The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-08
The Unknown.

| 30, dear" sighed little Miss Grace
King. as she swung gently back and forth
in the piazza hammock 'how 1 wish
something exciting would happen It's
so lonesome and hot here" And she
seized the magazine at her side and be-
| gan tanning herself vigorously. Evident
| ly the operation gave her no relief, for
/ she soon dropped the paper in her lap,
while her eyes wandered lstlessly over
| the columns.
| Suddenly a little notice tucked away in
| a corner caught her eye. II ran as fol-
| lows: "A young gentleman of Massaehu-
| sets would like to correspond with a
young lady OF the West. Address X G.,
WATERFOWL, Mass Grace Strengthened
| herself I'D, read the lines again, laughed,
| blushed. and said softly: IF l only dared;
/ l. would be such fun. But. with little
| frown, mother wouldn't like ii"
| The hammock swung, creaking 10 and
| fro, and the fair occupant was busy with
| her thoughts.
81 can stop whenever like" she COM
mented. Besides, L snail never see him,
and l really must break this terrible
monotony. So with half ashamed glance
| toward the little notice. Il believe I'll DO
it."
She ran into the house Immediately.
| and half an hour later a dainty little
missive bearing the address X G.. Wa
| tertown, Mass, was sent on its journey.
/ As pretty Miss Grace laid her head on
! her pillow that night IL would have been
hard TO analyZe the half guilty, half pleas
| ant excitement that pervaded her mind
She was visiting her aunt in that lady 5
rustic home in Oregon, recuperating after
a long illness.
/ Health returned but slowly in her own
mountainous home. so the reluctant
young lady sought this mild, secluded val
| ley in the depths of nowhere" as she
herself expressed it, destined to no COM
pany, except a gentle old lady, who let
| her have her own way and abandoned her
to her own resources. But this mode OF
life suited the sociable, fun-loving Grace
not at all. Yet she knew that health was
returning, and that stay she must.
A week. rendered quite enjoyable by
anticipation. passed. There came let
ter from mother bringing news of brother
| Franks return home after his gradua-
| ton from Harvard College. She was six
years MS junior and was only u child
when he went East.
Il suppose well hardly recognize each
| other" she remarked 10 her aunt, and
the old lady nodded pleasantly. as she
always did.
When she recovered from the excite
ment of her mothers letter she began
to wait impatiently that other missive.
| At last il came and after a careful
| thought of what mother would say" and
a half-formed decision to tear 1t up. she
| broke the seal.
What queer writing" was her first
thought. as the compact back-hand script
appeared. But soon all else was forgot
| ten in her reading. why, what beau
tifu description" she cried at last. 20
how nice he must be. I'm so glad l
wrote. If only mother don't find me out
That was a happy thought to become
Miss Bertha Frazer
The ice once broken, it was easier To
write. Grace answered promptly and
waited eagerly for replies. The young
unknown" wrote so fascinatingly. Yet
| through all his letters ran a certain veia
of fun and amusement which puzzled
Grace not little.
But one day, when nearly three months
had passed, rather a startling letter from
| her unknown" came. He was coming
| West Immediately; in fact, his home was
there, and he would call on her when he
arrived in her locality. Miss Grace turn
ed quite pale at the thought. Why, what
| should she do? Should she allow him
to come? Even Aunt Jane might objec;
to her receiving a strange gentleman
20. dear!" For the first time she repent
| ed her little romance and a wild desire
seized her TO run away from home. And
| yet she would-yes, she would like to
meet him. Perhaps she had better stay
and make the best of it. Then she would
! go. But do hope" she thought, that
ne gets here before Frank" That boy
would surely find it all out.
She found herself in a fever of excite
ment waiting. But still he did not come
| Days heightened into weeks; and at last
~ afx-
! home. There was some mistake.
| Il was on the eve of Grace's departure
| Aunt Jane had gone to a neighboring
town and left her niece packing her trunk
/ Suddenly footstep sounded on the stair
| and Hannah. the cook, burst in upon
| her. 20. Miss Grace," the old woman
| cried, who do you suppose-your brother
/ Frank and" But Grace waited for NJ
more. She brushed past Hannah and was
! down the stairs into the sitting-rOom and
| in her brothers arms in q second.
90, Frank" she cried. Il am so glad &c
see you. When did you come? And have
| you been home yet? But OF course you
/ have, and"
"Ah, but I haven't" interrupted the
Young man. his eyes twinkling merrily
/ L stopped off here to call on Miss Bertha
! Frazer"
| Grace looked up in Amusement. How
| did ne know? Then she cried penitently
! 20. dearl 1 only did IL for fun. 1 was
/ so lonesome. But did you meet him? Who
/ IS he?'
Franks stern face relaxed. and laugh
/ ing merrily he bowed low and answered
/ Your humble servant
ut wasn't you. Frank"
| Haven't ! said so?"
But how did you know Il was me?''
! An, little sister, your writing betrayed
1 you from the first. ] was more cautious
you know" he replied.
It's too bad" she pouted- "Ot course
you'll tell mother"
''WiI you?"
Grace laughed. She began 10 see botf
| sides of the case. Certainly she was no
| the only Culprit.
Lets not" she said, with a merr,
! glance. And so it was agreed.-BOstoI
Post.