The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-04-13
himself down as eonsentedly as though
he had meyer h..en si,sfnrhad

himself down as eonsentedly as though
he had never been disturbed.
''Mr. Payne, Elsie says she owes you
something, and that the bill has been
running for several years. She would
not tell me what it was, bat 1 am sure
if her people knew it it would be paid
at once. 1 have been talking with her
and she has promised to pay it to-mor-
row. am extremely sorry about it-p
''Oh, it was of no consequence; was
glad to let it run will come up to-
morrow"
Then the conversation turned, and
nothing more was said about the debt;
but EIsie's eyes were sparkling when
she bade him good-by at the door, and
when she reached her room she sat
down and laughed till the tears came
laughed at the joke she was to play
next day, and cried because she had
said it was of no consequence, and he
was glad to let it run longer.
AS early as possible Howard came to
receive his due, and fully determined
to ask for all her kisses. But only her
aunt met him, and said her mother had
sent for her TO come home, and she had
left early that morning.
"She left a little package for you.
Here it is, and 1 presume il contains
the money she owes you. l can'tthink
why she should have let it run so long"
In his office he took off the cover.
An immense pink-and-white kiss lay
in the dainty box, and that was all.
He sat down, saying in despair 'She
does not care for me after ALL" Soon
as he could think what to do he drew
a paper toward him and wrote formal
receipt in full, and directed it to Elsie
Kinney. Then he found the time tables,
and three days later was on the ocean
bound for England. At regular inter-
walls he sent message to Elsie, but he
was discouraged, and her notes in reply
were so short and so unlike those of old,
that he was more respondent than
ever. Then came letter from Mac
that made the sun shine again.
"Mother says that Elsie is moping,
and she fears she is going into a de-
cline. She does nothing but lie on the
lounge with her eyes shut, or look out
Of the window, and don'tseem TO want
to do anything. Her spirits have de
serted her, and where she used to be
the life of the house, now she is so very
quiet. / can't understand it, though
mother says that once when your name
was mentioned she burst into tears and
ran out of the room. Don't, beg of
you-dont. Well, she is my little sis
ter still, aud aln all unnerved at the
thought of her being. other than the
bright, happy child have always loved
so well. If you care for her tell her so ;
if not-I ought not to have written as
have, but you know how my sister
has been a great part of my life, and
you will forgive me fer the sake of 50
old a friendship"
The next mail for America carried
this letter:
"MY DARLING EIsIE:-I always call
you my little love, my darling, my
heart, and why shouldn't put it on
paper, since you have never forbidden
it? 1 am coming back very soon, and
shall come first to you, for your aunI
said you were ready to pay the debt yor
owe, and, as collect my own bills,
shall hope to collect that one. Perhaps
you thought the candy kiss woulC
Iiquidate all demands, but think yOl
were to give the kiss yourself, and you
aunt gave NE that, and if you will no
tiee the receipt you Will find it dateC
April first, so that it is not-well,
don't consider it good for much, d'
you? Are you aware how long th'
debt has been running, and what al
accumulation of interest there will be
I want not the single kiss, but all you
kisses, and the lips that give them, an'
I the heart, and those wonderful eye
I owned by little girl who began Z
! make fool of me years ago, and VIII
( has made such q complete success Of
that am ashamed to offer the work o
her hands to any one else. / am com
I ing to hear you tell me how you lik
your work, and find out from you if
may be your lover or only an Athletes
{ creditor and April fool. Twill sign my
self for this once, if never again, Yours
and yours only, HOWARD PAYNE"
n June day, and the light wind
stirring the little rings of Elsie's hal
as she sits by the window of her room
Howard Payne is in the drawing room
but her heart is beating so she is afrai'
! to 90 down. The door opens and Mrs
Kinney enters.
D "Are you not coming down, Elsie
Mr.. Payne is here, and has asked 70
4 YOU"
"In a moment, mamma"
A figure in white, roses of June il
her belt, big, bright, dilated eyes, trem
bling, sensitive lips, are what he sees a
I she crosses the room to greet him. A
I he looks down at her be thinks Of tha
4 time when he looked down in the sam
way long ago, and she glances involun
tarily toward the door through whicl
she fled, and he said: 'Do you want t
escape, dear?"
"No, oh, nor' end the breath o
crushed roses fills the room as he hear
that whispered response.-Good House
keeping.