The morning call., 1892-12-31
A POSTAL EPISODE.

~ L va AZ ~1 HoO ~ Hs
twas a pretty room, this cell 20. as Kah-
| crime Gray called her parlor and alcove
suite IN The Norman, Cedar street, Blank
| City There was piano, there were books.
easy-chairs. pictures, Besides the furnish
ings that In these days are called necessary
| there were the countless small things that
make a room something mora than mere
| SHELTER In the open CRATE the gas-iog
burned with irritating regularity and pre-
| cislon, Haunting its beauty in the face OF the
useful but unornamental steam-coil. Be-
hind CAV screen. slightly ajar. there was a
tiny gas-stove and a singing kettle; the
I Lalf-oi en- door Of a cabinet revealed ode
| pieces of china and shining silver.
This is what the sun shone upon through
| the big east bay-window on New Years
morning. This, and Katherine Gray at her
breakfast-table. The postman had made
his one round for the day. Some business
| house had sent her a calendar. and there
was one letter. This she was reading. She
! made pretty picture as she sat thus-the
| domestic signs and symbols were becoming
TO her; they gave her an air OF homelness
| that made;on wish for cup of the fragrant
| coffee, just for the sake OF seeing her pour
| it out.
| "I@ish," she said-she had fashion of
| thinking aloud when alone-"l wish that
this letter could have been delayed until TO-
| morrow. / don't like being so disturbed
| on New Years day. There is saying that
| as the first day goes so goes tbs whole
| year." Then she laughed. and she looked
very pretty when laughing Il wonder if
| Pm 20 nave a proposal OF marriage every
day in the year, ana feel as bad about every
| one as l do about thlSP
J. Then she sat down before the fire and fell
| into silence. Truly, she was not inSenSible
to ba ma tor mia taO hat off
| 10 her in this letter from Mr.. Browne, whole
sale grocer and dealer III aimed goods. She
| loved ease and beauty and luxury; she
could use them TO the adorniug of any posi-
| ton that might be offered her. She was
! tired of work and the continuous struggle
| for bread.
As she sat with her hands elasped above
her head she thought: IF it were not for
that letter received and answered ten years
ago to-day-the first cf the year Is lated
day TO me- 'snrey-L know what my reply
| would be to this one. II could only forget
but l may as we'll start my life anew to-,
day as any time.
Then she went 10 her-dpsk and took down
the old calendar. You've had your day.
and You may as we'll gu with the rest. One
nail drives out another. our successor Is
here with his ready-made wisdom. BY the
way, I'll see what sort this is" she said.
| IT'S some advertising scheme. no doubt;
but 1T may have message for me, just. the
same" She read: BE more afraid of the
cOmpan iDnship that enslaves than of the
solitude that leaves you Free Use the
Highfiyer bicycle. Best in the world"
= She read the quotation twice, smiling as
she did so, and hung the new calendar in
its place. Then she proceeded to set her
rooms in order. She cleared the little
table and cheerfulIy put the bread and
butter in such places as the ordinary
hOusekeeper knows not OF. She sang as
she washed the dainty plate and cup and
saucer. She did not mind that there was
only one.
|. Afer thfs she proceeded to do what nine.
out Of ten business women do en- their
| holidays. She took numberless stitches
here and there; she "did up'' bit of lace
| too fine for the aggressive laundress,
+ hands; she regulated sundry boxes and
drawers. and set in fair array her store Of
| feminine finery.
At 3 o'clock she made a careful street
| toilet and went out for her dinner Deter
mined not to. dine alone she invited little
Joe. the neysboy VINO brought tIor oIiIibt !,
paper and did small errands for her, and
other occupants of the Norman. 10 go with
her. - -
To. be, SIRE VIXEN she asked him if ne had
been 10 dinner he admitted that he had been
"wid. de gang to de mission. But dat" he
+ said,' don't cut no fgger.. l. kin eat jes as
well fer ali 'dat::'
+ He verified his assertion. Katherine never
had more satisfactory guest.
katherine sat in the, early winter twilight
at bier piano, singing some sweet old song of
/ her early youth. sc, - ..
Then there came a vigorous ring at her
door; 1t flashed across her mind that pos
ssibly Mr. Browne was going TO forestall ths
|; postnfau aud know his fate by word of
mouth. Before going to the door she lighted
the gas and went: to the mirror Standing
there she said; statistics show, katherine,
| that women oyer 3d.
Then the bell rang. again. AS il waver.
inga little. she glanced at the calendar
/ Bravely the words: shone before her eyes
f"Be more afraid OF the companionship that
ensayes than of the solitude that leaves
f:you Free,
"Ah, that helps" she said.
Then she opened wide the door.
/. 1t certainly was not Mr.. Browne VIII o
stood there. Mr.. Browne was shert@an ro-
tund. florid also. This man was tall, of fine
proportions. with clear-c1t~1eatlres and a
+ fiue mustsche.
Miss Gray 2" he said id-interrogatiyely:
Yes"
my name is-bnt perhaps you remember
my name" and the tau man stepped unin-
vlteti' into the room.
''Y es. she said. her eyes blazing. ST re-
member Your name. Lt;is, the name OF the
only man .%ho ever treated me with diSre-
.spec.., Go back into the silence that mas
| covered yOn for ten years. -
t. Not ayer," he said. "Ehe morning mail
/ brought me thiSletter :ythat you wrote ME
ten years ago, - You accepted me- then !;
|: you said that you: loved: me. I've the proof
/ IN my hands: and he opened q. letter yell
| low and stained: You say:
Dear Everiif-I-"' -
! "Oh, DON'T she cried.
| "Lsen. dear, The said; "Sit down beside
/ me whileI tell you. File postoffice lin the
| city where we both lived ten years ago has
| recently undergone repairs. "A package OF
| letters has been eKhumed by the gasftters
/ or plumbers This is one of them. j only
| hone the others have been forwarded to as
/ happy a destination. for the words in
| the letter-tbfy are true now as then, are
they mol kathertneY
| ION, don't know" she said. "
Find o6t dear; as quickly as you can.
| The years' have been long and hard. but
had no idea where to look for you.
''What do you think 1 must have en-
! durei?" she asked.
II don't dare think of it,. Then he add
ed, as ninesy;nlne men out of a hundred
or think ofit. We will forget the sadness
| of the past and plan for our future"
How did you find mei' asked katherine.
| - saw you at the restaurant where YOU
i were entertaining that little hoodlum, i
| knew you at once; there's no woman in the
| world like you. i, too, had a guest with
me, and could not follow you. But an hour
| later i caught the boy on the street. and by
my sitvery eloquence and dollar learned
| your name and where you lived"
My name ?"
"Yes. You might. have changed it-and
l,then-I should not be here"
/ Then Katherine told him of her fathers
] death, of the reverses that drove her into
I earning her own livelihood. of the circum
stances that set her in the business she was
| following, of her modest success, and then
| of Mr.. Browne.
That is all past" he said smphatically !;
especially Mr.. Browne. This il New
Years day. and it shall be, God helping.
| the beginning of love and hope and happi-
aess that shall last through all the years to
| come. 1t shall be the beginning of a com
| panionship that means not enslavement.
| but- the liberty yyherewith tove sats no froo