The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-10-09

FlikhDctD tHltrIcu Httis, III you
would rather not
III you would rather notr' said the
man. no they rcad on.
There was no heading 10 the boyisll
scrawl. no date, and tho paper was
yellow with much handling:
How did we do II. little grlf rm
iord o. the earth tonight. IL II only Ave
hours since I left your I'd swear II
was Ave centuries. I'm IN my room.
working. but at what don't know.
Your face comes between me and this
white paper between me aud the fool.
ish. pounding keys-between mo aud
all the world else. All. dearly beloved.
your eyes when I kissed you. and this
maddenins tilt OF your chin! Pen aud
inks but q poor thing. after oil. I
write down words that mean the world
and oil. and they come out black. bug
gish things on a shiny white sheet. Id
like 10 write 10 you In forked light
ming On q giant rose leaf. Good night.
my piece o. the worldr'
'What was his workr' asked VII.
mot with husky irrevsrsnce.
stories and verses. He wrote" Ellis.
abeth laid the letter gently on the Goals
aud drew out the next.
There sre not many" she explained.
1T was only q month. and we've
saw each other 30 often-and ! kept
only the letters from that one month"
wilmot nodded In silence.
You are the funniest child" said the
next letter. when ! think Of the way
i love you-it seems absurd. One ought
TO give you a doll or picture book.
Well, l have given you my lifc for tho
one and my heart for tho other. haven't
II 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 story I'd almost for
gotten about. That's why I'm sending
you a rose. It's the irst thing I've
bought with tho money. I'm working
hard on tho play. It's going TO be n
great thing some day. and you-no. !
mean we-are going 10 be proud Of Il.
Well 70 to tho theatsr tonight. littlest.
and burn up some OF the new check"
"How old were you theni" asked
wilmot.
II was eighteen" Elizabeth answered
dreamiiy. I'm twenty-five now. you
know"
The letter burned slowly. and they
read the next In silence.
Sweetest" Il said, i've been III tho
last two days or I'd have seen you,
I've been seeing you anyhow In tho
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 biotted, and the writing a nero
scrawl THAT big blot Is where ]
dropped my head Just now, because ]
was too tired 10 hold IL up any longer.
must get back TO the play tomorrow;
losing too much time. Lord. how my
head aches! Oh. littlest girl. ] want
your
"He was only boy" said Elizabeth.
"just year older than r.
go on" said wilmot tensely.
Ellxabet turned over the next letter.
and a wlthered rose fell into her lap
from the Unfolding leaf OF torn pro
gramme.
I'VE went TO the theater," she ex'
plained, touching the flower with gen
tie fingers, "and wore the rose on my
gown. II was red"
"You like red roses best" said VII
mot jealousy. "was II always 50. or
did you begin thenf'
FL suppose II was then" she ad.
mltted gently. "He always sent them
90 me"
wllmot started up suddenly. Il
can't stand much more OF this" he
said. did you ever care for me at
nllr
Don't be angry Elizabeth laid n
hand on bis arm and drew him back,
"There isn't much more, and-l think
if l didn't love you couldn't show the
letters TO you at all. Walt till the
end-you will understand"
She laid the dead rose on the fire
with the torn programme. The next
was only a line or two on a narrow
card.
Flowers he sent me-" Elizabeth
said, "becnuse he wanted to come that
night. And thls"-she glanced over
half sheet OF rough paper closely Gov
ered-"he wrote 10 thank me for q
book sent him." She looked up at
wllmot. His eyes were dark and In
scrutable, but he was white to the lips,
and she hurried on.
There's only one more to read
these are Just cards that came with
flowers or books"
She laid them on the fire and smooth
ed out the paper that had lain clinched
In her hand 80 long.
lis that the lastT asked Wilmot,
with dry Ups. She nodded, and he
bent TO read II
"You are right" II said. "qulte right
to break with me. There are thou
sand reasons why you should, and the
one reason why you shouldn't, my love,
ys very worthless reason. | don't
blame you for not considering II. ]
-.