The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-10-04

my poor eyes, my poor eyes She ex-
claimed as she drew the letter nearer To
her nose.
All, my dear Nile. Julie, how many
hours have l consumed in writing ia
You of the trouble into which you have
thrown my mind and my heart! But
when | have read them over have not
been satisfied with the letters and have
destroyed them. You are so beautiful
That 10 write to you in BETTING man.
ner | should have the genius of Lamar
tine. But even then | should be frighten
ed at my audaeity, and | should hardly
Know how to get this letter to you. But
nave found way, and | pray you TO
excuse the stratagem | shall employ TO
reveal TO you at least the secret which
depresSes me. l know that tomorrow
evening you will so to the presidents
bau. have also an invitation, and |
shall nave the pleasure of seeing your
cheeks of lily rose, your neck of alabas-
ter, your lips Of coral, and doubtless |
shaH again have the exquisite happiness
or clasplng your slender waist But |
shall lind your opera cloak of rose colored
satin. 10 it | shall confide my avowal.
and you will find it ON returning home.
You see how love renders one ingenious,
since 1t has inspired me with this clever
idea"
"A clever idea?" said Aunt Julie, shak-
ing her head. "Ah. yes. A clever idea
to conceal letter in a pocket that l
never used instead of putting it in the
post"
She resumed her reading. The writing
became more and more confusing, and
the ink was very pale. Aunt Julie was
reduced to the necessity of spelling out
the words. This she did in thin, half
voice, whose droning sounds mingled
with the shriliing of the locusts. Thus
ran the words she deciphered:
DO not be too severe on me, and think
Of the torments l endure. l ought TO ad-
dress myself to your father or your moth
er, but as yet l dare not. Your fathers
aspect is SO grave, and your mother is so
imposing. And then l have noticed that
parents prefer to marry their daughters
to man of maturity, who has a brilliant
position. AS for me, l am still young. ON
the threshold of my career, and | fear
that my little fortune would appear in
sufficient to one so rich as your respecta-
BILE father"
Aunt Julie paused again.
$50 rich as my father?" she murmured.
She laid the letter on her knees, looked
into vacancy, and then suddenly was
seized with a severe chill, which, howcv-
or, soon passed off, leaving her oppressed
with confusion of visions.
so rich as my father" she repeated.
Eyes, all the world then believed that
lie"
Aunt Julie sinking into her armchair,
before her embroidery frame, again saw
herself, at Is years, in the midst of balls.
dinners, receptions, encircled with luxury
and without care, leading the triumph
of youth in happy. golden existence
Then with the uneXpcctednpss of a thun-
dcrbolt came the sudden death Of her ia
thcr, the revelation of ruin adding itself
to the sohS of mourning, the humiliatiug
decay which invited the duus of creditors.
the abject decay which turned evcrythin.
save Il few souvenirs into money and
which called forth hypocritical compass
sion and injurious sCorn and led to the
painful detection of friends Then fol-
lowed the hard struggle against wretch
edneSS, which knocks ut the door and in
sists on entering, the concealed and hope
less struggle, in which among all her
acquaintauces Julie was known as 1.-THE
girl without a dowry." Then, at last,
came this reposc, well merited but in no.
wise due to her, which in her old days
she enjoyed under the hospitable roof of
her younger brother.
But if TINS man, this unknown CORE
spondent, had not heard of her fathers
apocryphal fortune, or if she at the time
had discovered this letter
Aunt Julie blew her nose noisily and
again read, but with more difficulty than
before, for moisture blurred her glasses.
but love you, dear Mile. Julie, and
if | know that | am sustained by your
affection or by only Il promise | shall
be able to make good what is lacking
in my fortune. All give me hope, and
| shall be able to move mountains. The
day after omomow-Thursday-
O'Clock | shall pass under your windows.
! shall wear a white carnation for a bou-
tonniere, and | shall hold my cane under
my arm. | shall repass in half an hour.
If you deisn to encourage my hope, place
a handkerchief over the cage of your
paroquet. Adieu until we meet, dear
Mile. Julie. Again | beg you to forgive
my extreme audacty and to believe in
the love, tender and true, of him who
styles himself for life the most respectful
and the most devoted of your admirers"
Aunt Julie folded the letter and me-
thodically placed it in the envelope. She
removed her spcetacles, and. her eyes on
the ceiling where the flies We're again
asleep. she searched her memory.
"Who could it have been?" she said
She buried herself in thought, but the
laborious reading had dulled her mind.
lar cti In1
of her efforts.
ed.
Again she searched her memory.
But the shrlling of the locusts contin-
ned, obstinately monotonous. and the
golden atoms still danced in the sun
beams, sitting through the venetian
blinds, Aunt Julie felt the somnolent
spell of the hour.
She shook herself, lifted her eyebrows,
and little beads Of pcrspiration formeddn
the wrinkles of her forehead.
who could it have been? Who?"
She murmured name, two names, and
then, her head oscillating in time with the
shrilling of the locusts, the old maid re-
turned to the peace of slumber.-Bulfalo
News.
The Modern Doilies.
The modern housekeeper delights in
doilies. She now collects these exqui-
site bits of fine linen with the same en-
thusiasm with which she once collected
souvenir spoons.
The three kinds of doilies most used
today are the tumbler, finger bowl and
plate dolly. :