The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-12-24

answer. Then again she wondered
how this man came to have them. and
why he wanted typewriter copies.
She began to long to see the hand
writing. ALI the time she. wrote on
and on, tapping the soulless keys me-
chanically.
The last letter was finished and the
man rose to go.
"How much do owe you 7" he
asked, taking the letters from her
hand.
"You may pay me what the work
is worth to you" she responded. Il
am almost paid in the pleasure they
have given me.
He had hardly looked at her be-
fore. but he searched her face as she
said this.
"You think they are well written?"
he asked.
"More than that, they are feeling
ly written. Nowadays there is so
little real feeling, you know, one can
not help appreciating it when one
sees it."
The man smiled: They are
written to an ideal, not a real wo-
man. They are simply literary
production"
He handed her ten dollars-a dol
lar each-and disappeared in won
derfully short time, leaving her dazed
and puzzled. She again forgot it
was Christmas Eve; forgot she was
hungry.
Still seated at her typewriter, she
answered the letters that had so re-
Gently been read to her. How easily
she recalled those burning words of
love First she was calm and shy.
Then she became bolder and answered
the pleadings just as she would have
done had the man of her hearts ideal
spoken to her.
1t was midnight when she had
finished. The lights were going out
and the stiffness in the air frightened
her.
II always suspected was a fool,
now 1 w.t." she thought, gather
ing up the ten letters.
IT wonder what I will do with
them,' she said. perhaps can
sell them; the man said the others
were literary production and might
try, too. Yes, will, she continued
''and I'll send them off this very
night, or is it morning now?" She
had never done anything of the kind
before, but she knew the address of
certain publishing house. and she
sent them her bundle of manuscript.
Ten months later all Philadelphia
was talking about the two wonderful
books which had so recently appeared.
ITO My Ideal," by the popular and
successful Emery Thorne, created no
more sensation than my Answers, "
by an unknown woman, downtown
stenographer, which appeared the
same day and answered perfectly
those letters in Emery Thorne's book.
At first Mr.. Thorne was chagrined
aud angry. He understood how 1t
must have happened, and resented it.
By and by, his curiosity to again see
Miss Wright mastered his other feel
ings, and he sought her Office, hard
ly knowing whether she would be
there or not. Her book was selling
| faster than his, and she had no furth-
er use for her machine. Itwas Christ
mas Eve again, and he choose the
same hour he had done before.
II am homesick, a woman voice
was saying, land I wish had never
done it, for he despises me 1 know"
She was so buried in her thoughts
that she did not hear the door open.
''I was hungrier then than I am
now," she sobbed, "but the hunger
1 feel now is worse than the other"
In the street below another little
German band was playing, and the
tune was the same as on the Christ
mas Eve year ago.
miss Wright" a mans voice
said, softly. Size started up, fright
ened, but realized instantly where
and when she had heard the voice
before.
'Oh, can you forgive me 7" she
cried, turning to meet his clear gaze.
ION my condition." he said, gent
ly. MAKE your answers real an
swers."
And she did.
No bride of twenty was ever hap
pier than Mrs. Thorne at thirty-five.
'I waited long time for him, )"
she said to friend, ''but he came at
last"
eyes, and Christmas means more
to us than it does to most people,
because we are never hungry any
more" her fond husband said.
"Why, were you ever really hum
cry 7" someone asked.
"Always-before we met he an
swered.
But no one outside understands
the double meaning which the word
"hnngry" has. No, not even the
kind, tender man who folds his wife
to his heart.
"It's so nice, DEAR" she whispers,
Ito hear beautiful music without
crying"
"I WOULD not be a goose" said the
turkey, proudly, to his long-necked
friend. Perhaps you wouldn't, but
my chances for remaining a goose
are better than yours are for contin-
uing turkey"
TOMMY Gagged five)-Dad, are you
fond of good music?
Dad-Yes, I am.
Tommy-Then why don't you buy
me drum for Christmas.
''MISS SPECIE gave me kiss fol