The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-07-04

But then, when came to think il
over 1t was grand excuse for opening
a correspondence with the one I loved
so fondly, and whom / now realized
was so dear TO me.
So l turned to my desk and wrote
two letters-one to Ollie and one to
Phil. The former was composed ot
three sheets, written on one side; the
latter of the missing page, and an ex.
planatory note. 1t was only by hur.
rying that was able to deposit them
in the post Office before the mail closed.
l did not wish to wait an instant
longer than necessary, and the sequel
convinced me that the fates were in
league with my actions.
Though / did not know it at the time,
two interesting scenes transpired TWEEN
ty-four hours later. One was in my
friend and collaborator's, Phil Hough's
law Office, and the other in the boudoii
of Miss Ollivette l}erne, Cincinnati
Ohio.
The first showed my esteemed part
ner handling bulky mass of MS. A;
last he takes out few leaves, slips be
tween two of them third abstracted
from an envelope, and reads:
"Gustave threw himself at the feet
of Beatrice, and exclaimed: Darling
you have in your possession a maga.
zine which l loaned you three months
ago. 1t contains a poem by the late
DR.. Reed, and my brother has written
me for it. Could you not manage tc
send it to me by mail tomorrow?
am very sorry to trouble you, but you
see am under an obligation to do so,
"'What is my answer?
"But Beatrice had fed like frighted
fawn through the shrubbery."
Puzzled and annoyed by the non.
sense, the lawyer throws the manu-
script on the floor and emits not very
complimentary remark concerning my
self.
The other scene is less disturbing.
Ollie holds letter postmarked Elmo
in her hand, and with shake of the
envelope opens it. She recognizes the
name of her former admirer, and with
eager eyes scans the first page:
"ELMo Aug. 81.
''DEAR FRIENDIOLLIE You will no doubt be
surprised to hear from me, for it has been
some time since you left us for the pleasures Of
life in u great city. But have good excuse
for writing SINCE
The leaf is slipped behind, and the
flush that has tinged her face deepens
as she reads the next:
my heart is in your keeping. Since the day
we first met have loved you, devotedly pas.
sionately, tenderly. Eternal and unchanged as
the everlasting rocks is my love, and believe
1tsnt y,,Nfg u
liable of hope. Tell me that you will be my wife,
and that soon. II you do not, my life will be
one sad waste of drearincss."
Another leaf is transposed, and she
reads on:
There is little in the way of news here am
devoting my leisure to literary work. Will get
down to see you some day.
Yours sincerely,
FRANK RADwAY."
1 was sitting in my Office the second
day thereafter, when postman threw
on my table the mail. In the package
was a dainty envelope. / recognized
Ollie's handwriting in the address, and
tore it open the first of all. 1t as
founded me; I could make nothing of it
either the girl was insane or was.
The more L studied it the more 1 was
u.ySUlueu, anu Jlle TeSulU WAS d Uele-
gram sent to Phil, saying:
"Come up on the noon train; very i'm
portant."
He obeyed and stallked into my office
at nightfall
"Well," were his first words, "what's
up now?"
Everything" was my reply. "LoolS
at that letter and tell me what it says,
what it means, and whether 1 am crazy
or not"
He took it and read:
CINCINNATI, Sept. /.
"MY DEAR FRANK:-I was exceedingly
pleased to receive your tender letter. had
not forgotten you, and your loving words
aroused the responsive chord in my heart that
has so long been yearning for the true musi
clans touch.
II was surprised to receive so sudden decla.
ration of love from you, however. 1 was not
prepared for It,
1T seems to me that ought uot to give you
an answer until you have seen my father a
proceeding which will not delay it long hope.
Come down and see us, Frank.
Yours sincerely, OLLIE"
A prolonged whistle from PhiPs lips
woke the echoes of the law office.
well, what do you think of it?"
asked
'Think of it?" was Phils enthusi.
astic reply. "Why L think you the
luclsiest dog on earth. How in the
word did you develop the nerve to do
it?"
do it? 1 didn't do it. / wrote her
the most commonplace kind of letter,
asking for the return of magazine,
and She"
Say" interrupted Phil, 'did it con-
tain poem by the late DIR. Reed? and
had your brother written for it?"
eyes, but how do you know of it?"
For reply, Phil took from his pock-
ct the sheet had sent him for the MS.
Does that belong to our great Amer
lean novel?" he queried.
mo" replied, more tangled than
ever, sit belongs to the letter wrote
Ollie Berne."
"You may have intended it for her,
but you sent it to me. And the love
declaration which was to climax our
story has gone to the young lady, and
been accepted in good faith by her."
What shall do?"
go ahead" Phil advised. "She
loves you. Go down to Cincinnati, and
act as though you meant it."
After thinking it all over, / took
Pills counsel and the result proved
that he was eminently level-headed,
for Ollie and were married at the
holidays.
The great American novel was never
finished, and somehow 1 lost interest
in it.