gaze of her clear eyes, and lost his usual
suavity of manner.
I" If you are, you might ask me to sit
down. l am John Leasing"
"Ob, no! l mean, yes sit down, l beg
your pardon.n
As you didn't know me-" said he, seat
ing himself, Il suppose l am not the
sort of aloolsnS fellow you took me for. If
so, can return the compliment"
"Thanks. You certainly exceed my ex-
pectations in many ways Did you have a
pleasant trip Easti"
"Oh, yes, pleasant enough. Had fine
weather all the way through"
1T has been delightful autumn"
The visible barrier of strange faces had
and paralyzed their minds.
They sat and solemnly prosed the drear-
lest commonplaces for few minutes, when
John suddenly remembered "a business en-
and departed.
He walked thoughtfully to the hotel,
went to his room, threw himself into an
and began to whistle dolefully
and out of time something which an mag
NATIVE ear might recognize as "The Girl
Left Behind Me- Finally he broke off
with total disregard of the keynote, and
exclaimed:
"By Jove an ugly ON maid"
AS for poor Margaret, d NArushed upstairs
and cried over the ruins her wrecked ro-
nance as heartily as thlyN she had been
ten years Younger.
Although they never saw each other
again, Margaret always hated John Less
ng, for at his hands the winspmc lover of
her dreams had met cruel death. Lillian !
IFearCr, IN BO ton BUDGET.
a HAUNTED GALLERY,