The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1893-08-17
tile table, and chcerfully put the bread

sang as she washed the dainty plate aud
cup and saucer. She did not mind that
there WAS only one.
After this she proceeded to do what
nine oVt of ten business women do on
their holidays. She took numbcrlrs-
stitches here and there she ibid up" Il
bit of lace too fine for the aggressive
lnndrrss' hands she regulated sundry
boxes and drawers, and set in fair array
her store of feminine tinery.
At three o'clock she made careful
street toilet and went out for her dinner,
Determined not to dine alone, she in
vited little Joe, the newsboy who
brought her morning paper, and who
dill small errands for her and other oc-
cupants of the Norman. to go with her
To be sure. when she asked him if he
had been to dinner. he admitted that he
had been "wid lie gang to de mission
But dat. :" he said. don't cut no tiggcr.
kin eat jcs' As well fer all dat"
lie verified his assertion. katherine
never had more satisfactory guest.
"Ner bet it was tully." he said the
next day to a properly envous crowd of
boys "None o. YOU fellers ever seed any
thing like it. Twas IA way-up restrent,
where dey have chany wild flowers onto
it, an silver an glass things wot don't
know der names of. An with table
cloths an napkins wot ! used jes' like
genlem does, an "A waiter wot stood be-
hind my cheer an waited on me like he
did de rest He didn't dast do nothink
else wild Miss Grays eyes lookin right
at him. An dere was soup an turkey,
an inguns. an jell, an ice-cream an pie,
an puddin'-an' | was on'y sorry Id
filled up so at de mission
IL.
katherine sat in the early winter
twilight at her piano, singing some
sweet old song of her early youth.
She loved music. and not even the de-
mands of the real estate and insurance
business had kept her from study and
practice.
Then there came Il vigorous ring at
her door. 1t flashed across her mind
that possibly Mr.. Browne was going to
forestall the postman and 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
over thirty
Then the bell rang again. As if way
ering little, she glanced at the calen-
dar. Bravely the words shone before
her eyes abe more afraid of the com
panionshp that enslaves than of the
solitude that leaves you free"
"Ah. that helps" she said.
Then she opened wide the door.
1t certainly was not Mr.. Browne who
stood there. Mr. Browne was short and
rotund; iorid, also. This man WAS tall;
of fine proportions, with clear-cut feat
ureS, and fine mOustaChe.
Miss Gray he said, interrogativc-
" .yes.v
My name is-bnt perhaps you re-
member my nance" and the tall man
stepped unnvtcd into the room.
YES" she said, her eyes blazing; II
remember your name. 1t is the name of
the only man who ever treated me with
disrcspcct. Go back into the silence
that has covered you for ten years"
Not vet" he said. "'rhe morning
mail brought me this letter that 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 IA letter yellow and stained.
Iou say
"Dear Everill-I'-"
ooh, don't" she cried.
"Listen, dear" he said ",it down be-
side me while | tell you. The post-ollice
in the city where we both lived ten
years ago has recently Il idergone re-
pairs. A package of letters has been
eXhumed by the gas filters or plumbers.
This is one of them | only hope the
others have been forwarded to as happy
destination For the words in the
letter,-they are true now AS then; are
they not, katherine?"
"Oh, don't know. :" she said.
Find out. dear. AS quickly as you
can, The years have been long and
hard but these last eight hours have
been torture | had no idea where to
look for You -
what do YOU think must have en-
dured?" she asked.
Il don't dare think of it," Then he
added, as nnety-nine men out of IA hun
dred would have done; 1--WE won't talk
about it or think of it. We will forget
the sadness Of the past, and plan for our
future"
''IIow did you find me- asked kath
crime.
Il saw YOU at the restaurant where
YOU we've entertaining that little hood
lum knew YOU at once. There is no
woman in the world like YOU. |, too,
had Il guest with me, and could not fol-
low YOU. But an hour later | caught
tile boy ON the street. and by my silvery
cloqucnce and II dollar learned your
name and where YOU lived
"My name:"
"Nes. You might have changed it
and them should not be here.
Then katherine told him of her ia
Tiers Ienth of he rpyprses that drove