Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-06-01

Hidden III ihe ltlk O1 ms mems EsS.
The oldest romance of the recent
war with Spain has just come to light.
1t is the romance of an egg.
A year and a half ago when the call
for volunteers went forth. simple
farmers girl out in Illinois did a very
simple and sentimental thing.
She wrote her name and address.
MARGARET GEHL. CASEY, ILL"
in her prettiest school girl handwriting
on an egg. Then she put the egg in a
case that wa. being packed in a boz
for market.
Then the egg Travelled in a case from
Illinois TO the Boston commission mar
hets. and finally met Charles G.. Duffy
chef Of Lowell. Duffy read the in
scription IN it's shell. The character
manifest in the dainty chirography i'm
PEELED him to SEND a word of greeting
to tie romantic maiden. The invita-,
ton fascinated and became fixed in his
mind.
Then he broke the egg and Cupid
came forth Love was Matched in the
incubator of latent affection.
Egged on by an occult force, the
chef wrote to the woman whose name
was the passport 70 his heart. She re-
piled. Correspondence was establish
I'd. photographs were exchanged, and
both were convinced that it was no
shell game.
He went to Porto Rico with the
Sixth Massachusetts, Volunteers. Her
womanly heart applauded his bravery.
When the regiment returned home.
Duffy lost no time in taking a trip to
see his sweetheart's home. /hey met.
they loved more deeply, they plight
ed their troth.
When the snow has whitened the
New England hills they will be yokei
The goose that laid the golden egg
must now take roost in the back
ground and make way for the hen that
lays the egg Of love.
Charles G. Duffy Is n prepossessins
young fellow of about % summers. and
as may be imagined, of romantic
nature.
As for Miss Gehl, she is the daugh-
ter of humble farmer OF Casey, Ill.
In the early part OF 1898 she was en-
gagged in the unromantic task OF cas-
ing eggs for shipment TO the East. As
she mechanically deposited egg after
EGG in the hard and unsympathetic case
a feeling of her lonesomeness bore
upon her, and with il a pining for the
love OF some noble truehearted man.
Partly by inspiration and partially az
a mere relief from the monotony OF
the work she carefully selected one OF
the largest Of the eggs and inscribed
upon il her name and home.
II was a neat specimen Of penman
ship; its very formation betrayed the
writer to be a woman of objectionable
impulses, and seemed to invite re-
Spouse from some good man. Miss
Margaret retired that night with the
love-light of expectation in her eye.
She was imbued with new hopes and
aspirations. The day would come.
Day after day she besought her faith
err with inquiries when he returned
from the daily trip to the village post
office Day after day she was doomed
to be disappointed. And then, one day,
her hopes were realized.
1t was a diplomatic missive from Mr..
Duffy-not too forward, not too bold
but merely setting forth the circum-
stances OF the finding OF the hen fruit.
and apologetically explaining that the
writer thought that Miss Gehl would
be pleased to learn that the egg had
fallen into &1l sands.
Miss Gehl's reply was equally diplo-
matte, thanking her correspondent for
the trouble he had taken to acknowl-
edge the receipt OF the oval messenger,
and implied that further correspond
ence would not be altogether distaste-
full TO her, as she felt strong incllna-
tion to learn something Of the East.
Letter followed letter throughout the
entire war. while Duffy was at the
front. until eventually the item of
stationery became an important factor
in Charleys weekly disbursements
With each succeeding letter more en-
dearing terms were employed. ranging
In the process OF evolution from SIM
pie "Mr. Duffy" TO my Dear Charley"
That was the beginning OF The end,
and now the end OF the egg romance is