Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-06-12
A CONFESSION.

ing in September woman seated her
self in an open window to peruse the
days mail.
The room was the tidy, correct cham
Der Of spinster.
Not feature Of the place or its be-
longings limited at the thought Of girl
in her teens.
All the literature, photogravure and
even the papering protested against the
age Of frivolity.
The small writing table, never lit
tered by the moods OF young scribes
was correct as usual, and with Gre
clan patterned letter opener Eunice
Raven cut tho leaves Of New York
posted letter.
People said-that il, they had so ven
tured when in the confidential presence
of their dearest friends-that Eunice
Raven once had an admirer.
No one knew positively that he actu-
ally reached tho Importance Of u beau, !"
and AZ Eunice declined to claim any
such article, surely no one could know
better in the matter than the woman
herself
Eunice Raven was good and unsolf
ish woman in her small world, and ran
tho sands Of life to even measure with
out suspicion of revolt, but there were
times when she did rebel, and her re-
bellion only took her the oftener to her
little room over the best parlor. where
her Thomas Kempis and other spir-
itual condiments were pencil marked
anew
II any one in Palenville had CHANGED
to. see Eunce Raven open that New
York posted letter, there would have
remained no doubt for them that she
once had an admircr
Out from the strangely directed en-
velope fell small sized photograph
one of the old style, with never a bit Of
polish in the finishing, and nothing but
grim featured lineaments depicted.
Tho face was u strong, manly oounte-
nance, with much frank kindness In the
smiling eyes and chin showing we'll
tempered affection.
The picture brought IL warm, girl
hood glow to the gazer's face, while
the light Of sleeping memory. dim at
first and quickly deepening, famed from
heart to face
The letter was II long ono, closely
written, and apparently with effort,
crossed and recrossed womanwise.
Within was second letter unopened,
with tho date Of 10 years resting on its
shamefaced surface.
Over the first, leaning toward the
light and nervcd for something more
vaguely feared than discovered, Eunice
read with puzzled face
Over the second she paused, and the
dim light Of that rekindled memory
again filed and glowed upon her.
She trembled with all the agitation
Of her girl heart aroused
Taking it between her wiry fingers
Eunice studied the still unbrolen seal
Then aloud she read the date.
II 1t had come to me then, there
would have been no happier day in my
life" she said.
nineteen years from his hand to
mine"
She laid the letter down and dropped
back in the chair.
Her position, reflected by the faithful
mirror, was an awkward, slouching
one
1t was just such she had maintained
in her teaching last session that only
woman with no backbone would a.
sumo, and she ut once sat erect in the
instant correction Of such laxity.
Nineteen years too late. "
nd 10 va.ro Tho xttn,.,, alta 90 ri
mony, when one Is alone In the world,
Is little more than single misery.
Her eyes, blinded with hot, angry
tears at the cruel, disappointing bitter
ness of 1t.
Then she read again the fine French
sheets Of milk white paper upon which
the guilty confession Of the writer
looked black6r than at first
As she read she tried to picture very
correctly and justly the mind Of the
writer. She tried to be impartial She
tried to judge with the essence Of judg.
ment severity.
She succeeded in Il large, full, tenn
ing measure Of mercy.
A few tears. and she the accuser, be-
came the defender. 1t il often wom-
ans way.
The writer Of the letter-now i'll, I'M
doubtedly dyiDg-was making confess
sion for relief Of soul.
Sister Of the man Eunice Raven
loved, and who had loved Eunice, she
wrote how bitterly she had hated the
very name of an unknown sister
With no father or mother, and an
only brother, who made her entire
world, she had thought anything better
than to lose his love and care, and
when Eunice had come into his life,
and he had announced his intention OF
asking TO become nearer 10 him, this
was the thing sho had done:
II felt" she wrote, that would
beg. lie or steal before you should come
home here, and when brother went to
his room to write you to become his
wife knew that letter and knew my
brother.
"And the devil knew me in the hour
Of my wicked weakness. The letter
intercepted and hid.
81 knew his spirit Of sensitive pride
30 well that when the tempter whis-
pered, He will never write but once,' !
knew IL well.
II knew IL he never had an answer
from you that there would be no other
word from him 10 you.
81 have lived with the torture Of
that stolen letter, which your heart has