The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-08

DUCKS on tne inuinh fronttor question,
In which lie took great interest.
The'next letter was addressed to he"
friend. Charlotte Clairyille, The four
pages of the first sheet were,merc gos-
sip and friendly chatter: tie rest of
the letter must be set out vrihntim:
And now I must toll you of :, more
serious matter OF one concerning whiGh
can hardly speak, and. indeed. could
not unhosom myself except to you allow
In this wide world. You know very
well what my lie has been and what
little truth there is in the stories abou..
any unprotected girl who has always
been popular with men.
TIM position In society of poor
girl of good family Is very hard and dr.
fcult, particularly when she has no rel.
.atives Of influence TO help hcr. The
more fortunate somehow seem TO bnnd
themselves against her, like wolves
against n weakly member OF the pack.
have never felt this till now. never
knowingly suffered from It; and now,
oh. It's too cruel Since have been,
here NIL the ideas of my life have
.changed. I have been frivolous girl.
very thoughtless OF the real matters os
life, and suddenly NIL this has changed-
y have found that life is very sarious
and very beaut!ful-very beautiful 10.
those Yho,are fortunate; very serious
for those who are like myself. YOU
know you have suggested that I ought
to devote myself or-'at least part ;or
my time. to some useful work, and have
begged me to help you with your
schemes Now am ANXIOUS to do 80.
wan:"to leave this place. where l am
very. very unhappy, and come and help
you in the noble work you are doing for
your fellow creatures. You will have
me. won't you? You may wonder why,
and must tell you. For the first tive
in my life 1 have come to know the
meaning Of the word love- You have
often accused me, not quite unjustiy, Of
flirting. feel so sad now to think tina
perhaps | have caused pain to somu
who may have taken seriously what
was merely pastIme, for am in love.
and hopelessly. l thought there was
some hope ut one time. He seemed TO
take an interest In me--the interest ar.
peared to be growing into friendship.
ana, oh my dear! he is such splendid
man, not physically, perhaps though
he Is Very good looking in a quiet way.
but he has large. luminous mind. He
Is full of great ideas. and yet simple
and unaffected, and his nature is as
kindly and unselflsh as possible.
But don't suppose It Is that
There's something else which do not
understand that causes him to iii my
waking and sleeping thoughts, and It's
hopeless. know It's hopeless. Probably
he never would have looked upon me
under any circumstances as more than
mere friend, but even his frlendshtp
would have been very sweet. as well a :
very bitter.
y feel that the other girls In the
house and their mothers have been tell
Ing tales against me-exaggerated tales
at little foiiles, and, although probably
he believes little. l can tell that somc-
thing has crep, between US, ana that,
lei Eaps, not knowingly. he believes l
am merely n schemer. Why can't some
thing happen TO show the falsehood of
that? To think that II I were only
rich he would know that l am sincere.
l can't write any more. dear The
last few nights ! haven't slept, and I
am becoming wreck l must get
away. For the moment l feel more
tranquil, since he's away In London,
but have 4 sort OF duty to myself to
prevent myself from suffering need
'lessly, so I'll come, If l may, and help
to tend your poor and sick people, and
be thankful that In working for the
happiness of others there is hope that
I may forget my own misery. Your
unhappy old friend MARY"
Mary dropped one or two real tears
over the letter-she was very sorry for
herself. and far from confident about
her plans: then she carefully put the
first sheet Of the long letter into an
envelope, and addressed It to Miss
Charlotte Clairville. 3 William street,
Bethnai Green" and she took the rest
of the letter, and also the letter to Sir
Robert, and put them together into an
envelope which she addressed to him
at his club. After this she put on her
frock. did up her hair, sponsed her
eyes with cold water. put 4 little drop
Of cocaine in the corner of each eye
lid, went downstairs. put the TWO let
tcrs in the post bag, and ate u big
lunch.
On HIS return 10 Lechlades. Sir Rob-
ert Black found Lady Mary sitting
under n tree In the garden. looking
very picturesque. She was dressed 10
perfection Her cheeks flushed when
he came toward her. He did not guess
that this was in consequence OF guilt.
Sir Robert did not take her hand; his
manner showed great embarrassment.
F Lady Mary" he said. speaking with
difficulty. you have done C4IInse and
1 an unsentlcmanly thiig.r
What Is it?'' she asked.
"'In your letter to me, by accident
you lrclosed part OF a letter. written
10 some one else"
She gave n little cry, n most artistic
little cry, and guilt flushed her checks
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