The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-09-19
Her
Sandalte,oOd
Box
By FANNIE HEAsLIP LEA
!, Copyright, 1906, BY Fannie Hcasltp Lex

AAiS 10 TIE uTSI one ne WROTE NE
after-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 1t
was five centuries I'm In my room,
working. but at what l don't know
Your face comes between me and the
white 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 poor thing, after all. l
write down words that mean the world
and all, and they come out black, bug
gish things on shiny white sheet. I'd
like to write to you in forked light
ming on giant rose leaf Good night,
my piece O. the worldr'
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 drew out the next.
There are not many" she explained.
saw each other SO often-a 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
love you-it seems absurd. One ought
to give you doll or picture book.
Well. l 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. l got a check
this morning for story I'd almost for
gotten about. That's why I'm sending
you 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,
mean we-are going to be proud of 1t.
Well go to the theater tonight, littlest,
and burn up some of the new check"
How old were you them" asked
Wilmot
81 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, 1--WE been Ill 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 lot of other silly places.
was out of my head, they tell me.
Feel sort of crazy now" The letter
was blotted, and the writing a mere
scrawl THAT big blot Is where l
dropped my head just now, because l
was too tired to hold it up any longer.
must get back to the play tomorrow;
losing too much time. Lord, how my
head aches! Oh, littlest girl, want
you"
HE was only boy" said Elizabeth,
"just year older than r.
go on" said Wilmot tensely.
Elizabeth turned over the next letter,
and a withered rose fell into her lap
from the Unfolding leaf Of torn pro-
gramme.
I'VE went to the theater,' she ex-
planned, touching the flower with gen
tie fingers, "and wore the rose on my
gown. 1t was red"
You like red roses best,' said VIII
mot jealousy. "Was 1t always SO. or
did you begin thenT
I'll suppose 1t was then" she adj
mitted gently. He always sent them
to me-
Wilmot started up suddenly. 81
can't stand much more of this" he
said. did you ever care for me at
ALP
Don't 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 couldn't show the
letters to you at all. Wait till the
end-you will understand"
She laid the dead rose Oh the fire
with the torn programme. The next
was only a line or two on 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 Gov
ered-''he wrote to thank me for a
book l sent him." She looked up at
Wilmot His eyes We're dark and In
scrutabIe, but he was white to the lips,
and she hurried on.
There's only one more to read
these are just cards that carne with
flowers or books
She laid them on the fire AMI smooth
ed out the paper that had lain clinched
In her hand so long.
rs that the lastf' asked Wilmot,
with dry lips She nodded, and he
bent to read it.
You are right" it said, "quite right
to break with me- There are a thou
sand reasons why you should, and the
one reason why you shouldn't. my love,
Is a very worthless reason. l don't
blame you for not considering it.
knew it must be mistake-you were
not for me- You always gave me your
cheek to kiss-and | didn't want your
cheek
You see" Elizabeth whispered, with
little catch in her voice
You never really cared for me,
littlest-never cared; that is. as you
can care-as you will care some day
for the man who is to come to you.
file need not be jealous of me, sweet
when he does come. Your love for
me was a chlld's love that he will not
want, and that you will not give him
have had my divine day, and it is
over, but no matter who comes-in
spite of the man who is to win where
| have lost-you will remember
claim that, littlest, for my right-you
will remember when you love him
that l taught you how. l should not
write so, perhaps, but there are times
when man must speak what he
knows. Keep the few things l have
given you. Don't send them back to
me- Put them in the sandalwood
box and shut their memories in with
them. shall keep your letters. God
knows they're few and cold enough.
''Oh, littlest girl I'd never let you
! go in this worId-if'-
Elizabeth's hand slipped softly into
Wilmot's, where 1t rested on the arm
of her chair. They sat in silence while
the last. letter hared up, then sank and
! crumbled.
II think" at last she said softly,
that he was right. You need not be
jealous Of him. l was a child then. 1
am another self now When you came
in had been reading his letters, and