The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-01-03

Inc very ll6a- never NET nm Allu
a month ago"
'sWhat IN the world are you talk
ing abOut2'' asked Airs. Caldwell, al
lowing her work to sink into her lap.
Il suppose it's something very seri-
GUS
well You know, I've been telling
you about the prince have letter
from him this morning, and it's the
funniest thing you ever dreamed Of"
what is there 50 funny about ftp"
''Why-it's a love letter"
From that japanese boy77
'He's not boy, mamma He must
be more than 20. he has a mustache."
what does he say in this letter."
''Well, what doesn't he say? he
says he's head over heels in love with
me and-you can see it for yourself.
There It is"
Mrs. Caldwell took the letter and
carefully adjusted her glasses At the
first glance she gave little start and
said, ~Humphl'' Then she read
aloud, slowly and carefully:
sweet Flower OF the Sunrise Land and
Maiden OF Ten Thousand Charms: Ny
heart tells me TO write OF the love which
in my heart Is agitating- You come into
my darkened existence ike the bursting
plum-blOssom OF the first moment OF
spring I try to tell OF my affection. but
I look upon your gracious beauty and
am silent in the ecstasy OF my great ad-
miratiOn- Your voice IS sweeter than the
mating song OF the nightingale and your
eyes are ike the two stars shining above
a temple For you my heart perfects
itself in melody
"Okecho Tamura-"
well, what do you think Of that?"
asked Flora.
at sounds very much ike love let
ter" said Mrs. Caldwell, with a half
repressed smile. cit certainly is more
of love letter than you father ever
wrote to me-"
Its nothing to laugh about, mann
ma" said Flora, gazing sentimentally
out Of the window. Il feel awfuIly
sorry for him. He really is a perfect
gentleman and awfully swell, and Just
as nice as he can be-
''And a prince, too suggested Mrs.
Caldwell. That is supposed to mean
a great deal to an American girl"
AS say, he is a nice fellow, but I
don't think it's natural for an Ameri-
can girl to be in love with any one not
the same color, do yOu?''
what is the princes cOlOr?' asked
Mrs. Caldwell.
do you know, he isn't a bit darker
than some Of the other boys in school,
but I suppose he would be called
don't know whether he's yellow or
brown know there are only five
cOlors, because that is what it used
70 say in the geography, and If he
isn't white or black or red, he must
be yellow or brown, but he doesn't
look very yellow, OF very brown,
either one"
'At least he is not white. Are you
going TO draw the color line in your
love affairs?''
cit is not a love affair. I never
spoke TO the man more than a dozen
times In my life. The ideal How
could I think OF accepting a man who
lives away OF IN some heather cOun-
try where they wear those funny
clothes and worship idols and all
that?"
81 don't think that his letter
amounts to a proposal" said her
mother.
Il know he doesn't say so in that
many words, but you can tell what
he MEANS said Flora, once more un-
folding the letter and scanning it. Its
about as strong as a love letter could
be-"
given the young man any encourage
ment?"
'Why, mammal We were nice to
him, and that was all. 1 never was
alone with him IN my life. The other
girls were there all the time and the
prince was so quiet and backward all
the time never had the slightest idea
that whereuPOn she smiled, for
she was once more reading that line
about the bursting plum-blossOm-
''It's a very simple matter" said
Mrs. Caldwell IF you don't want to
marry the prince and go to japan to
live all you have TO do is tell him so"
A few minutes later, Flora Cald-
well. hatless, was OF her way to car
~ the news TO Miss Lucy Dyer In the
second street east Lucy was at her
writing desk, biting at a pen
Lucy, You'll die when you hear
this"
"Oh, Floi You wouldn't guess in a
thousand years.
s'Guess what2"
''What the prince wrote TO me-"
'sDid he tell you about it?'
about what2"
About his being in love with me"
with you? Bless you, the poor
fellow has proposed to me- You new
er saw such a letter in your born
days. Do you know, 1 feel terribly
guilty. I had no idea that he liked me
In particular"
Lucy Dyer, do you mean to sit
there and tell me that the prince has
/ proposed to you, tOO2"
HAS he proposed tn any one else?''
HAS hep Read that"