Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-03-22
:. AaLOST~L0!V'lE.

~ - e-->s>-
much time In counting he chose this way
Of proposing. 49,. q. g.. =.
Priscilla wore a gown of muslin, and
at the belt hung two scarlet pockets as
was the custom in those olden times. Ru
ben, having penned declaration one aft
srnoon, took the opportunity (for ne was
timid many of slipping the note into one
nj these pockets when she was not look
ing.
Then he took his leave and waited pa
tiently for an answer But none ever came
Poor Ruben was not one to risk his
fate q second time, and he ceased his
visits to the home of the JAMS. After
awhile he went away to England, and
aame rather celebrated as scientific man
The bashfulness of youth gone by, ne
became a grave, gallant gentleman OF the
cd school, and he had his admirers even
among our sex, but he never fell In love.
and he never married.
At SO years of age he took 1t into his
head to see Newport before he died. In
those years it had become fashionable
watering place. There were one or two
great hotels and plenty of cottages. The
sea view was as fine, the sea air as bracing,
the girls as pretty as Of yore, but they did
not wear painted muslins with poppies on
them nor outside pockets of embroidered
dix.
Ruben Van Note strolled along the
beach and looked at the old tower and
dghed over the past akittle. Then he
strolled up the street to the house Of the
Jan family. 1t looked very much as for
merly, only the trees were large, and the
ivy vine quite covered the brick stable
with the pigeon houses on the roof. All its
windows were open, and q woman was
busting the shutters. When she came out
upon the porch to shake cloth, he spoke
TO her.
docs the Jan family live here yct?'
he asked.
The woman gave long, slow shake OF
the head and said:
1.-The last of the Jan family died three
days ago, Miss Priscilla Jan. l was her
maid She was getting on in life-6O
years old-and delicate body always, but
l think she would have lived a long while
yet If she hadn't had an accident. Hell
carriage was upset by tipsy coachman,
and she was hurt and shaken. The shock
to her nerves killed her, the doctor said
That's her miniature when she was a girl
over the mantel, if you'd step in and
look.
Ruben stepped in and saw Priscilla, in
white and red smiling at him from the
ct1imneypiece. 1t was q good likeness,
Could she really be dead? He staggered
back and seated himself on the sofa.
And she never married." no said.
speaking aloud unconsciously
mo, sir, said the maid, believing her
self addressed. She never married Such
pretty girl, you'd never believe it. She
had offers, but they did not suit her. Once
she told me, sitting just there, sir, wher.
you sit, the Christmas after her parents
died, why they did not She was fond OF
q young gentleman once, but he came and
went and never said word, and, as she
believed, never cared for her She cried
and cried of nights, but told no one and
che lived single until she was 40. Then
one day, when she was up In the garrett,
she found pair of red silk pockets in an
old box. She had missed the pockets
They. used to wear EN- outside. sir, which
seems funny now She had missed them
and never guessed where they'd eonc but
somehow they'd been dropped into the box
night She'd not seen them for 20 years,
over, and letter fell into her lap
1T was sealed, and 1t had her name on
1t, and when she read 1t she found 1t was
an offer from this young gentleman, an
offer, sir. that she would have said yes to,
and thankful
She knew then that, being bashful,
- 4 ~ Snk1 -. -
had been lost with it, Of course.
"'I cried at first, Martha, she said,
but afterward Twas glad, for knew how
we had loved each other 1t was too late
to answer 1t, even II l had known where
he was, but hoped some time he might
como b ok and know the truth. He will
never know now, Martha, she said, 'un.
less we meet In heaven And put tht
little pockets. with the letter in them, I'm.
der her head in the coffin, as she babe me-
Sort Of like u story, isD t It, STRIP
1T is very like story" said my great,
uncle
He sat looking at the picture for awhile
and tho girl went on. The property was
left to a charity, all but legacy to her
self, and there was to be On auction next
day, and she was cleaning up for it, and
then sho begged him to rest himself as
long as he pleased and went about her
work
When she had gone, Ruben Van Note
took the miniature Of poor Priscilla Jan
from the mantelpiece and put it into his
bosom and walked away
Doubtless the maid wondered long
whether that respectable old gentleman
could have been the thief or whether some
other had come in at the open door in her
absence
But Priscilla's pretty face lay against
Ruben's heart until it ceased to beat, and
I have no doubt that if lovers renew their
vows in heaven these two hearts have mot
thero these two whom the treacherous
buckle of the scarlet pockets parted forever
on earth. st. Paul Globe
Tho Telautograph.
Half century ago there might have
been some suggestion Of witchcraft In the
of the handwriting Of an in
llvidual 800 or 400 miles distant, but quite
recently autographs were sent and received
between London and Paris. In the tests