Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1897-03-04
window; and her heart felt wild lowed,
hopeless, and would not be cheered.

hopeless, and would not be cheered.
"Y our letters are so friendly, dearest,
50 abominably friendly; they verify
starve my heart. Oh, why am not rich
enough TO throw up this drudgery and
come home to you and hold you in my
arms again, and make you say you love
me? u have to 60 over our parting
again and again to make myself be
]ieve that all you said then is really
true. Write me a real love letter next
time, darling, to help me bear up"
The girls cheeks were flushed and
her eyes held happiness as she sat by
the schoolroom table. with the piled,
up work basket neglected before her
and read the words again and again.
And the days and the weeks and the
months and the years passed on. and
the pile Of love letters which came to
the girl grew in bulk. Sometimes they
were Respondent, sometimes cheerful
sometimes hurried, sometimes tender
and sometimes the treasured space was
overfull of descriptions of new friends
or strange places. But the letters never
failed to come, and the man never failed
to long for the riches which could bring
him to the girls side and make life
happy for them. n
And the girl longed and longed that
she might meet her lover, If only for a
day; that they might look into each 9th.
er's face, and, renewing hope, might
start afresh. Some cynic told her that
love was feeting, a question merely Of
propinquity; but that cynic had not
really meant to bruise the girls endear.
ing heart. Besides the cynicism was
not always true, for this girls love
was strong as ever-stronger. Why
should not the mans be the same? He
was better equipped for fighting doubts
and fears. But the waiting was bitter.
ly long. z.s7s r. ..'
At last, when endurance was becom.
ing habit, there came shocl<-a shock
of joy. Just a business matter, just
money. just repentance to the amount
of five hundred a year out of an erst.
while unforgiving uncle. But $500 q
year to little governess, to waiting
The schoolroom was as paradise that
morning; the voices of the children as
angels songs. For the waiting, the
drudgery, the anxiety were over. Bliss
lay within blue envelopes; joy was in
scribed in straight lines of copper
plate caligraphy. But the girl uttered
no word of happiness; it seemed too
wonderful, and she wanted to realize it,
and think. s h :, d s
"A deed Of gift. An anonymous deed
of gift-that would be the thing, the
girl decided. She would not keep one
penny of it back, There seemed some
thing calculating and mercenary in set.
ting aside part for herself; besides, it
would be all the same in the end. A
deed of gift of $500 year to Berthe!
1t was worth all the waiting and the
pain and the work. This was her re.
ward. 49,
So the girl carried out her secret
plans with light heart and happy
brow, and the joyful message went
across the sea to the man, in the copper.
plate caligraphy of the lawyers clerk /;
while the girl herself-ln the willful-
ness of near bliss-sent over the sea
also just .scrappy little letter, the
most matter-of-fact she had ever sent,
cheerful and friendly, telling of outside
pleasures and daily trifles, of little
picnic in the wood and. village concert
"a little letter which would bring back
loving remonstrance in the midst of
the tale of good fortune. and which
would be joke against her afterward
when the happy secret was known to
the full. And she smiled as she sealed
and sent it on its way. And then she
waited. i 81 = .
what will he say? Will it be won
der? Will it be only happiness? Will
it be-himse1f? 81 q. S5 Ss .ss5st
At last it came-the first sign of her
sacrifice. It was letter, rather short,
because written in a hurry by a busy
man; and the girl was able to read it in
the ten minutes which were hers before
morning lessons: W ~. &C.;
Dearest Ursula: This letter will be only
= a scrap. I'm afraid. but know that you
will forgive that, and will make It up
next time. Truth to tell, am dreadfully
pressed for time. I've had little windfail
left me in rather an odd way, and I've &C.
cepted It.. Some one has taken a fancy ia
me, I suppose. (You can understand that,
can't your So am going of on good,
long tour, to see all the places I've wanted
so long to see-Italy, Greece, and don't
know where else. It's jolly to have q
little money at last. Rather a large party
of US are going-the Gleesons. the mother
and daughter I've written about sometimes
and some friends Of theirs know fairly
well; so expect we shall enjoy ourselves.
my dear. Picnics and concerts are pleas