The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-19
HER LITTLE JOKE.

Miss Jocelyn is looking out of the win
dow. 1t is a drenching day, and there i
nothing to be seen but the garden, W til it.
heavy headed roses dropping under The
downpour, and the village street beyond
now fast becoming q rapid water course
81 call this the dullest place in exist
l ence," says Miss Jocelyn half aloud, 'tht
very dullest."
She does not finish her sentence, but
turns to tie massive pier glass to look al
the reflection of herself-a handsome CIR
in smart frock. After one glance she
turns back to the window with a sigh.
whats the use? One might as vel
wear sackclcth trimmed with ashes in this
| place for all the people there are to see
ones gowns. 1t was much more fun at
! school after all.
'Why"-suddenly craning forward-''it
that isn't that frumpy little Miss Blake
with Mr.. Stanford, and he is holding his
umbrella over her. She has got his arm
too. l wonder how he likes it. Poor man
I wonder if he ever notices whether a
woman is Cd and plain or young and
pretty
"Now he's gone splash into puddle,
and she is actually looking up at him and
blushing and Laughing. Oh, what Joke
Fancy her blushing! Why, she must be
forty if she's a day-quite forty. And
those little curls bobbing about as she
goesl
II wonder if her sister makes her wear
her hair like that. l wonder if she is in
love with hims Poor old soulr'
Mr.. Sanford is curate, but he is a man
first and afterward cleric. Strong, manly,
gentle, he plays cricket with the village
boys, is ready to gossip for few moments
with the old CATERS, is member of the
debating society as well as OF the rowing
club
But Miss Jocelyn is young, and is not
yet able to grasp more than the fact that
she is better looking and better dressed
than most of the girls whom she knows
So to her Ruth Blake is ridiculous
sight, and Mr.. Stanfords quiet courtesy,
which he would extend just as readily and
pleasantly to his washerwoman, is good
joke"
She watches them part at the Misses
Blakes' little green gate, and thinks she
can see Miss Ruth's upward glance and
smile at the fine face above her before Mr..
Stanford turns and comes striding and
splashing back through the puddles.
Then, having nothing else to do, Miss
Jocelyn plans a pretty little piece of mis-
chief which she promptly sets about carry
ing out She has one gift, this handsome
Miss Jocelyn; she is very skillful witk her
pen, and, after little practice, can initiate
almost any handwriting.
And now she remembers that there is in
the study a letter of Mr.. Stanford's to
her father, and her eyes sparkle with de-
light
What fun to send poor old Miss Blake
a love letter. Perhaps she has never had
one. 1t viii be kindness, positively
How she will blush and simper-silly old
thingi Well, serves her right When there
are so few young men in a place, what
business have old maids strolling about
with them under umbrellas?"
Miss Corneia's a-lying down, Miss
Ruth. She have one of her bad headaches,
and she says as how no one is to disturb
her. And your tea is ready and waiting,
miss
Ruth Blake turns into the prim little
dining room, seats herself upon one of the
straight backed chairs and begins to draw
off her brown cotton gloves.
She is an odd little figure, small and
slim, and dressed in hideous, Anticipated
plaid, with shades of glaring blue and
green; yet her fair hair-which the wind
and rain have ruffled and made to look like
a halo about her meek, small face-the pa
tient curve of her lips and her slightly
flushed cheeks, render her appearance not
altogether unpleasing.
She eats her simple tea quickly, glancing
from time to time at book which she has
propped up against the milk jug-a book
Mr. Stanford mentioned incidentally one
day, and which she had obtained from the
village library.
The next morning Miss Ruth gets let
ter. She knows the handwriting on the
envelope before she opens it.
Parish matters, of course" she says to
herself. Perhaps it's about the school
treat"
She opens the envelope, unfolds the note
within and is reading it slowly, when sud
denly she utters low cry, her breath comes
fast and the familiar world about her
grows in a moment strange and unreal
For it is love letter. She is thirty-three
and this is her very first.
And from such a mantle man whom
she has looked up to and reverenced and
followed so humbly and modestly ever
SlHCt Sic AISb saw DliIl4 pAC SOcS ~ IL W
breakfast with flushed face, quNering
lips and radiant eyes.
Miss Cornelia's just on the ramp this
morning, miss says the little maid warn
ingly as she meets Ruth in the narrow
passage that does duty for hall.
Miss Ruth mods and smiles as if this were
the pleasantest intelligence possible. Cor
nelias diatribes this morning fall upon
needless ears.
Ruth answers at intervals, Eyes, dear"
and mo, dear" and Il will see to it, sis
ter" as in duty bound; but her heart and
oul are filed with one thought-that won
derful letter.
After breakfast Miss Cornelia goes out
to visit her district. Then Miss Ruth takes
up her pen and writes trembhngly out of
the fullness of her heart:
DEAR Mr. STANFoRD-Your letter has sur
prised me very much. l scarcely know what
10 say, except that / am most grateful TO you.
1t is so good of you 10 love me as you say you
do, and love has always seemed such beauti- !
full thing 10 me, though / never thought that
ii was likely TO come to either my sister or me
But am very, very glad to have had your
letter, and shall always be so, even il you
change your mind, for, indeed, l am not
worthy OF all the kind things you say Of me.
sui, Whatever happens / ShAu Always leeA |
happy 10 know that you once thought as you |
have written. And beg you viii think the J
matter over well Though ii seems imperti- |
nent of me TO advise you, yet l think only Of /
your good. Ard 1 am Always your faithful /
friend. RUTH BLAKE
She reads the letter over several times,
and then shakes her head
How poorly have said iti' she thinks /
"But he is so kind; he will understand that |
! mean we'll
The curate, when he receives the gentle, 4
humble epistle, is filed with dismay. He /
naces WILDLY I'M and down his small sittinct- /