The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-12-17

Trouble is turning his brain, and of but
one thing is he positive-he will 60 no.
whore lest he should meet her who
goes everywhere.
Three weeks drag themselves along,
society people talk, and because she
hears what gossip says of him, and he
hears what gossip says of her, when
chance throws them together in street
car both are embarrassed and the re-
suit is formal bow from him and a
blushing smile from her.
"Good morning, Mr.. Winterhoff; it is
q long time since I-since we-since
anybody has seen you. II hope you
are well?"
Quite so, Miss Lea; and you?'
''Thank you, yes, Mr.. Winterhoff."
Good morning"
"Good morning"
Here the street car leaves the pas
sengers on the moist, tar-smelling
pavement, to 60 their different ways,
but when Mazda reaches home she
takes from her desk the invitation to
row, for second careful reading:
A., Ca, April 5, 189-.-My Dear Miss
MAZDA; The fair, warm weather, think has
at last settled enough for row on the river.
VIII you go with me tomorrow If the day 10
clear, or next day?-the first pleasant day, in
short?
What could be pleasanter or more to my
wishes than a row with you on a pleasant April
day, when we can float with the tide at will or
draw into some shady cove forrest? wish
could make 1t irresistible. Do grant me this
request, at least, and believe me as ever, faith
fully yours, ADRIANCE WLNTERHOFF.
i w
In tho afternoon.
She is replacing the letter in the en-
velope, folding it mechanically, when
by chance it falls from her hands to
the floor, and on picking it up she
turns it over, so that her eyes rest for
the first time on the tender and sug-
gestive words written on the fourth
page, hitherto overlooked. Selling her
writing materials, she dashes off Sec
ond answer to make wrong right,
which, alas, is read by Winterhoff a
few hours later with this interpreta-
ton:
A., Ga, April 20, 1S9-.-My Dear Mr.. Win
terhofi: After meeting you in the street car
to-day wordefed q good deal at your manner,
so when came home took out your letter.
which happily I had not destroyed, and read it
over carefully to see II it showed any signs of
| mental alteration to excuse your reserve to
yo1r friends.
row, do you not know me better than to write
in this way to me2 Such things are folly
enough In other ways, but when it comes to
written words upon which SO much depends
how can one be so wild?
NY friend, forgive this scolding; 1t is because
am your friend that I write thus. Did not
dare to speak frankly, where now would our
long valued friendship be? AS always, very
sincerely, MAZDA LEA
'She need not have rubbed it in a
second time" he groans, for the poor
fellow is hard hit, and matters, far
from being mended, are made worse
Of course, he sends no second answer,
and she, too. is hurt. A chance comes
presently to both the unfortunate ones
to free their minds. and he, on his part,
is eager to let her know, quite imper-
soI,ally, what he thinks of her, sex gem
era:!y, while she is ready to explain
away her abject apology by frigidity
of manner when they meet
1t was at q lawn party, so notable
an event that even Adriance, with his
neNly-acquired eremite habits, could
hardly pass it bw He was carrying
for his hostess some long sprays of wild
Cherokee roses, when he felt them
catch on some one in the throng, and
turned to find his captive was MAZDA
Lea.
''Oh, IL beg pardon" he colors and
falters. "Let me free your dress from
the thorns."
'Thank you," MAZDA says, stiffiy,
STOPPING to help in the disentangling
though her hands are full of bright-col-
ored hyacinths. 1t seems necessary to
say something.
Roses are so persistent" she faiters
finally.
"And at first sight, too," he responds,
struggling hard to make Jest of some
kiRa 'They seem determined to make
Low friend. There goes the last one.
| Good afternoon, Miss Lea-or-no," he
stands still with the roses, tone minute
why were you SO careful not to let an
old friend-oh, hang this nonsense, Miss
MAZDA, can't keep up stage talk-why
would not you go rowing, and why did
you write second time to tell me !
was a fool?"
II did not write second time to tell
you any such thing-l wrote again to
explain"
"Yes, you made things as clear as
mud
ibid yon read it all?"
"Why, yes, it was only two pages. "
"Pardon me, it was four"
A pause, and then, looking up she
said sweetly: "Will you please go
home and read my second answer
straight through, as you read a book
no skipping about, but first page first,
second page second and so on to the
end?''
II need not go home, Miss Lea, al
ways carry my letters with me-" He
takes it from his pocket and together
they read it
A., Ca, April ce, 1s9--. NY Dear Mr..
Winterhoff: After meeting you on the street
car to-day wondered good deal at your man.
ner, so when came home took out your let.
ter which happily had not destroyed, and read
1t over carefully to IL it showed any signs of
mental alteration to excuse your reserve to
your friends
A c.. y