People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-01-12
COPYRIGHTED By LBLlPPNcoTT CoMpANY

her dutiful son had said to her only
the night before, AZ at once said to
him
Where have You been, my son?
You have quite neglected our guest,
Miss johnson. Let me present You to
her. Miss Johnson. this is my son
Royal. Miss Mai Johnsoa. Royal. l
shall expect you to be very attentive
to her, Tor owe my life to the brave
girl"
Mai hardly knew what to say. but
had sufficient self-possession TO greet
the Young man withformal potitencss,
very much as if she had seen him be-
fore and was pleased 10 renew the
acquaintance.
why, you have met before9"
Yes, mother. before you came
used TO call occasionally at the light.
house. am deeply interested in such
things, and, naturally enough, saw
Miss johnson several times, and learned
to respect her greatly"
Dear me! How very fortunate that
was. You must do everything YOU caa
to make Miss Johnson's visit pleasant
for her."
Just here the Judge said that, as
they were approaching New London,
he would go down and look after the
baggage. 1t did not seem to enter the
younger mans head that he might
nave offered to attend to this duty. He
seldom did offer any assistance to the
man whose bread he ate. His nature
was not of that kind, for selishness
was its only guide. 1t would be pleas
amer to stay with Mai Johnson; and
stay he did.
oh said Miss johnson, abruptly,
Il forgot my letter l intended to
have mailed it before we started"
Royal Will attend to it when we
land"
Certainly, will. Give tito me now
and l will see that it is put in the box
before our train starts.
Its not sealed yet. l wanted to
add Your address in New York"
You can add it now. Here's a
pencil. No. 60 West Thirty-ninth
street. Sixty-nine-thirty- Easy
to remember"
Without thought she added few
penciled words to her love-letter, sealed
it and gave it to the young man. He
took it, put it in his pocket and
assured her it should be deposited in
mail-box the moment they landed.
Life turns on trifes As the boat
drew up to the dock at New London
the young man went below, to be near
the gangway and so ashore with the
letter. He would show this girl every
attention and begin by doing this little
duty for her. There were many people
crowded about the edge OF the boat,
waiting for the gang plank to be put
out, and as he stood by the rail, look.
ing at the men busy preparing for the
landing, he took out the letter.
just rs ! thought It's for the
blond giant Love letter, l dare say.
What arrant nonsense! He's her
brother. No. Can't be. Cousin, per-
haps, The very first day saw her
they behaved more like lovers than
like brother and sister. Tsaid at the
time they were engaged. Well, l sup
pose | must deposit the letter and trust
to luck. I'm on the ground, and that's
something in such an affair"
The garg-plank was put in place, and
with the crowd he pushed over it on
his way to the station. Just as he
stepped upon the bridge a man behind
him fixing rope struck his arm. and
the letter slipped from his hand and
fell into the water. To his
dismay, it floated for an
instant, and then went wavering
down, fading into the dark-green
water. The people behind pushed
him gently forward, and he was forced
to move on towards the wharf.
What should he do about it? Go
back and tell the girl? That was the
proper thing to do, There were many
people coming ashore, and he was de-
tanned for moment on the dock.
He hesitated. Why do anything
about it? Letters were sometimes
lost in the mails. 1t was so easy, 50
easy, and so much more pleasant, to
do nothing.