Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-02-06
HER LAST LETTER.


flee. He was sitting at his desk, one
hand nervously grasping pen. Be-
hind his desk the sunlight danced over
the features of his stenographer, Alice
Harrington.
He was thinking deeply. Repeat
edly he pondered IF / only knew!
But how can find out?' His smooth
brow slowly contracted as histhoughts
progressed.
She also was lost in thought, not
wlthstanding her busy fingers wan
dered accurately over the keyboard, her
thoughts were an image of his But 10
her soliloquies she added And | can
never know if he doesn't tell me-" and
sigh, drowned by the clicking of her
machine, escaped her.
Getchell had hired many typewriters.
He had experienced every species Of
Them, but each became, sooner or late",
cranky. Consequently, each had de-
parted-up to a year previous. At that
time he had engaged Alice, and for a
whole year he had retained her-an
unprecedented phenomenon for him.
But what was more, he wished very
much to keep her forever. In short, he
over her. But he had never spoken to
her of his passion.
Oddly enough, Alice loved her en-
ployer He was so unlike other men,"
she told herself, so kind and polite
But she experienced those same feel
lngs of reticence that Getchell did.
So for a year they had loved, only
expressing that love by occasional
kindnesses just enough to keep the
flame alive.
To-day Frank was wondering wheth-
many of his best customers. They al
he might as well find out at once. II
she did love him life would be beauti
tul; if not-wretched.
Alice, too, wondered if Getchell could
owe her, and smiling family, reflected:
And should he propose? Could that
ever be possible?" then pictured those
sweet moments-his face when she
should whisper Eyes" and murmur
the words which she had been storing
away in her memory awaiting that
fateful moment. Gould | ever have
hat pleasure?" she questioned softly.
Yes, all this might happen if it
wasn't for that Miss Hayes. Oh, how
despise her." and her beautiful brow
contracted.
She did not know, however, that Miss
Hayes was Getchell's cousin and that
ne would as soon have thought of MAJ
rying the Italian candy woman" vr'o
laily haunted the office, as marry Ella
A half hour sped by. Suddenly
Frank exclaimed: Alice. here's an
other letter" She grasped her little
red and black covered note book and
sat down beside him.
Dearest Ella: | can not wait
another day. have loved you
so much for year. | must know
whether you love me. Will you be
my wife and make me happy?
You know love you and would do
everything for you.
As word succeeded word Alice's face
was a study. She did not as usual,
keep her eyes upon Getchell's face; they
sought the carpet. That's ALL he
said, as she finished.
Perhaps he saw nothing in her face,
but could he have seen her heart
the tearing, crushing passion which
surged within almost burning her soul
asunder Her veins swelled and her
fingers could scarcely find the keys.
1t was such a disappointment. How
she hated Ella Hayes now!
But the short letter was finished,
and with her days work she passed it
to Getchell, excaiming to herself:
That's the last letter I'll write for
HIM"
He took them with a smie, read
them over, and, as was his custom,
corrected and emphasized with his pen
few words in each. Then, taking his
coat and hat, he bade her jaunty
good night" and departed.
Alice, left alone, waited for his foot
steps to die away. Then, sitting down
she cried as though her heart would
break. She accused Getchell of trifling
with her-deceiving her. Yet, when
she paused to think, he had never
| trleu TO VIII HeT dHeCtlOu ne Hdu
simply been kind" and good" Try
as she would, she could not accuse
him. She did not realize then that
Cupid interfered. But she knew one
thing. Her tear-stained face clouded
as she cried:
"Oh, but that Ella Hayes! How
despise her! He might have loved me
but for her, and now"-but the glance
fell on an envelope upon the desk
There, in Getchell's handwriting, were
the words; Miss Alice harrington"
HE needn't have troubled to turn
me off. I'll go soon enough" she
thought, as she tore open the envelope
She unfolded the note within, then
stood one moment with such a look
upon her face-shame, sorrow, sur
prise, delight, all blended together
The same letter which she had writ
ten few moments before was in her
hand ELLA" had been crossed out
and alice" written instead
The office door creaked She turned,
. L i IL