The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-07

1 Read Old Letters All the Forenoon.
since ceased to interest him. 1t was CON
cealed after his favorite Authenticated
under the bottom OF his desk. II was
written forty years ago. by Maria Woods
two years before my fathers marriage
and II was refusal Of an offer of his
hand. II was written IN the stilted fash
ion of that day; it might have been copied
from complete letter writer"
My father must have loved Maria
Woods as dearly as l love Henry to keep
that letter so carefully all these years
l thought he cared for my mother. He
seemed as fond Of her as other men Of
their wives. although did use to wonder
if Henry and I would ever get to be quite
so much accustomed to each other
Maria Woods must have been beautiful
as an angel when she was girl Mother
was not pretty-she was stout, too, and
awkward, and l suppose people would
have called her rather slow and dun.
But she was a good woman and tried to
do her duty.
Tuesday Evening-This evening was nv
first opportunity to obey the second of
Mr.. Dix's orders. 1t seemed to me the
best way TO compare the average length
OF arms was 10 go to the prayer meeting.
could not go about the town with my
tape measure and demand of people that
they should hold out their arms. Nobody
knows how dreaded TO go to that meet
ing, but l went, and I looked not at my
neighbors cold, altered faces, but at their
arms.
I discovered what Mr. Dix wished me
to, but the discovery can avail nothing,
and il Is one he could have made him
self. Phoebe Dole's arm is fully seven
inches longer than mine. I never noticed
it before, but she has an almost abnormal
~ long arm. But why should Phoebe
Dole have unlocked that door?
She made a prayer-a beautiful prayer.
1t comforted even me a little-she spoke
of the tenderness of God in all the troub-
les Of life. and how it never failed us.
When we were all going out I heard
several persons speak of Mr.. Dix and his
Biblical Cyclopaedia. They decided that
he was a theological student, book can
vassing TO defray the expenses of his ed
ucation.
Maria Woods was not at the meeting,
Several asked Phoebe how she was, and
she replied mot very we'll"
/ 1t was very late. I thought Mr.. Dix
might be over tonight but he has not
been here.
Wednesday, can scarcely believe what
1 am about to write. Our Investigations
seem all to point to one person, and that
person--it is Incredible! l will not believe
it, Mr.. Dix came as before, at dawn He
reported and I reported. 1 showed Maria
Moods letter. He said he had driven to
Acton and found that the jeweler there
had engraved the last date in the ring
about six weeks ago.
Il don't want to seen rough, but your
father was going to get married again.
Ssaid Mr.. Dix.
Il never knew him to go near any wo-
man since mother died" l protested.
Nevertheless he had made arrange
ments to be married" persisted Mr. Dix.
who was the woman?'
He pointed at the letter in my hand.
Maria WOods?"
He nodded.
I stood looking at him-dazed. Such a
possibility had never entered my head.
He produced an envelope from his peck
ct, and took out a little card with blue
and brown threads neatly wound upon it.
Let me see those threads you found, -
he said.
l got the box and we compared them.
He had a number of pieces of blue sewing
silk and brown wooden rawlings, and they
matched mine exactly. Where did YOU
md them?" I asked.
In my boarding mistress piece-bag."
! stared at him. What does It mean?''
I gasped out.
What do YOU think?''
1T IS impossihle!'
(ro be concluded)