The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-05-16
STORY OF A CORRESPONDENCE

IWl you once-it was quite a while
ago, to be sure. but then it
was a prOmise-that some day | would
write "a letter to you. To-day seems
good time to do it. am in very blue
spirits, and decidedly i1ritated against
life in general. The thermometer is 10
below zero, and the avenue is filed
with racing clouds of dust. Here. in
Colorado Springs, when the wind
blows, everybody quarrels with life,
and | am no exception. And as you
used to be a very bracing person to
quarrel with, the idea of writing TO
you seems happy one, even after four
years.
II take for granted that you are still
in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is so UNI
like Colorado Springs People live in
Philadelphia-they spend whole exist
ences there. and are buried there when
they die. Here, in Colorado Springs
people visit, they don't live. In four
years everybody changes; ones whole
visiting list fades away like a dream.
and changes, like Kaleidoscope. into
an thAiAtig utN SGT vi
and intimaies. have had thirteen in
innate friends in four years. and all
lost to me now fOrever!-is not that
striking reminder of the transformers
of life? one is i'm Mexico. one in
Rome, one in convent at Paris. two
in New York, one in India. one in
Louisville, one on the Nile. two in
Ia,
body who does not die here goes away.
before long. to the ends of the earth.
as you see In comparison, Philadel-
phia must he place of solid and en-
during social relations. l am in the
mood to-day to envy the rooted secur-
ity Of Il Philadelphian
do you remember how you used TO
laugh AT my fathers investments in
mining stocks out here. four years ago?
Well they have turned out a stroke Of
financial genius. after ALL and made
our fortune. 1t is rather exciting be-
ing rich and rather dun. too. And
now. having kept my promise most
generously. to the extent of six pages,
it is time to stop. l hear you echo the
sentimeut-but | am, Notwithstanding
Cordially yours,
ISABEL BROWN"
The young man smiled as he laid
down the letter on his desk, amid the
business papers that crowded It,
'She was bright girl" he said to
himself. hut never thought she
would write that sort of letter Too
impersonal somehow. She writes
very pretty hand, though"
Perhaps il was the four years per
spectlve iuto which the attractive ac-
quainiaucc of a summer at Mackinac
had recede,l. that gave this effect to his
mind Az ANY rate. he remembered her
as she WA that last afternoon. when
they stood ~ the old fort, looking over
the houses of the picturesque. gay col
Ored little town. to the blue lake water
beyond They had not been imper
sonal at all that day but very much
the OppoAitr and he had realized since
more than Al the time. how very near
he had been 10 being in love with her
and how much one week more of init
macy mlghl have meant to them both
How he had hoped that she would
write though she had only smiled ut
his request. and promised that some
day slie might He had not forgotten,
and he tad really never liked any 9th
or w0uan 80 we'll And now she had
written. WhyY Was it just one Of
those Inconsistent little impulses Of
hers that he had found so charming
four years ago-Or did it mean more
The only answer to that question. man
ifestly. was 30 answer the letter at
once. Aud though the business CORE
spondcnce was attended to promptly
that day, yet a summer afternoon. and
a speaking pair of dark eyes. were
more In the writer's thoughts than was
at all necessary.
1t was surprising. after his answer
was sent. and the correspondence be-
gan thus tentatively. how soon it grew
and thrOye. and increased. Miss Isa-
bel Browns postman. Fastening along
the wide aud dusty avenues of Colo