The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-12-17
A MEDLEY OF LETTERS,
A Society Fad and the Trouble It
Caused.

He writes at his desk, in a dingy Of
fice, his eyes lifted now and again to
glance longingly out of the wide win
dows toward the low-lying meadows of
the Savannah river, now broadened by
spring rains. He is a comely young
person. and the bright April morning
Is cloudy in comparison with his sun
shiny personality. There is an elastic
ity about his fingers as he scribbles
along; no typewriting machine for
him, It you please, when writing to
Miss Mazda. Lea. Can a machine in
terpret blush or the trembling uncer-
tainty Of line? Adriance Winterhoff
takes his heaviest linen note paper and
the stubbiest of his stub pens when he
begins to make ready, then, placing the
date at the top of the first sheet, pro-
ceeds in leisurely manner to cover
the rest of the page with tolerably
moderate words:
a. Ca, April 5. 1s9 My Dear Miss
MAZDA: The fair warm weather. think has
stlast settled enough to make it pleasant for a
row on the river. VIII you go with me to-mor-
row II the day Is clear, or next day-the first
pleasant one. in short?"
L.
following the latest fad, turns his note
paper over and continues withgrowine
ardor to fill up the outside or fourth
page: ga~
MY heart is set upon this row, my dear Miss
Mazda, for have something TO say 10 you
something which I have long waited to saw.
somethlng Tor which even spoken words are in
adequate, and which cannot put on papcr 1
will wait your answer with much anxiety-ah.
II You knew how much-'thou couldst not,
womdst not shalt not say me nay"
Turning his m3ch tortured paper now
inside out, he begins anew, and ends
the letter by filling up the second and
third pages:
what could be pleasanter or more to my
wishes than Q row with you on soft April day,
when we can float with the tide at will, or draw
into some shady cove to rest? I wish could
make II irresistible. Do grant me this request.
atthe least and believe me as ever, faithfully
yours, ADRIANCE WINTERHoFF
VIII call for You at any hour you will name
In the afternoon"
This letter reaches Miss Lea in the
usual course of events, and in a few
hours her answer returns to Adriance
Winterhoff:
A., Ga, April s, 1889 My Dear Mr.. Win.
terhoh: Your invitation has most tempting
sound and wish could let you know how
sorry am to decline It, but the prosaic reason
Is that have engaged dressmaker for two or
three days and do not really feel justified in
leaving her. am very sorry to disappoint YOU.
but trust you will find another companion and
Will have much pleasure in your lovely exercise.
Hoping to see you soon, very sincerely yours,
MAZDA LEA.
r 3. do not suppose the masculine mind
can grasp dressmaker, but refer you to your
mother and sisters"
1t is straight-out-from- -the-shoulde
blow, albeit it is SO daintily dealt, and
Winterhoff receives it in full force. In
his inexperienced youth, lie vows
that he will never trust another woman.
Had it been anyone but MAZDA, whose
clear gray eyes look ed so witchingly
at him under her big shade hat behind
her dotted veil--but there it is again, how
can man tell how a girl looks when
he dare not look at her? And the ex-
cuse, so frivolous as to make a bad
matter worse! A man would have said: