Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-10-26
MELISSA'S
LETTER
By Martha McCulloch- Williams
Copyright, 1905,
by Martha Williams

1t was rainy within and without.
Melissa looked through dim eyes at
the streamy window panes, the long
slant lines outside. Her aunt Judith
viewed them instead with satisfaction
they would serve so well to excuse
Melssa's nonappearance at the ceme-
terry. Nobody, indeed, would go there
but the men of the post, the ffers and
drummerS, and maybe n few fool poll
ticians, intent on catching the Grand
Army vote Thus thought Aunt Judith
TO herself.
AS Miss Hill and later Mrs. Bent,
Aunt Judith had not spent fifty odd
years in Carmel town without finding
herself able to forecast rather accu-
rately what the townfolk would or
would not do.
Until this season she had been siren
uous in observing Memorial day. Even
Yet, Notwithstanding her quarrel with
the Earrings and all their tribe, she did
not mean openly to slight the occasion.
She did not mean either that Melissa
should go along, the pet of thinning,
gray bearded ranks, her arms full Of
flowers for the quiet green graves.
Melissa wasn't n child any more-go-
Ing on nineteen and with her head full
Of love and marriage.
Neither Melissa nor Aunt Judith had
kith or kin in the cemetery; there had
been no man Of their blood to 90 off to
the fighting. All the same, Melissa had
always saved her choicest blossoms for
one especial mound, Private John
Farings grave. John Faring Cd, the
private's great-nephew, had seen her
do it, with openly worshiping eyes.
Hes your Uncle John, too" Johnny
had said, over and over because as
soon as we grow up your name will be
Melissa Faring."
When very young man proposes, his
elders often dispose-otherwise. John
and Melissa had found that out when
Miss Adrienne Day came on the scene.
That was six months back. Miss Day
had a temper and a big nose, but she
hlSO Lil IL lOIlullt III ndIlIr
Judge Faring and the madam were
nightly taken with her, as she in re-
turn was taken with their son. SO
they had set TO work 10 break off that
childish affair between John and Me
lissa. They were not mercenary, only
thriftily ambitious for their one child,
Therefore it seemed to them hard and
cruel the way Mrs. Bent took fire at
their well meant suggestions. Sell
them her house and go away indeed,
She would have them know if there
was any moving done they might do it
themselves She would have them re-
member also a Hill had founded Car
mel; also that the Earrings Of that time
hadn't amounted TO much. But they
were not 10 think that she was for
hanging on to Johnny Faring Good
ness knew, Melissa could have better
chances simply for turning over her
hand. She (Alrs. Bent had felt all
along that with her looks and her
blood Melissa ought to look higher.
But as to telling the child what to do
If Melissa had any Hill blood In her, 1t
was mighty unlikely she would go into
family that didn't make her vel
come
The inevitable outcome was a break
and n pair of sore hearts. Then fate
took up the running and in cruel kind
ness gave Melissa n fOrtune-a fortune
twice as big as Miss Adrienne Day
could show Johnny Faring did not
give up hope until he heard Of it. Then
he turned very white, and after a
sleepless night shook the dust of Car
mel from his feet He could never go
to Melissa and make her hear reason
now that such going would seem
shameless fortune hunting.
As yet the fortune had made little
outward change, except that there
were no more customers coming to the
Bent house, the old Hill homestead.
Aunt Judith hustled about helping the
maid of all work, the while keeping
a covert watch upon her niece. After
little she said, speaking half medi-
tatively:
Come on up in the garrett Melissa.
A rainy day like this always makes
me want to rummage. Besides, I've got
to get out the flags. Wen put one
right on the peak Of the porch and the
other over the front door. OF course
nobody'll see 'em. Even this town
won't turn out in face of such a storm,
but | Just can't let the day pass same
as any other Even if the flags do get
spoiled we can afford to buy new
ones"
"Yes," Melissa said absently, but
/ don't feel like rummaging Aunt Ju.
l think I'll 90 write some letters in
stead if you don't mind"
HIN! Who to?' Mrs. Bent asked
sharply.
Melissa smiled wistfully. lizard
ly know" she said Maybe | shan't
write any-only sit and sew. It's
about all l can do. 1 think there will
be no getting out today"
"There won't be- Take care of your
self. Don't NOPE" Mrs Bent said,
hustling away.
Melissa went softly to her own room,
opened her desk and swiftly wrote
three lines. Then she huddled into
her waterproof and stole out very
softly with what she had written
tucked safely in her breast. She crept
through the garden, longing, yet not
daring, to take the best of its bloom,
darted through the gate and almost
ran to the cemetery.
On the way she stopped here or
there to pluck roadside blossoms
white clover, folded dandelions, big,
blue. scentless Yiolets. AL those She