The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-12-13
THE WRONG LETTER
BY JUSTIN MCCARTHY.
[Copy right, 1895, by the Author. ]


both in good health and strong-and
they were man and woman, and they
were engaged to be married. The pros
poets of the young man, Graham Welwyn,
We're good He was young medical
man, and had just obtained very i'm
portant and promising appointment in
one Of the English communities in
China. The appointment was for five
years, and at the end of that time some
thing much better was expected to arise,
an appointment in London itself per-
haps. Katherine Shirley, who was en-
gagged to him, would of course have to
give up London for all that time, and
this, it might be said, ought to be some
source of regret to her. But, in the first
instance, she had passion for seeing
strange places. and in the next she had
little or nothing to give up in leaving
London.
Colonel Shirley, her father, had mar
ried second time-after the death of
Katherine's mother - and he died in
about two years. Katherine was 16 years
old when her mother died-and was not
likely to forget her. She had no brothers
or sisters. She had for the last two years
been living under the direction of her
stepmother, who was kind enough to
her, but never quite warmed to her.
Mrs. Shirley had always in her mind
the idea that the girl resented her intru-
sion into the household-which was
perhaps true enough, although Katherine
tried hard not to show it. For she had
sense enough to know that man still
handsome like her father, apparently in
the fullness of life's prime, would hard
ly be content to live ON the mere men,
ory of past love from the age of 45.
However, all that question was now set
at rest. Colonel Shirley died in his
with her stepmother. Therefore it was
no great grief to her to have to leave
Eng land for five years in company with
the man to whom she was to be married
the man whom she dearly loved. AS
to giving up London-why, she was now
only 20 years old-and when she came
back with her husband after their anus
ing exile in China she would still be
only about 25. Young people get used
up very soon now, it would seem, but
still there must bo considerable capacity
for the enjoyment of life left to a wom-
all of 25.
The pair of lovers had been very happy
all the afternoon. Graham Welwyn had
been to luncheon with Mrs. and Miss
Shirley. They lived in a charming de-
tached villa at Sydenham. and they had
also a very nice little fiat in Victoria
street, which they occupied during the
season and made use of for frequent
runs up to town when the season was
not on. 1t was now early autumn, aud
the place at Sydenham was delightful.
Mrs. Shirley E:d kindly and thought
fully left the l0vers alone for good
long time. Stepmothers are not always
cruel. Probably they are, upon the
whole, not any worse than other human
beings.
Graham had fingered for nearly two
hours. The lovers had been talking
every ything overland everything looked
so roseate! She was delighted with the
change to the entirely new country and
surroundings, and in her romantic way
was sometimes little sorry that she did
not even get seasick, so that she might
seem to be sacrificing something for
him. Life now to her seemed all one
long summer holiday, with youth for
ever at tho prov, and love, according to
the American phrase, bossing the whole
show.
"Look here, darling" Graham said
as he got up and took his hat, 81 must
catch this next train for town, but
there's something | want to ask your
advice about-a woman would know.
I've got letter-from woman.
"No; really, have you, Tom? Then
they can write, these women? / was
under the impression that somebody
said we couldn't do it,.
"Come, now, don't be ridiculous
This is really matter 1 do want your
serious opinion about. The letter, you
see, was not meant for me-
"No? Then whom was it meant for?"
"That is Just what don't know. 1t
was addressed name and address all
right. But it certainly was not meant
for me. )"
How do you know, Graham, dear?''
"Oh, we'll, it couldn't, don't you see?
1t was from married woman, and it
was-well, in fact-a kind ola sort
of a-loye letter.
"But how on earth did she send it to
you:"
'Well--I know her enough to get in
vitations to dinner and that-and it oc-
CURED to me that she may have been
writing several letters and put one into
the wrong envelope. -
"Oh, but what nonsense! Nobody
ever does that except i'll stupid novels
and plays.
Eyes, indeed, once did it myself.
1 sent letter meant for the postmaster
| general TO the manager of a London
theater and the letter meant for the
manager to the postmaster general"
lyon silly boy But you would hard
| ly, should think, make such a muddle
where you had any deep interest in the
matter. Yen wouldn't inclose letter
for me in an envelope addressed to the
postmaster general?"
"Well, no-I don't think l should be
likely to do that under any conditions
of confusion.
I Fancy" she said thoughtfully, "my
putting a letter for you into an envelope
addressed to some one elsel'
81 can't fancy it, Kitty"
Neither can l." the girl replied,
with bright smile. when you get a