The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-12-01

/ L
To his feet and. car wing it to the man
telpiece leaned it up against the clock.
He settled himself to his papers. but
thoughts Of Mrs Luther wilkins kept
intruding on what he was reading
about patent nest boxes and under
draining and the news of the village.
But Mrs. Luther Wilkins was often
in his thoughts. She even haunted his
dreams at times. lie wondered what
she was like. and he thought of the
Kind of woman he would wish her to
he. and enioyed himself very much in
imagining how it would seem to have
her meet him at the door when he
came in from the fields and how nice it
would be not to have to get his own
meals
He worked doggedly. trying lard not
10 think of the d,SIuieting subject It
was 10 use. and toward tie end OF July
it was observed that Luther was get
ting very neighhoily. lie spent his
evenings at diffe ent neichbors' houses,
he accepted invitations to Tea. he went
To church regularly and to all Sunday.
school picnics And still he couid not
find a suitable owner for the letter.
II was one cold. raw day in early No
vemher. Luther sat at u window max.
ing clumsy attempts at mendin% par
Of very ragged socks. Happening to
glance across the road he saw wom-
an ont in the HammondS' yard. She
was busy raking up the fallen autumn
leaves
"Leiitia Hammond" Luther COM
menled. Bill Hammond's sister. We
don't see much Of lately. She don't
even 20 to church. there's so many of
Bits children to look after, and Bits
wife is so took up with her clubs and
things. It's hard on Lettia, but she
never finds a word of fault"
The sock he was mending fell to the
floor and the wooden egg inside il
struck with such Ii loud bang that the
cat started in his sleep. Luther did not
notice. He was standing at the w.n-
dow staring out.
THAT is the best which lieth near
est" he said solemnly. "What fool
I've been"
He found his hat and left the house.
almost running across the road. He
took the iron rake away from Letitia
gcmlly. That's too hard work for a
little thing like you," he said.
Lctilia's blue eyes were full of won
der, but she yielded up the rake weak
~.
You'd better go into the house, too"
said Luther. Its cold out here"
No one had been thoughtful of her
before for a long time and Letitia
couldn't understand it. When Luther
returned the rake she asked him to let
her do something for him.
He carried her his best pair of socks.
She was Mortified at their condition,
and hcnded them in a very artistic
manner.
Luther looked at them in wonder aud
reverence. III never wear EN-" he
said, when he was at home again. Il
wouldn't have let her do 1t only knew
it would make her feel better. and il
gave me 4 chance TO see her. too"
He found that it was an easy matter
to invent excuses for seeing her, and
finally some time in the winter he
asked her in fear and trembling if She
would be Mrs. Luther Wilkins.
So it happened that III IA little / s.
than year the letter was given to its
rightful owner.
why, it's nothing but an advertise
ment of some new preparation of Ger
eals," size said when she had opened it,
Lets keep it." said Luther. softly
If it hadn't been for that
Eyes, We'll keep it," said Lett a
blushirg. "-Condensed from Cincinnati
Commercial Tribune.