Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-25
GIRLS FOLLY LEADS TO
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES

write that he was back in Ohio and would
hand his letter to friend to be mailed
from the San Francisco train which pass
ed through Galva. Sometimes the letter
was mailed by Clark in his travels. What
ever the plan of mailing, it was always
mentioned in the letter. And in keeping
with the explanation all the letters were
mailed on trains or at way stations. All
bore the postmark of some neighboring
town.
Every town within radius of 30 miles
is represented in this pack of letters. Only
one came from Toledo. Ohio. and that
was marked by the Toledo postmaster,
'Remailed by request of sender"
Early last year Mr.. Clark began to
urge the question Of marriage. He wrote
long and stilted love letters, which Miss
Holmes ignored. She wrote to him of the
weather and the crops and local doing
there was mention OF neither love nor
everlasting friendship in her letters. The
correspondence came to an end as sud-
denly as it had begun, but by Miss
Holmes initiative. Protestations of love
were numerous and it became evident
to her that she had gone too far. Clark's /
first proposal. which was mailed from
Florence, Kan, remained unanswered. 1t
was written in the same formal style that
characterized his former overtures, There
were remarks about the weather first.
followed by an inquiry after the health
of Mrs. Holmes, who had been frequently
mentioned in the correspondence.
The proposal proper was confined to this
paragraph: Il will tarry in Kansas until
the 18th OF this month May If have to
wait that long to learn whether 1 am to
be the happiest or the most miserable
man on earth. Now, allow me to ask OF.
you, give me your heart and hand and
promise TO become my bride, the greatest
wish Of my heart. Now, dearest, It Is
within your power to make me happy or
most miserable while life shall lasts. This
has been upon my mind for some time.
but have hesitated to make it known to
you. fearing your answers
When there came no answer Clark wrote (
again, repeating his declarations. From
early in May Of last year until October
Clark urged his suit. Then he wrote that
he should visit her home and see her ia
Their.
1t was about o'clock in the evening OF
October when the promised visit was
made. Clark drove into the yard, tied his
horses and asked where some neighbors
lived. Miss Maud Holmes. who had an
swered his knock at the door. directed
him. When Clark asked for Mr.. Holmes
the girl invited him into the house. II
was to her father that Clark told his name
and his purpose.
But you. can't marry my daughter un-
She is willing; it's the young boys
hanging round that makes her think she
amt" Clark smiled a hopelessly senile
smile and turned to the girl where she
had retreated into one corner Of the room.
Clark was not prepossessing as she saw
him then. He was gray-haired and heavily
bearded, although the beard did not hide
an almost toothless mouth. There was a
decided lameness to one side of his body
and his breath came in short gasps. as
though breathing were difficult. Above all.
he was dirty.
Il don't want to see him. oh, please
drive him away!" Maud Holmes fully re-
allied then the folly of writing letters
to strangers. She realized ii further when
Clark began in a foolish voice to repeat
some Of the things she had written. He
went on to answer questions she had
asked him months tefore. Her father,
who had known nothing Of the cores
pondence, stood in astonishment.
Then came a number Of anonymous XII
ters Tho number and variety Of these b.
tiers is astonishing, as is the quantit. Ct
matter set forth in them. The man that
could conceive and carry such a CORE
spondence to a successful close must GER
tainly have literary ability. He certainly
has weaVed a plot of Tolstoian power into
his every day correspondence. The only
evident mistake he has made is in the
handwriting, which, although he has tried
to conceal, has revealed itself with many
little eccentricities.
When Clark discovered Miss Holmes
was engaged to be married to Paul
Crabbs. who lives in neighboring town,
he began a defamation of Crabs char
acter. Most Of this was anonymous al
though there were some letters signed by
Clark in which much was limited at
Then came the shooting and the arrest
OF Ryno. The shotgun in the house had
one barrel discharged. When Ryno was
taken to the Holmes house the amily
positively identified him as the man who
had visited them under the name Of Clark
Although he lives but three miles away
the HOlmeses had never known Ryno
They had heard of him in the neighbor-
hood and knew he was queer" but that
was all.