The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-02-21
TIE LOST LETTER,
DY ANNA PIERPoNT SIvITER.

IL ANNA rIERPoNT sIvITER.
.Jimmy,' called Frank Hepburn, the
handsome young bookkeepcr for Wade
Brothers.
firm, as is usual in such cases, did not
hear. 1t is II singular fact, not yet ex-
planned, that deafness is more prevalent
among office boys than among any other
class Of wage-earners.
Jimmy!
Frank Hepburn called more sharply
this time, and Jimmy relinquished
his favoritc occupation of draw
ing --aats - with -A-->ss-
firms noteheads, and slowly approached
Mr.. Hepburn's stool.
\ Take this letter to the postofficc, and
< rop it into the box marked CITY, and
N quick, please
= Jimmy took the letter, placed it care
fully between his teeth while he put on
his hat and coat; nc then surveyed the
envelope closely, and asked:
"What's tha; mark in the corner for,
Mr.. Hepburn?'
''Olear out, you rascal" laughed the
young man. slightly coloring. ats a
secret society sign. Now go!"
As the boy passed from the office,
Weaver, the cashier, looked up and
yawned: "Wcll, it's my lunch time, I"
and minute later he was hurrying after
the lCisurely Jimmy.
''Im going past thc postoffice, Jim,"
he remarked, us ne overlook that youth;
give INC lIcpburn's letter and I'll d,5p
1t in for you.
ssgs-Jimmy, glad of an opportunity to en-
s>sgage In an interesting game of marbles
he saw being played round the corner,
willingly gave up the letter, and Weaver
passed down the street.
"Ah, that's the way the wind blows,
is it?'' he thought, glancing at the ad-
dress. Miss Bertha Wiley, 2l9
Madison avenue l thought that that
engagement was entirely broken off.
This dosen't look like it, but 1 mean to
know for certain"
Weaver had long been Hepburn 5
most persistent rival. The lady in the
case was prize well worth any mans
earnest efforts to win, and when Frank
Hepburn's engagement to her was an
nounccd, none of her admirers felt half
the chasrin that seized Weaver. He
had felt almost certain of winning
her himself mt one time, and i'll the ex-
pectation of handling he. snug fortune
had incurred certain debts which, ac-
cording to the rude fashion of oebts,
were now .'stariug 1Irnr III T1c- -rucor't.
Great, then. had been his satisfaction
engagement, and he Immediately called
Chn m
cordially and in the two succeeding weeks
he frequently repeated the call.
81 will strike while the iron is hot, "
he said to himself, and on this very eve
ming had determined to know his fate,
when the sight of ucpburn's letter upset
his plans.
-s-.,'''I will know what is in it, v he thought,
desperately. 81 can open tits very
S1Z,,clessly sealed. Hepburn can't ccmc
between us again, il | can help it,"
He hurried home, and holding the
envelope over a steaming Kettle in his
mothers kitchen, soon had its coveted
contents in his hand. 1t ran thus:
BERTHA, DEAR: was wrong, and yo,,
were right Can ] come and be forgiven?
have fine business offer from house in st.
Paul; if do not get a favorable reply from
you tomorrow, | shall accept 1t, and go i'm
mediateIy. Life without you is uncomfortable
here. FRANK
"You will get no answer tomorrow,
Weaver mu.tcrcd; land once safe in the
West, my coast is clear. What an idiot
to intrust all his happiness to a letter
But then, he's so terribly proud; ht
thought il would hurt his dignity less tt
write note than seek an interview"
Yes, Weaver was right Frank wa
proud, and :" was Bertha. A trivia
lovers quarrel had come between them
and Bertha, feeling sure Frank must sc,
in time he was wrong, did not try tt
right herself. She would gladly NEE
him halfway in any effort at reconcilia
tion, but farther than that her womanl,
sclf-respcct would not let her go. Mean
time her evenings were lonely, and whcr
Mr.. Weaver called, nc found her yer,
ready to be entertained. n
On the day after Weaver dtteinffcd thi
letter, he watched Hepburn narrowly
and saw nc was restless and nervous, an,
-hA night that he washable and weak. Tn
"gk'hg up Tor St Paul." Weave
cuSe." ' an cA
But Frank Uepburns was no ASST, nod
i,lncSS' "A bad case Of brain fever. " tb,
"octor sald, as he gazed with more than
ino'eHsiohai interest on the young man
yinS peiorc nm. His brown cycs voro
ta"o m'"' open and restlessly flying from one
,"oo 10 another, as if in search of one thai
never came while his parchcd tonpue
constantly formed the word Bertha y
gently and plcadingly spoken as lone -
NJ, ms strength permitted him to utter if
linen. as he became weaker. only half.