River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-02-09

men viii oCECnC AhNChoA'eNANN
she went back to the dead days; TO the
days when she was a happy girl in her
fathers house, when life had no
anxious cares, when Walter Sherman
was her lover. She went so far as TO
read over the tender missives received
from him during the boy and girl period
of their acquaintance. The dainty af-
fairs all flowers and paper lace. with
hearts transfixed by cruel arrows, on
which he assured her of his deathless
devotion and of his fixed and unaltera-
bic intention to be her valentine. Then
the small. package of letters after he
had lessthe little towu-then the one
in which he had formally asked her to
marry him. II, too. reached her on
Valentines day, As he meant it should.
She read il over. How full of truth
and manliness the words seemed. She
blushed, remembering her frank and
fond response to the letter. She re-
membered that she had written as
one who felt the dignity and the
joy of loving. And from that
day to this. more than sixteen years,
no word or sign had come from him.
Then she grew indignant and angry,
and. putting all the keepsakes back in
the box, closed it with a snap and con-
signed IL once more TO the depths of
the trunk. Some day she would de-
stroy it altogether.
Then she made careful street tot
let, and went out for her dinner. On
the way she met little Joe, the news
boz who brought her morning paper
= 4 To- ha, nd
the other occupants of the Aberdeen
and invited him to take dinner with
her
To be sure when she asked him il he
had been to dinner he said that he had.
but that ''diin't cut no figger; he was
mostly alters hungry anyway"
lie verified his statement; no hostess
could wish for a more appreciative
guest
Two hours later. as Alice br ave in a car
dinal tea gown. sat in the rosy glow that
the flames of the gas log were dutifully
trying TO throw about her, there came
a vigorous ring at her door. IL flashed
across ter mind that possibly Mr.
Browne was going To forestall the post
man and know his fate by word of
mouth. This possible Impotence ac-
centuated the no that she intended To
Oestow upon that gentleman.
Turning ON the gas, and giving
quick glance at the mirror, she opened
wide the door.
II certainly was not Mr.. Browne who
and rotund. fiorid also.
This man was tall, of fine proper
tons, with elear-cut features aud fair
mustache.
Miss Gray" he said. interroga-
tiveiy.
Yes
My name is-but perhaps you re-
member my name?" and the tall man
stepped unlimited into the room.
Yes she said. he- ewes blazing. II
remember your name. IL is the name
OF the only man who ever treated me
with 1isrespect 60 back into the
silence that has covered you for these
fifteen years"
Not vet" he said. The morning
mail brought me this letter that you
mailed me 50 long ago Listen" he
said. impetuOusly; sit down beside
me while tell you. The post office in
the little city To which this was sent
has recently undergone repai-s- a
package of letters has been exhumed
by the gas-fitters or plumbers This Is
one OF them. l only hope the others
have been forwarded to as happy deS-
tinatiou. And the dear words in the
letter-they are us true now as they
were then. are they not, Alice?"
III. don't know" she said.
''Find out as quick as you can, dea-.
the years have been long and hard. but
these eight hours have been-tOrture.
What do you think have endured?'
she aSxed.
Il don't dare 20 think of it
Then. as ninety men out of a
hundred would have done, he added:
I've will not talk about il, or even
think Of l. We will"
"How did yo find me?" interrupted
Alice.