The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-09-17

she wondered how this man came tc
lave them. and why he wanted type.
Written copies. She began to long to
Sc the handwriting. All the time
sae wrote on and on, tapping the
soulless keys mechanically.
The last letter was finished and the
nan rose to go.
'sHow much do I owe you," he
@ked, taking the letters from her
i land.
"You may pay me what the work
IS worth to you, she responded. II
az almost paid in the pleasure they
hive given me"
He had hardly looked at her be-
fore. but he searched her face as she
sid this.
f"You think they are well written ?"
IL asked.
ssMore than that, they are feeling
lily written. N0wadays siere - 80
little real feeling, you know, one
cainot help appreciating it when one
see it,
The man smiled. "They are
written to an ideal, not a real woman.
Thes are simply a literary Produc-
tion.p
Hehanded her ten dollars-a dol
lar eash-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
spokento her.
It was midnight when she had fin
ished. The lights were going out
and the stiffness of the air frightened
her.
4 always suspected that l. was q
fool, and now know it." she
thought, gathering up the ten letters.
/ wonder what / will do with
them she said. Perhaps I can
sell them; the man said the others
were literary production, and I
might try, too. Yes, I will," she
continued, "and I'll send them off
this very night, or, is it morning
now p She had never done any
thing of the kind before, but she
knew the address of certain pub
fishing house, and she sent them her
bundle of manuscript.
4 X
Ten months later all philadelphia
was talking about the two wonderful
books which had so recently appear
ed. "To My Ideal, by the popu-
lar and successful Emery Thorne,
creating no more sensation than
my Answers, /" by an unknown
downtown stenographer, which ap-
swered perfectly those letters in
Emery Thorne's book.
At FIRST Mr.. Thorne was chagrined
and angry. He understood how It
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, hardly
knowing whether she would be there
or not. Her book was selling faster
than his, and she had no further use
for her machine. It was Christmas
Eve again, and he chose the same
hour to make the call as the one be-
fore.
'sI am homesick, a woman S voice
was saying, and I wish I had never
done it, for he despises me, know"
II was hungrier then than I am
now," she Sobbed, but the hunger ]
feel now is worse than the other"
In the street below another little
German baud was playing, and the
tune was the same as on the Christ
mas Eve year ago.
miss Wright" mans voice
said, softly. She started up, fright
ened, bat realized instantly where
and when she had heard the voice
before.
ooh. can you forgive me?" she
cried, turning to meet his clear gaze.
. "On one condition" he said gent
". Make your Answers real an
swers.''
And she did.
X X X X y
/ No bride of twenty was ever hap
pier than Mrs. Thorne at thirty-6ve.
~ waited for him long time, -
she said to a friend, "but he came at
last"
eyes, and Christmas means more
to ms than it does to most people, be-
cause we are never hungry any
more" her fond husband said.
"Why, were you ever really hun.
cry" someone asked.
"Always-before we met" he an
sWered.
But no one outside understands the
double meaning which the word
s'hungry" has. No, not even the
kind, tender man who folds his wife
to his heart.
'sIt's so nice. dear" she whispers,
ITO hear beautiful music without
crying"
$50 WE are going to live in a cot.
tage, George 7" :,
Eyes, my love-for the present. "
"And we must be every econom-
icall"
Eyes, dear"
"What are we going to live on,
Gcorgel" !.
ssBread and cheese and kisses. "
"What kind of cheese, George =
"Limburger, my dear. I think
that's the sort that lasts the longest. "
Mrs. PENHEcKER-"You know
that you only married me for my