The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-06-10
KATHERINE GRAY.

endar, and there was one letter. This she
was reading. She made pretty picture
as she sat thus. With all the rest Of the
world she was having a holiday.
"I wish, she said-she had fashion
of thinking aloud when alone-'I wish
that this letter could have been delayed |
until tomorrow. / don't like being 50
disturbed on New Years day. There is
a saying that as the first day goes so goes
the whole year" Then she laughed and |
looked very pretty when laughing. 81
wonder if Tn to have proposal of mar |
riage every day in the year and feel as
bad about every one as l do about thisp |
Then she rose and walked to the mir |
ror. The reflection was not unpleasant; !
she smiled as she looked at it. But she
said: "There's no use in being Aattered
by the glass, Katherine; the fact re-
mains that this is your birthday and that
you are "a years old today. Here in my
hand is an offer Of marriage from an
eminently worthy and respectable man,
who would take you away from cell
20 and its 'kitcheny parlor air and set
you in O handsome home, where you
wouldn't have to hide your head in a bu-
reau drawer, bake and boil in a dish, or
eat 'boughten pie'-who would make
lady Of leisure Of you, and who, best Of
all, or what ought to be best of all, would
love you and be good to you. And yet, "
she continued, ''you hesitate. With little
lines coming around your eyes and
mouth, with work and weariness stretch
ing out indefinitely before you-you hes
itate. am surprised. You don't show
your usual business sense, your keen APP
probation of a good bargain"
Truly she was not insensible to the
material advantages that were offered to
herin thisl letter from Mr.. Browne, whole
sale grocer and dealer in canned goods.
AS she sat thus, with her hands clasped
above her head, she thought; eff it were
not for that letter received and answered
10 years ago today-the first Of the year
is a fateful day to me, SURELY know
what my reply would be to this one. If
could only forget, but l may as well
start my life anew today as any time"
Then she went to her desk and took
down the old calendar. you've had
your day, and you may as well go with
the rest. One nail drives out another.
Your successor is here with his ready
made wisdom. By the way, I'll see what
sort this is" she said. "It's some adver-
tising scheme, no doubt, but it may have
a message for me, just the same"
! She read:
"'Be more afraid of the companship
that enslaves than of the solitude that
leaves you free.' Use the Highfyer BIZ
cycle Best in the world"
She read the quotation twice, smiling
as she did so, and hung the new calendar
in its place.
At 2 o'clock she made a careful street
toilet and went out for her dinner. De-
termined not to dine alone, she invited
little Joe, the newsboy, who brought her
morning paper and who did small er-
rands for her and other occupants 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 de gang to de mission.
But dat" he said, "don't cut no fgger.
1 kin eat jes' as well fer all dat"
He verified his assertion. Katharine
never had a more satisfactory guest.
Katherine sat in the early winter twi-
light at her piano, singing some sweet
old song of her early youth.
Then there came a 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, ''Sta-
tistics show, Katherine, that women
over 30'-
Then the bell rang again. AS if wav-
ering little she glanced at the calendar.
Bravely the words shown before her
eyes, ''Be more afraid Of the companion
ship 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, forid also. This man was tall. Of
fine proportions, with clear cut features
and a fine mustache.
'lIiss Grayy he said interrogatively.
eyes"
} "Ny name is-but perhaps you re-
member my name, and the tall man
stepped unlimited into the room.
Eyes" she said, her eyes blazing. 81
remember you .a,ue. 1t is the name Of
the only MAJ who ever treated me with
disrea apect. Go back to the silence that
has covered you for years"
mot yet," he said. THE morning
mail brought me this letter that you
wrote me 10 years ago. You accepted
me then. You said that you loved me
I've the proof Of it in my hands," and
he opened a letter yellow and stained
"You say:
"'Dear Everil, P"-
"Oh, don't" she cried.
"Listen, dear, he said. "Sit down be-
side me while tell you. The postofice
in the city where we both lived 10 years
ago has recently undergone repairs. 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 a destina'
ton. For the words in the letter-they
are true now as then, are they not, Kath'
crime"
"Oh, don't l1now!' 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.
Ibad no idea where to look for you"--
"What do you think l must have en-
dured?" she asked.
'T don't dare think Of it" Then he