Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-04-21
bring out cake and ginger wine 70,

She yer tried to make SOM poor show
of eating breakfast-then she went up
to her own room and stayed there.
A neighbor called, entering cautious
ly, and as if it was a house Of mourn
ing. You'll not keep Elvira." she
pronounced, in a slow, dismal voice.
You'll see, Mis- Lane, she'll go off in
a decline-just as her mother did-if
she don't hear news of Gilman"
Clarissa had a cousin in New York,
who now, after a lapse of many years,
heard from her relative. Clarissa wrote
to ask her to do a seemingly simple
commissioners n over which the
woman shook her head and wondered,
A few days later Clarissa marched
up from the post Office carrying a let
ter addressed to Elvira. 1t was written
in a stiff, Uneven hand.
Seems as if this might be from
Gilman, Elvira," announced the aunt
as she entered the house. Elvira had
been sitting listlessly on the rocking
chair, but she sprang to her feet and
ran to Clarissa with flaming cheeks.
She read the letter through hurried.
ly, first of all, then with knit brows.
TITS all right, Aunt Clarissa," she
exclaimed, after a moments pause
Gilman mailed all his letters wrong
and they've been returned to him. He
wrote postponing our wedding; bust.
ness kept him-but he'll be here soon,'
her voice was not very elated.
Don't you like your letter? Aim
it all right?" asked Clarissa, after {
moments pause.
The girl flushed-then tears started
into her eyes.
"Oh, it's not like Gilman a bit" she
sighed, impatiently; Its a real, cold
horrid letter, Aunt Clarissa, but l guess
it's all right, though" She brushed
tears away.
Clarissa's jaw fell hopelessly, and (
look of pain fickered over her face
Then she colored a warm, burning red
Next day brought Elvira another let.
ter. The girl vas looking better. Hope
the beautifier, had already done his
work with her; and she was a mourn
ing bride no longer. She read her let.
ter with little gurgles of laughter ant
smiles coming and going.
tits just as sweet a letter as evel
could be-" she declared, with emphasis
But, my sakes, it's just like some one
writing to a little, tiny girl! He says
he's coming" she added, with a sigh
"but he gives no date and no time
Aunt Clarissa, when is he coming?"
"Soon-I guess soon," answered thu
other in a low, nervou voice; then, a!
Elvira began reading her letter again
and breaking once more into low nun
murs of happiness, the old woman
face relaxed somewhat, and her eye
grew less strained.
Weeks passed. Letters never failet
to come, but they gave no definite
promise Of Gilman's return. Still, Ell
vira lived on those letters; they wer'
meat and drink to her, and she slep
with the last II under her pillow.
Clarissa grew very nervous and bag
gard. She avoided going to meeting
and lost her speech of rigid determine
ton. Her eyes went down before he.
neighbors, and she had the mien o
n oppressed by guilt. Her manner tt
Elvira became almost doting; i
seemed as If she could not do enough
for the girl, and her tenderness wa
wonderful.
Her niece did not take much heed o
her. Aunt Clarissa was Aunt Clariss;
d-self-sacrificin bu
Elvira's whole heart conferred rount
her love letters, those letters, so forma
and cold, which had now worked III
into letters full of passion and fire
containing phrasing so tender that tn
girls heart leaped under the words
She read and reread these burning sen
fences a hundred times a day, wonder
ing more and more how her lover
miles away, seemed to understand s.
completely her daily round of life.
One day two letters came for Elvira
each bearing the New York postmark
| Clarissa had fetched them from tn
post office, and her hands tremblet
piteously as she handed them up.
"Elvira," she gasped, hes writer
at last!"
Elvira hardly needed her aunt. Sh
gently pushed aside the envelope hel,
out to her, taking up instead the let
ter directed in the handwriting sh
now knew so we'll. She broke the sea
and read the letter slowly, laughin
and smiling as she did so%-evidentl,
| we'll pleased with it. All this while tn
old woman watched her, her face look
ing livid and her lips twitching omi
nously. At last Elvira remembered tn,
other letter. She took it up carelessly
but at the first line she turned pal
and started.
Old Clarissa started, too; then he
lips moved as if in prayer. What sh
had longed for and dreaded had com
at last.
"Aunt Clarissa." Elvira's voice wa
| the mere shadow of a voice, so veal
and wonder-filled it was; this lette
is from Gilman"
The other bowed her head; sh
could not speak.
HE was run over the day he arrived
in New York and badly injured. H
has only just recovered enough to I'm
derstand t~hings-but he is coming her
next week."
Clarissa's dry lips framed the words
Thank God"
Aunt Clarissa," there was a note il
Elvira's voice that her aunt had neve
heard before, who wrote those letter
tina. did not come from Gilman?
The girl rose like a young judge
the spirit of justice.
| CIaricco a1Cn Ypca IN how Foot Oh