Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-09-11
THE LETTER.

IHE LETTER.
have existed but u few hours. was
born this morning on the red velvet lid of
M ebony writing desk. A woman wrote
me into existence, and us | grew under n
tine gold Pen first perceived the tips of
slender white fingers whose regular SWAY
back and forth gave mo IL delicious scnsa-
ton. Then distinguished the face bent
above me, pretty faco, palc and sad with
great, gray eyes under which were black
circles. rosy. wet eyelius, but white lips.
Her hair fell in disorder over her forehead,
curling behind her cars down to her shout
dcrs. My first lines, in u slanting English
handwriting, were to this effect:
Had passed y miserable night, i,nuosSi-
bio to sleep, strange dream, and awoke
trembling; pity and mercy asked in the
same line Then tho ball of the night be-
tore was spoken of She had been very
unhappy and Ind left full of prcscntinicnt,
although he WAS there. why was this?''
She leaned on tho desk her head on hcr
hand and fell into y rcvcrie Her sleeve
fell back, and l felt tho perfume of her
warm, soft arm penetrate mo. She ro-
manned thus some time, hcr beautiful
large eyes fun of sad thought. Suddenly
two tears gathered, and began to under
stand tho sense of the words, ''Why was
this:' The tears trcnblcd on her cycli,ls,
then ran down her check. The poor little
woman sighed and returned to mo.
Ho had boon very neglectful ut tho ball
and sho had caught his eye only once or
twice. Tho pen began to wrto rapidly,
tho words wcrc scratched of, sentences
followed each other without punctuation
u passionate love filled my pages in u
retrospective glance. '.Tho transport of
tho first days. doubts, timidity, tho
avowal, first kisses! Then the day when
jealousy WAS awakened, so terrible, vet so
charming, terror, agony, if ten minutes
lnte, tho promise of eternal fidelity, re
ncwcd rows-all this as the eyes r.incd
tears and tho pen went on inrctuously,
tightly held III the thin fingers
My four pages We're full when some ono
entered the room. l Disappeared quickly
inside the desk. l fell anon. II pile Of let
tors, faded flowers and debris of all sorts
In ono corner lay Il white cr;.vat, twisted
around u little white bouquet. 1t was of
corded muslin nnd made no suddenly
think of certain date. of which speak
later.
When was taken out of hiding, tho
young woman WAS dressed ready to go out
with ~ thick veil covering her rcd litldcu
eyes. Sho added two words, Come to-
night, and then waited iMpaticntly for
II namo that expected to SEQ, when felt
two fresh warm lips pressed SO passion
atcly against mo that the paper crucEIeti
Then flower was Slipped between my
leaves, and was shut up in an envelope
and addressed, and thc--nh, l cannot say
for sure whit happened! My impressions
AFRO vague. was put In II pocket later
where found II little handkerchief damn
with the tears l had seen wiped away
We were together until once moro was
brought forth but to fall into vile box,
where remained all alone. 1t had an
opening on top, from which / could see
pcople passing to and fro. WAS kept hers.
u long time. and thought I should never
get out again wh"n th,lnip. II heavy mass
fell upon me, then another and still an
other. was nearly stitlcd under tho loa,l
a hidcous yellow envelope fell OH my side
us II to crush Inc out of existence Per
hAps It contained some vilainous news
some hypocritic;.l lie. some message Of
evil, and I, yet palpituting from tho fine
English handwriting. on my pages, hid to
be mixed up with all this.
A key clicked i'll tho lock, crick, crack,
mn enormous red hand plunged into the
and came again. Twice l Slipped between
his big fingcrs-I was too lcliontc for such
crumplcd up in Il bundle tied with string.
Then was carried along till wcwcro sur
rounded by voices, scratching of pens, and
l was seized anew by II hand that pressed
something dreadful upon me received
two dire strokes right over tho poor little
flower between my pages
Whom l came to myself again, found
myself on IL chimney piece, tho room filled
with shadows of the dying day. AT length
after u long wait my envelope was torn
open and was glanced over rapidly by
two superb but icy cold blue eyes, SO dry
and hard that they gave mo II shock
Only my first lines were read ITo
seemed to divine tho rest, and then he
throw NO roughly on tho chimney piece
again. tho flower fell unhee,ied to the floor
| SAW it no more. Tho one who rejected
Inc so unkindly was very handsome
man, tall, and we'll made with curly blond
Mair and long, carefully trimmed beard
Ike was elegantly dressed, and his hands
ware white and delicate.
AS lay in au uncomfortable position
close to chandelier tho nlnn, evidently
iorGctful of my existcnce, devoted his at
tentlon to tying white cr;.vat (the mate
OF the ono in tho dcsk), and no doubt at
this very moment my dear friend who sent
me forth thislnorning WAS wondering how
ctfaco all that sho had conlltlcd to me!
He rcread me, however, after time, and
little by little memory awakened in turn
over the history contained therein, but his
expression remained hard and cold Re-
proaches tears, heart throbs, ali wcro un-
araiiing. I heard him murnur as he
paced up and down the room: 'sIf I go,
there will DO more tears, and what is to DO
done? 1t is not my fault that do not
lovo her any longer. l am decided.
cannot go tonight. / will write and tell
her SO. will say and he wrote
What difference over this morning,
when saw q swce t womnn's face bending
over me, fevcrish with emotion caused Ivy
thoughts of him, and this man seated be-
fore table searching his brain for phrases
to tit, but the words would not como any
more easily than the ideas. He tore up
six pages before finishing three lines
tell you all this from tho bottom Of q
drawer whore am lying. There are let
tiers and faded flowers and ribbons all
ground me, and recognize the perfume of
my tear stained pages. Where shall lie
tomorrow What will become of me?