The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-10-16
Delay in the Mails


No~0-O-ON-N~-oN~N
Gu HE course of true love is never
Il; smooth. There must be little
wounded vanity and injured
feelings, trifiing misunderstanding
and ephemeral quarrels, which all clear
up of their own accord, and the sky
is as serene as ever. But now and
then there is a more serious falling
out. which can only be righted by
confession of having been in the wrong
and a prayer for forgiveness. Some
times both youth and maiden are own
ers Of pride which they would rather
die than humble, and their two lives
are irremediably severed for lack of a
simple, Il was to blame; forgive"
Bessie Winthrop and Albert Hedges
had parted in anger. They had been
engaged for nearly year, and, though
many petty alterations had arisen
from time to time, they both felt that
now all between them was over, If they
pursued their usual method of letting
matters drift. One of them must bend,
and from Bessie's knowledge Of her
lover she was quite sure that 1t would
not be he. The tears welled up as she
remembered the ugly humor in which
he had left her. He was always so
hasty, but perhaps she had exasperated
him a little. Perhaps she was more to
blame than she at present realized. AT
any rate she would try to bring about
a reconciliation; she would write him
note telling him that she was sorry,
and asking him to forgive her. Reason
urged that he was more at fault than
she, but he would never see it in that
light, and-well, she loved him, that
was all; and what Will not a woman
do to win back the man who is her
whole existence"
So, In spite OF the fact that Cousin
Henry, who was her favOrite cousin,
had come to bid the family good-by
previous to his departure for the Klon-
dixie, she stole away from the parlOr
to write the letter which would re-
store matters to their old footing. She
did not spare herself, nor, did she re-
proach her fiance in the least. 1t was
a self-cOndemning appeal, such as only
woman can write, and which would
make the man who had called 1t forth
feel ashamed OF himself, If he had a
conscience She was positive, as she
handed the letter to Cousin Henry to
mail, that Albert would rush to see
her as soon as he received IT, and
everything would be all right forever
after They would both have learned
a lesson, and would take care to avoid
a repetition Of the incident.
But what perverse spirit is 1t that
sometimes enters into men? Whenever
the bell rang the next day her heart
throbbed with eager expectation, but
the door opened only upon disappoint-
ment. When night came there were
great red circles around her eyes.
There must be something wrong, for
Albert certainly would not so abso-
lutely ignore her note! Perhaps he
was out Of town. Another day passed,
and then a week, and then several
weeks; but he did not come. She saw
him twice on the street. Once she
knew he saw her. but he quickly turn
ed his face the other way and once
for a moment her sorrow gave place to
the wild fury Of the ''green-eyed mon
ster'-he was walking with another
girl.
Then rumors Of his attentions to
Nita Ross began TO reach her ears, and
ere many months had passed the pitt
less black and white announcement Of
their engagement appeared in the
morning papers.
She had spells Of inward rage, when
she would accuse him of shallow
heartedness and unworthiness; but her
mind never failed TO drop back into
its normal calmness, and then her only
thought was, I'm spite of all cannot
help loving him"
Albert Hedges and Mia Ross were
married before the year was out