Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-10-05
Her
SdndaIeNood
Box
By FANNIE HEAsLIP LEA


5 Copyright, 1906, By Fannie Heds,ip Lea {
sUNNNNNNnNNNNNHNNNNNNN\NN/s
This is the first one he wrote me
sfter-after"-
After he asked you to marry him.
said Wilmot grimly. Il know"
Elizabeth faltered a little. If you
would rather not
IF you would rather not:' said the
man, so they read on.
There was no heading TO the boyish
scrawl, no date, and the paper was
yellow with much handling:
How did we do it. little girl? I'm
lord o. the earth tonight. Is it only five
hours since l left you? I'd swear it
was five centuries. I'm in my room,
working, but at what l don't know.
Tour face comes between me and the
rhlte paper-between me and the fool
ish. pounding keys-between me and
all the world else. All, dearly beloved,
your eyes when l kissed you, and the
maddening tilt of your chin. Pen and
inks but a poor thing, after all. l
write down words that mean the world
anu ALL anu llIty COAllC Ohb bAANhF phS
gish things on a shiny white sheet. I'd
like to write to you in forked light
ming on giant rose leaf. Good night,
my piece O. the world!'
What was his work." asked VIII
mot, with husky irreverence.
Stories and verses. He wrote." EliZ-
abeth laid the letter gently on the Goals
and drov- o11t tho ppXf
There are not many" she explained.
1T was only month, and We've
saw each other so often-and l kept
only the letters from that one month"
Wilmot nodded in silence.
You are the funniest child" said the
next letter. when l think of the way
l love you-it seems absurd. One ought
to give you doll or a picture book.
Well, have given you my life for the
one and my heart for the other, haven't
1? I'm not laughing, littlest-at least
I'm only laughing that you may not
know what a powerful pull you have
on my heartstrings. | got check
this morning for a story I'd almost for
gotten about That's why I'm sending
you a rose. It's the first thing I've
bought with the money. I'm working
hard on the play. It's going to be a
great thing some day, and you-no, l
mean we-are going to be proud of it.
Well go to the theater tonight, littlest,
and burn up some of the new check"
"How old were you thenf" asked
Wilmot.
Il was eighteen" Elizabeth answered
dreamily. I'm twenty-five now, you
know"
The letter burned slowly, and they
read the next in silence.
Sweetest" it said, I've been i'll the
last two days or I'd have seen you.
I've been seeing you anyhow in the
shadows of the room and the window
curtains and a lot of other silly places.
l was out of my head, they tell me.
Feel sort Of crazy now" The letter
was blotted, and the writing q mere
scrawl "That big blot is where I
dropped my head just now, because I
was too tired to hold it up any longer.
1 must get back to the play tomorrow:
losing too much time. Lord, how my
head aches! Oh, littlest girl, l want
your'
HE was only boy" said Elizabeth,
lust year older than p
60 on said Wilmot tensely.
Elizabeth turned over the next letter,
and withered rose fell into her lap
from the Unfolding leaf of torn pro-
gramme.
"We went to the theater," she ex-
planned, touching the flower with gen
tie fingers, "and 1 wore the rose on my
gown. 1t was red"
''You like red roses best" said Will
mot jealously WAS it always so, or
did you begin then?'
IL suppose it was then,9 she ad-
mitted gently. HE always sent them
to me-
Wilmot started up suddenly. Il
can't stand much more of this" he
said. did you ever care for me at
all?
,'Dont be angry Elizabeth laid a
hand on his arm and drew him back.
There isn't much more, and-I think
If didn't love you I couldn't show the
letters to you at all. Wait till the
end-you will understand"
She laid the dead rose on the fire
with the. tornyprogramme The next
was only .hne or two. on a narrow
card.
Flowers he sent me-" Elizabeth
said, "because he wanted to come that
night And this''-she glanced over a
half sheet, of rough paper closely COW
ered-''he wrote to thank me for a
book sent him" She Hooked up at
Wilmot His eyes were dark and in
Scrutable, but he Yas.wIite to the lips, |
Ind she hurried on.
There's only one more to read
these sare just cards that came with
flowers or books"
She laid them on the fire and smooth
led out the paper that had lain clinched
in her hand so long
rs that the lastT' asked Wilmot,
with dry tps31,, She nodded, and he |
bent to read it.
You are right" 1t said, quite right |
to break with me. There are a thou,
sand reasons why you should, and the |
ne reason why you shouldn't, my love,
rs q very worthless reason. Itdon't |
blame you for not considering Ut. I
knew it must be mistake-yous were
not for me. You always gave me your
cheek to kiss-and, didn't want. your
cheek
you see," Elizabeth whispered, with |
aFIjttle CATCH in her voice.
1You never really cared for me,
llttlest-nevere cared; that is, ,as you
can care-as you will care some day |
for the man who is to come. to you.
He need not I've Jealous of me, sweets
when he does Acome. Your aove foriI
me was childk love that hei will not |
want, and that pu will not dive him.
II have, had my divine day, and it is |
over, but no md ter who cbmes-in
spite of the man Mo is to WIN where |
i have lost-you will renitmber-I
elaim that, littlest, tpr my right-you
will remember when you love him |
that l taught you howa' I should not !
write so, perhaps, but there are times /
when a man must speak what he |
knows. Keep the few things l have |
triva1 1-ot, nnn't sap1 tI,ary, IocI- 10 |