The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-04-24
che Re=1tcarnation Of a new$=
paper.
paper.

beginning of my participation in the
first and only romance of my life, a
gentleman came in and evidently in
quired for some note paper, for he al
most Immediately came down toward
me. "Now Pm going to be sold," said
to myself; but wasn't, not for the mo-
ment. l was insulted instead. "What
kind do you prefer ?" heard Mr.. Parks
say. He looked squarely at me, and
with what thought seemed knowing
and rather sardonic smile, replied,
"Oh! little of the BEST" Heavens!
thought 1, is it possible he could have
seen me at O'Grady's that morning
perish the thought! For just fleeting
moment my face turned from a laven-
der to dusky red, for any inadvert-
ency of this kind in reference to my
plebian origin always disconcerts me
somewhat. glanced back at him, my |!
wasn't he handsome. l almost forgave
him the slight he had so unwittingly
put upon me. He carried me off at
last, and to abbreviate matters = we
travelled down to Cuba together.
Crossing over from the "Key's" l was
frightfully seasick and didn't enjoy it
bit. Things were rather quiet until
few days after we landed, and then
one fine-morning he jerked me out of
10Y box, slapped me down on his knee
and scrawled all over me the worst lot
of 81 love you's," dearest" and "dar-
lingest" all jumpled ogether-heiro-
glyphics ar'n't circumstance.
wasn't bit proud of his writing, tho
suppose it was nervousness, for he
ended up rather slowly 1--WE shall
probably have an engagement this
morning, and-well, you understand
what l want to say. Hastily, Tom"
And such aracket; drums rolling, bugle
calls, an occasional rifle shot, the
trenchant crack cutting through the
roll and pounding of artillery wheels.
| was glad when he sealed me up in an
envelope, and started me north again.
My second voyage was truly delight
full as ] had company all the way. One
big brown envelope marked 90. b."
and going to Washington was disgust
| ingly sick. AS the steamer rolled to
port, he turned and with a gulp re-
marked: "Oh! if 1 ever reach home!
III never, never"-here we rolled diz-
lilly to starbOard and he did not finish.
Quite a number remarked how well
stood it, but [ icily informed them,
"that 1 had yet to experience my first
attack of mal-de-mer."
The postman carried me up the
brown stone steps. 1 was received
hurriedly can tell you, torn open and
my contents run over again and again.
Then l was put away in this black
ebony box with the little gold lock and
shut in. would have had some one
to talk to, but they died before came.
You can see them over there in that
dark corner. They were violets once.
Tom! Oh yes, you remember You
must have seen it in the newspapers at
the time-killed, charging up San Juan
hill, shot, thirty yards in advance of
his company. haven't been taken out
and read for the longest time now. It
seems ages. She used to take me out
and spell over the words slowly-oh! ! SO
slowly, just to make me last longer;
but lately I've been neglected 1 don't
know why, do you?
Just then a tiny key was slipped into
the lock and the lid was thrown back.
1t was held aloft moment with slight
tremor-a flash perhaps of remorsefuI
indecision-and then its contents flut-
tered for an instant over the fire. The
paper blazed; its upturned face shrank
and wrinkled to the hue of those who
sleep long in the lotus f1owered land of
the Pharaohs. It rustled once and
sighed wearily, "Ohl the perfidy of it
fall, and he" Mid the faint scent of