Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-05-06
STORY OF CORRESPONDENCE


N0Y Dear Mr.. Miller-f promised
iMl you once-it was quite while
~@SS ago, to be sure. but then ii
was a promise some day l would
write letter 10 yoG. To-day seems
4 good time to do it. l am in very blue
spirits, and decidedly irritated against
afe in general. The thermometer is 10
below zero, and the avenue is filed.
with racing clouds of dust. Here, I'M
Colorado Springs, when the wind,
blows. everybody quarrels with life;
Ind l am no exception. And as you.
Ised to be a very bracing person to-
quarrel with, the idea of writing to-
Fou seems a happy one, even after four
Years.
Il take for granted that you are still
n Philadelphia. Philadelphia is so I'M:
ike Colorado Springs! People live in
Philadelphia-they spend whole exist
snces there, and are buried there when
hey die. Here, in Colorado Springs,
people visit; they don't live. In four
Fears everybody changes; ones whole
visiting list fades away like n dream
and changes, like a kaleidoscope, into
an entirely new set of acquaintances
and intimates l have had thirteen in
Innate friends in four years. and all
Ost to me now foreyer!-is not that 0
striking reminder of the transformers
" life? One is in Mexico, one in
Rome. one in a convent at Paris, two
u New York, one in India. one in
louisville. one on the Nile, two in
Chicago. and three have died. Every
body who does not die here goes away.
before long, to the ends of the earth,
As you see. In comparison, Philadel-
Dhia rIust be place of solid ard en-
turing social relations. / am in the
mood to-day to envy the rooted secur-
ty of Philadelphia!
do you remember how you used to
augh AZ my fathers investments in
mining stocks out here, four years ago2
Well, they have turned out stroke of
financial genius, after all, and made
our fortune 1t is rather exciting be-
ing rich-and rather duh. too. And
aow, having kept my promise most
generously. TO the extent OF six pa ges.
Il is time to stop. l hear you echo the
Ientiment-but L am. Notwithstanding.
Cordially yours.
ISABEL BROWN"
The young man smiled as be laid
down the letter on his desk. amid the
business papers that crowded it.
''She was bright girl" he said to
himself. but L never thought she
would write that sort of letter. Too
lmpersonal. somehow. She writes
very pretty hand. though"
Perhaps it was the four years per-
spectiye into which the attractive ac-
quaintance Of summer at Mackinac
had receded. that gave this effect to his
nind. AT any rate, he remembered her
as she was that last afternoon, when
they stood in the old fort, looking over
he houses of the picturesque. gay col
,red little town. to the blue lake water
@yond. They had not been imper-
Sonal at all that day but very much
he opposite he had realized since,
more than at the time. how very near
De had been to being in love with her.
lud how much one week more of init
haey might have meant TO them both
aow he had hoped that she would
Nrite-though she had only smiled at
bis request, and promised that some
day she might. He had not forgotten,
and he had really never liked any 9TH
r. woman so well. And now she had
written. Why? Was it just one of
those Inconsistent little impulses of
Aers that he had found so charming
sour years ago-or did il mean more?
Tho OILY answe: to that question. man
Sestly. was to answer the letter at
Snce. And though the business CORE
spondence was attended to promptly
that day. yet summer afternoon. and
a speaking pair OF dark eyes. were
more in the writer's thoughts than was
at ali necessary.
1t was surprising after his answer
was sent. and the correspondence be-
gan thus tentatively. how soon IL grew
and throve. and increased. Miss lisa
Del Browns postmsn, Fastening along
the wide and dusty avenues OF Colo
7ado Springs. brought at shorter and
shorter intervals. longer and longer
,ette-s from Philadelphia; while Mr..
George w. Miller's disk in the large
city offices OF that wealthy firm OF
which he was junior partner was never
ong without specimen of Miss
Browns Handwriting. 1t was a reve-
alton. ST both ends of the line. how
mnch one could put on paper for q
sympathetic reader. and how intimate
I knowledge one gains Of special cor
respondent. from week to week. Mr..
Miller soon learned that ne had neeer
really known girl hefore-that is.
aeyer understood one-and that Miss
Browns tastes Miss Browns indi-
giduality. exactly and continually sat
sized and delighted him; while Miss
SrG-sn felt that she rever could have
believed that George Miller could de
velcp such attractive traits and such
thoroughly cOngenial set of Ideas and
aspirations. They were a reveIs ion to |
zach other first a month"; then 8
weekly, then almost s-ss. revelation.
1t matters not how sfteu such a dis
rovery is made ii each new case IL is |
equally aSto, .shing and suggestive. and /
leads ip-sftably TO the further discov- |
cry that letter writing has its Traits. |
aud needs the supplement of personal |
intercourse TO peefect its delights. VIII |
anyone he astoniShed TO learn that six |
months later Mr.. George w. Miller
aimself arrived az Colorado Springs.
one September morning. with three OF /
fsabels last letters in his inside ve5t /
pocket. and a pre-occunatlon so great |
chat Re paid no attaItion to Pixies
Peak at ala Isabel, on her side. was
DOT In the least surprised when be was
az No. - Cascade avenue.
Tor his last letter-well. she was quite /
ceady 40 Welcome him. and prepared |
y descend the stairs without any |