The Washington times., 1895-01-13
G0urfship BY Mail.

''She really is the prettiest little creature
/ ever saw" said Willoughby yane as he
turned from the window for the flftieth time
that morning. "Jane," he added, address
ing the housemaid, who was clearing away
the breakfast things, ''haye you any idea who
the people are who have taken old Mr..
Adderly's house opposite?"
"Well, yes sir, If you please, returned the
handmaiden, II neither cook at the grocer
the other day, and she said that her masters g
name was Black Capting Choker Black
and that he was staying here on leave OF uD-
sence with his wife and daughter, sir. !"
'.Oh, indeed. Did she happen to mention
| the young lady's name2"
"Yes. sir; she called her Miss Eva"
"Eval What charming name" murmured
Mr.. Wiloughby to himself; and then he
added aloud:
THAT will do, Jane, thank you.'
Wilioughby Vane was a bachelor, twenty
| eight years old, rich, irdolent, and tolerably
! good looking. He liyed with widowed
mother in pleasant house in Albany, and.
having nothing else to do, had fallen desper-
ately in love with his pretty vis-a-vis and
anxiously sought an opportunity for an In
PRODUCTION. However, having discovered the
name of his enchantress, he determined to
address her anonymously by letter.
| Having decided upon taking this step, the
next thing to be done was TO put il into exc
! cution and. having shut himself in his little
study, after many futile attempts he succeeded
In framing an epistle to the lady to his salts
| faction, begging her, II she valued his peace
| of mind TO return an answer to Nv. ", Post
Office, Albany" This done he went out for
q walk and dropped the letter in the nearest
! box.
| Regularly three times day for a week after
han iIaHo sh.ar
an answer had arrived for him. AS the week
| advanced Willoughby began TO lose his appe-
tite and grow so restless and irritable that
| Mrs. Vane, like fond mother fancied that
4 her dear boy was Ill and begged him to con-
1 suit their medical adviser. But her son
/ laughed at the idea. knowing well that his
complaint was beyond the dsctors skill to
cure.
He was beginning TO despair OF ever re-
/ ceying reply when. to his great delight oil
the seventh morning letter was handed 10
! him by the postmaster written in dainty fe-
male hand and address ed 10 NV. "" Almost
unable to conceal his emotion he quilted the
post-ofice. broke open the seal and drank in
! the contents.
They evidently were OF pleasant nature,
! for he read the letter over again and again
kissed the envelope, put it in his breast
| pocket, and hurried hone to see his manor
| alta looking out OF the window OF the opposite
| house. as usual.
For a moment his first impulse was to sa-
I Lutte her respectfully, but Immediately after
| ward he bethought himself that as he was
! still incognito the young lady would perhaps
feel insuted by the action. Besides. how
! could sho know that he was :" w. V. 7" So he
went indoors and amused himself for three
| hours In inditing reply to her letter. which
4 he posted the same afternoon. and IL due
course second answer arrived.
And so matters went on, a constant inter
change Of letters being kept up for fort
! night, during which time Mr.. Willoughby
vane spent his days running to and from the
post-oifcc writing letters and watching his
fair neighbor from The window of the dining
( room
''Confound itl'' be would sometimes say TO
himself. How very provoking the dear girl
is She will never look this way. ! do wish
! ] could catch her eye, if only for moment.
! What n horrible sour-looking old crab the
mother isi Depend upon il. Wiloughby, that
\ poor child is anything but happy ut home
with those two old fogies. Indeed, her let
ters hint as much'' And having given vent
to his feelings, he would put on his hat and
4 walk to the post office, or shut himself in his
room and compose another noteto his Dear
est Eva"
At length, three weeks having nown rap
! idly away in this manner he received let
ter one morning from the young lady which
ran rs follows;
ITO w. W.
''SIR: As 1t is useless to continue a corre-
| spondence in this manner. think it is now
/ time for you to throw of yonr incognito and
reveal your true name and position to one TO
whom you are not totally indifferent. Be-
lieye me that nothing inspires love like mu :
/ tuaI confidence. Prove to me that have not
been imprudent in answering your letters by
at once informing me who you are. 1t is
! with no feeling of idle curiosity that | ask
hTIf INN iy- uAnf1ai Gatisfnatia1
Yours. etc, Eva"
To which Willoughby replied by return of
post
DEAREST EVA (if you will permit me to
call you so): Have you not for weeks past
observed Il young man, with hair brushed
back, anxiousiy watching you from the win
dow of the opposite house? And although
you have never apparently taken the slight
est notice Of him. trust that his features are
not altogether repulsive 10 you. am that
| individual
Charmed by the graceful magic of thine eye,
| Day after day watch aud dream and sigh;
Watch thee, dream of thee, sigh for thee alone,
Fair star of Albany-may add mine own?
to quote-with some alterations-the noble
stanza OF the poet Brown. And now l have
! favor TO ask you. Whenever you see mo ut
the window take no notice of me ar present.
lest my mother should observe it. In 4 few
days she will be going out of town, and then
adieu! Adieu, my adorable one. adieu. My
eyes are ever on you. Your own,
'WLLoUGHBY YANE."
To which epistle came the following an
swer
DEAR SIR: Your explanation is perfectly
satisfactory. l may also add, your features
are not at all repulsive TO Eva"
"Bless her! What a delightful little soul
she isr' calculated Wiloughby.
And he went out. ordered a new suit oil
clothes. and had his hair cut.
"Willy," said Mrs. Yane to her son the next
morning. Il wish you would do something 10
improve your mind, and not waste your time
looking out of the window all day. as you
have lately done. Come and read the assem-
bly, debates to me, if you have nothing else
to do.
The worthy lady wns a red-hot politician.
and for three mortal hours she kept him at
this delightful task, at the expiration OF
which time he succeeded in escaping to his
| own room where he wrote the following note
to.Eva:
DEAREST EVA: / am overjoyed at the con-
tents of your brief communication. If, rs
you say, my features are not altogether re-
pulsive TO you, may hope that you will con-
sent to be mine-nine only3
"WILLoUGHBY."
Back came the reply the next morning:
DEAR WnLoUGHBY: Your reply has made
me feel very happy. 1t is very dull here no
society except father and mother. l long for
more congenial companionship. Thine,
In this delightful manner tie days flew on
halcyon days. too. for Willoughby, and
sweetened by the Interchange OF this and
similar lover-iike correspondence. On the
following Monday morning Mrs. Vane let
town on visit 10 some friends in Saratoga