Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-08-20
and various other things to the hall
where the rummage sale was to be

"AAu SohlVuS Otuet tuluSS 10 tle nall
where the rummage sale was to be
held.
1t was on the evening Of this bright
October day that the sale was to COM
n,ence. The town had been ransacked
from end to end, little judicious ad-
yertislng done. all the articles collected
and arranged, and now, with sigh Of
relief and anticipation, the maids and
matrons Of Brentley stood and looked
a moment on the work of their hands
ere they went home to snatch hasty
supper before returning for the open
Ing of the sale in the evening.
Among those who dropped In that
evening to "see how the women folks
were getting along" was Caleb Thorn.
as. He passed down the hall. exchang-
ing pleasant word with an acquaint.
anca here and there and amusedly in.
specting the heterogeneous conglom.
Grafton of donations. until he came to
a counter presided over by the daugh
ter of an old friend. who laughlngly
challenged him to pick from her stock
in trade the style which suited him
best. She had charge of part of the
clothing and merrily exhibited her as
sortment. commenting gaily. on each.
At Last she held up coat In the style
of twenty years ago. "See," she said
gleefully. Miss Almira Hunter sent
this In; how oldfashioned 1t is! One
would think 1t came over In the May
6ower and hadn't seen the light of
day since; and, indeed, 1t must have
been laid away for ever so long, for
She"
I'll take It," interrupted Caleb short.
ly. How much is it?'
Fifty cents" was the wondering
answer. The girl watched him with
perplexed, muslng eyes as he threw the
coat over his arm and made his way
straight to the door. She wondered
IL there was any truth in the gossip
she had heard but hardly needed,
which called him an old lover of Miss
Hunters.
Meanwhile Caleb Thomas took his
way homeward. the coat pressed tight
~ to his side. Once in while lie
stroked it tenderly. almost timldly-it
was something Mira had touched.
Arrived at his bachelor home, he
spread his purchase on chair and sat
down facing 1t Somehow, the sight of
something connected with her brought
thronging back the old pain, the old
question. "Why?" Why had she never
broken her proud silence?
With the question still eclioilig In his
heart lie took the coat and slowly put
1t on. 1t fitted well. He remembered
that her brother George had been about
his size. He ran his hand over It In
an awkward masculine way. pattins
1t abstractedly. Suddenly. near one Of
the pockets. something rustled. He
felt in the pocket. but there was moth.
ing there. Still the rustllng continued
when he touched that part of the coat.
1t occurred to him that there must be
something between the cloth and
the lining, and searching carefully he
found rip aud drew out-a letter,
sealed. stamped, but not postmarked,
and addressed to himself in hand
that sent thrill along every nerve.
Slowly and wonderlngly he broke the
seal and glanced at the date. 1t was
1882. He rubbed his eyes as IL In n
dream. What did 1t mean?
Suddenly. like flash of light, It was
all clear to him. Here was the answer
to the why, the long-delayed answer to
his letter. She had given 1t to George
to post. and George The was always a
careless boyl had slipped it into his
pocket and forgotten it, and 1t had
worked Its way through the rip and
lain for twenty long years between the
cloth and lining. And. miracle of
miracles! 1t had at last been deliv.
cred to its rightful owner.
He finished the letter, folded 1t care.
fully, and replacing 1t In its envelope
put 1t back In his pocket. Forgetting
that he still wore the old coat. for now
his only thought was to get to Mira,
he strobe out into the night and hur.
ried, almost ran. down the village
street.
Phere was light In Miss Hunters
sitting room. where she sat trying to
read. But she could not concentrate
her thoughts upon her book; they
would turning again and again to Ca
leb Thomas
Suddenly there was step at the
outer door. the latch clicked sharply,
aud someone stepped toward the Inner
room. Then Caleb Thomas stood be.
fore her.
"Mira!" he said simply. "Mira!"
Miss Hunter started to her feet. pale,
trembling speechless. Caleb fumbled
In the pocket of the old coat and drew
out the letter. her letter. so old and
yet so new.
"See, dear" he said, ~ found 1t in
the coat you sent to the rummage sale
and which bought because you had
touched 1t. Oh, Mira. say that you
mean 1t still. Say that you will"
He stopped suddenly, for with a
great cry of Joy she swayed forward
and would have fallen but for the hun
cry arms which caught her and drew
her home to his breast at last.-Farm
and Home.
a NOTED EDUCATOR.
~ ln a II NH