Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-04-18
P Q. R.

- " Il
'P. Q. r., Miss RUSSELL 1 had never
noticed your initials ran so.
"Yes. Wouldn't you think might
have them to myself9 But don't; there
is another Priscilla @. Russell in town.
Our letters are continually mixed"
do you know her?''
''No, " contemptuously. "She lives
somewhere at the End. "
"What a strange prejudice it is that
you 'Old Towners' have against the poor
jewellers in the other wards. Can you
explain it2'
81 can do better than explain it. 1
can show you letter forgot to return
to the postman"
As the girl rose to find the letter, it
occurred to Clarke that reading thus un-
tremendously note intended for an
other was scarcely honorable. But in
the same moment he reflected that it was
hardly possible to say so to Miss Russell.
he had, besides, but that moment, for
the note was lying on the table, and the
girl, taking it frcm its envelope, handed
it TO him open.
Somehow reluctantly the young fellow
took it.
BINGHAM, April 18th.
DEAR PRIs. VIII meet You Friday, at
Z % P. NJ, at lamp-post top of Park street.
Yours, RoB,
''She lives at the End" said Miss
Russell with soornful emphasis.
cit is probably some servant girl"
sit may be. But it is hardly pleasant
TO have my letters mixed with that crea
lures"
And Miss Russell, with a shrug of her
shoulders, tossed the note back on to the
table.
Some ten days later, at small private
gathering, Clarke having just entered
the room, his host, casting a compfehen-
sive glance around, took him by the arm.
81 am going tie introduce you to that
pretty girl over there; the one in the
white dress. Consider yourself fortunate,
my boy, She is a rising belle. l give
YOU the start. May you profit by it
Miss Russell, may introduce my friend
and college chum, Mr.. Clarke2 Mr..
Clarke, Miss Russell"
And the dappef little Wendell moved
lightly off, leaving his friend bowling to
3 slender girl, with soft brown hair,
long-lashed gray eyes, and almost color
less lace.
Gan insipid novel reader" Clarke de-
cided mentally; Harvard post graduates
being somewhat given TO rash judg-
ments. Aloud he said
"From what Wendell tells me, Miss
Russell, you have not been long in Bing-
ham2H
"Throe months. But I already begin
10 feel quite at home"
"Indeed? l have heard many say that
Bingham is hard place in which to get
acquainted. You have evidently not
found it SO.
ono. But am speaking not so much
Of acquaintance as of my own feelings.
Do you think that it is going much into
society that makes one feel at home in a
placer
The gray eyes were turned on Clarke
with such depth of inquiry that the
young man suddenly recalled his rash
Judgment.
"Well-1 don't know. That depends
I suppose, What-may I ask What
has made you feel at home7'
The girl smiled refectively.
81 can hardly say. Perhaps, as much
as anything, my work with the boys
1.-THE boys?"
"Yes. Surely you know Of the Union
for the working boysl go there to help
entertain them. At home we had some.
thing very similar. l think l missed it
as much as anything when l first came
to Bingham"
Here was a subject to enlist the atten-
ton of the divinity student. Clarke and
his new acquaintance were soon absorbed
in its discussion.
Miss Russell's heart was in her work
her face kindlcd as she spoke of her ex-
perienCes, Some were very droll, and
and her eyelids drew together merrily as
she told them; but there were also some
piteous little tales, and in the telling of
them, her gray eyes grew unafectedly
moist.
Clarke listened and looked.
"Wh8t Madonna. like facet be
thought, forgetting entirely his first esti-
mate.
"You must visit the association, Mr..
Clarke. 1t is open every evening. l am
there Thursday, and will be glad to you
show everything. l should be particu-
larly glad to enlist you" she added with
a low laugh and so dextrous an emphasis
that Clarke was unable to place it.
"Thank you. l shall certainly GO
One rainy Thursday, almost year
later, as the rooms of the Unicn were be-
ing closed for the night, Clarke stood
holding Miss Russell's umbrella while
she drew on her gloves. Noting a
monogram on the round top of the sill
vcr handle, he raised it to the light.
''R, for Russell, he said, trying to
decipher it, and Q for queer, and"
''Aud for pert, Mr.. Clarke. Come,
my gloves are on, and if you mean tc
escort me home, you had better start
John is closing"
And Miss Pnssell, gathering up her
skirts, started down the long stairs soft
ly humming a song that the boys had
been practicing. Fortunately she could
net see the expression on Ciarke's fsct
as he slowly followed, nor read in his
chaotic thoughts.
"R. Q. P, ?. Q. R. How strangei
But she doesn't live at the End
And Priscilla Russell, during the short
walk, wondered what had happened to
her usually laxative friend. She would
have been decidedly astonished to see
the whirl of thought in poor Clarke's
brain, and know his sense as of loss as
he walked hurriedly back to his rooms,