The Western news., 1901-05-08
His Michigan Correspondent.

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900 ANTED-Young man wishes to
WW correspond with lady. Object,
A1 mutual improvement. Must not
be over 20. Send photograph. Address
Q S16 -.
Il think l will try it." thought Jane,
taking a pin from her dress and care
fully making line with it around the
advertisement, which she afterward
removed in a somewhat jagged condi-
ton. "Any kind of excitement will be
pleasant in this hateful old place.
call call for the letters on my way from
school"
Jane was precocious young person
OF IA. Her father, advised by his ply
sician to retire from business until his
'much-abuscd nervous system could
have an opportunity to return to Its
normal condition, had two years before
left the roar and rattle Of Chicago for
the bucolic delights of his Michigan
fruit farm His younger daughter con-
sidered herself greatly injured indi-
vidual and had expressed her opinion
to that effect when at breakfast with
her father on the morning when the
advertisement chanced to catch her
eye II am the only one of this family
who is always oppressed" (Jane was
fond of imposing words.) Here Is
mamma away in Europe and Geraldine
going to the city next week. l am in
variably left at home like a wretched
slave"
''My child, you eXaggerate," mildly
returned her father. Your time will
come when you are older
''That is the answer always receive.
Everybody says, You are too young for
this, you are too young for that Ger
aldine is 10 and shall have to wait
i've long, miserable years before l can
have what she has and do as she does.
But shall have nice things then, can
tell you! am going to have at least
-four diamond rings on every finger and
very long trains to my dresses"
Tut, tut said her father, taking up
his newspaper, don't be silly"
1t is mortifying to have ones dearest
aspirations received in this way, and
Jane winked hard to keep back the
tears as she arose from the table, She
had read Marie Bashkirtseff, and, like
the young Russian, she kept journal,
20 which she confided her woes and ro-
mantle vaporings. zone thing wrinss
my heart" she wrote, Il shall never be
beautiful. My eyes are rather good,
but it will be impossible for INV nose
to change from pug to a Grecian. and
my neck is awfuily scraggy! And papa
says If do not stop reading so much
shall we wearing glasses by the me
l am 10. All this is agoni1ins! And
Geraldine is so beautiful She is like
dream. She has large, soft. brown ewes
and her hair is a golden brown: her
nose, her complexion, her mouth. are
perfect, and when she wears an even
ang dress that shows her shoulders and
arms she is simply heavenly! Were
as beautiful as Geraldine would have
many suitors at my feet, but should
spurn them ALL"
She wrote a letter in her hest hand
TO 20 S16," then came the question of
a portrait. She looked over a number
of photographs with dissatisfied air.
sThere is no use in my sending one of
myself" she thought, "they all show
how young am and this horrid piy-tail
down my back gives me away. Here is
one of mamma when she was a girl
which would do if she had not combed
her hair like freak. 1t doesn't make
any difference whose picture | send
MIN, for he will never see me, anyway.
All OF these Photographs Of Geraldine
are poor. know what I'll dor
Going to her mothers room she nm
locked a writing desk and took from a
drawer a case of blue velvet. 1t con-
tained a portrait of his sister painted
on ivory. On the white satin lining of
the case was written: ITO dear mamma
from Geraldine. Christmas, 1885,"
ut won't be missed, for shall write
him to return it right away" thought
Jane. But what pity Geraldine wrote
her own name in it. l write a good
deal as she does, for I've always tried
to initiate her hand, but must arrange
for the name in some way"
So she re-wrote her letter, moi realiz-
ing the extent of her iniqulty. for the
sct was but an incident in the romantic
and visionary world she lhad created
for herself.
The advertisement had been inserted |
by Leigh Barton, a young Chicago law
yer, as the result of a nonsensical bet |
made one night at the University Club |
as to the number Of answers it would |
bring. The rather formidable pile of
letters and photographs handed to him
when he called for them three days
later proved that he had lost his wager,
and he indiferently threw them into a
drawer Of his desk, intending to ex-
anime them at his leisure.