The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-02-23
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ridiculous And once You thought tnefn
so beautiful They look ike little white
collins. don't they" and Folly pointed TO
a hald-dozen bundles of once-white en-
velopes, each tied with different colored
ribbon, which she had Laid out on the
library table, ready for sacrifcial burning
on the altar Of our engagement.
They remind me-" ] remarked, as L
began pulling out of my own overcoat
pocket bundle after bundle of pink and
blue ENVELOPES, each tied with a common
cord. and depositiag them beside Polly's
collection, more of skeletons-or Of stale
cigarettes"
or dead roses" suggested Polly.
"Or cold pudding" said l.
Polly commenced untying the violet
string around a tender packet. and l lay
lazily back in the big armchair and
watched her through the SNAKE from my
cigarette and began reading.
Who was he. PoHy?'' 1 asked gently,
blowing wreath of smoke and watching
1t curl around the chandelier
"He-he- doesn't sign his name said
Polly. evasively and turning pink
raised my eyebrows significantly.
Because" said Polly hurting on, 'as
he always said, it is inartistic 10 sign
your name to a personal letter II the
one for whom il is intended can not guess
the sender by the first sentence, then
either he or she does not care very much,
or else the letter is entirely without in
dividualty. on do not have to label a
coed picture This is d cow do your
VERY clever Of him. / remarked.
4 don't know what you mean" Mr..
IIeavyfeather
4 mean, said l. that the man who
doesnt sign his name 10 the letters he
writes TO g. woman is either ashamed of
what he Is doing or insinccre in what he
is saying: he is either a cad or d coward.
when a man really loves you the only
thing on earth he IS afraid Of is that he
viii not get you."
Mr.. IIeavyfeather, said Polly, coldIy.
'you never did appreciate style hletter
writing You
oh, [ know his style" / remarked.
cynicaly the insinuating. noncommittal
style; tho style that never signs his name
and begins his letter impersonally. as
though he were talking to space or pos
teIity
There Was fash of something white
t4A-'A.-44 tltt Ti4F dAih III DN4lNit VI ltlltiS
f6n from Polly's hand into the blazing
fire with a crash.
''N0w." said Polly. bringing her elbows
down on the table with little thump and
leaning her chin on her clasped hands,
its your turn"
But YOU didn't finish reading them"
I said in surprise.
What's the use?" said Polly. They
were all alike"
] sighed and opened a pink packet first
] felt Polly's eyes on me, and flushed
hotly at the very first line in the intensely
interesting cpis'le l happened to draw
out. az
"Well?' asked Polly, at length
"Oh. pslaw,' began Feeling my
checks growing hotter every minute) 1T
isn't fair, Polly, to
You mean" interrupted Polly. that
the lady VINO wrote the letter said some
silly things.
They didn't seem silly at the time" l
replied. warmly
They never do" said Polly, "and pud-
ding never tastes fiat when it's fresh, and
oigare ties never seem stale until they go
out; and YOU never have a headache until
the day after the dance"
And woman never seems happy" I
appended. until she can spell her soul
out on paper"
Wei" hared Polly. "A girl ought to
be at Ierfcct liberty 10 lay her soul quite
bare il letter to her sweetheart
Tint depends" l remarked. ION the
sweetheart
AID on the kind of girl" added Polly.
thoushtfuily."
'.Aad Oh the situation 7 concluded
''ana then YOU have 10 recllo nwith death.
accidents and pryins landladies."
u suppose" said Polly. that the safest
thing for giIl 90 do is to write with the
idea chat she is going to be famous and
that her letters are to be published after
death by mercenery progeny. Thsn she
Will say "a lot Of clever interesting things,
which viii charm the man in question
aud Yet would make good general read
ing. if the pubic should ever take a no
ton To investigate
THAT, Polly said /. would be mex
cellent idea fer good many reasons:
firstly. because man never appreciates
q mushy sushy letter that seems TO be
stopping over at the corners with senti-
ment like jelly roll. You know, your
self. how. when your plate is too full, The
sight of Il takes away your appetite
Now single sip of something really good
and spicy creates desire Tor more"
And woman's iirs; duty said Polly,
solemEly. waving packet Of letters. is
10 create a desire for more"
Besides I went on. ignoring the
cynicism. if the average girl who in
dulses into the future a few years and