Smyrna times., 1905-08-23
Her
Sar1du1sa,ood
Box
By FANNIE HEAsLlp LEA
COPYRIGHT, 1905, bu Fannte Eeasltp Lea

kdlu W llAuOl SI1IulJ. L huOWs
Elizabeth faltered a little. "If you
would rather not
IF you would rather notY 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. |
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 a poor thing, after all. /
write down words that mean the world
and all, and they come out black, bug
glsh things on shiny white sheet. I'd
like to write to you in forked light
ming on a giant rose leaf. Good night,
my piece o. the wOrld!'
What was his work." asked VIII.
mOI, Wllu uuShy nICNcISACS.
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.
1T was only a month, and we've
saw each other so often-and / kept
only the letters from that one month"
Wilmot nodded in silence.
kka
next letter. when l think Of the way
l love you-it seems absurd. One ought
to give you a 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. 1 got a check
this morning for 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.
Wen 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, 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 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
dropped my head just now, because
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, l wan
your
HE was only a boy" said Elizabeth
'just a year older than T.
GO on" said Wilmot tensely.
Elizabeth turned over the next letter
and a withered rose fell into her la
from the Unfolding leaf Of a torn pre-
gramme.
I'VE went to the theater," she ex
planned, touching the flower with ger
tie fingers, "and wore the rose on In
gown. 1t was red"
You like red roses best" said WI
mot jealously. WAS it always so'
did Won begin thenY
"I-I suppose it was then" she aC
mitted gently. HE always sent theI
to me-"
Wilmot started up suddenly.
can't stand much more OF this, Z
said. did you ever care for me
all?"
Don't be angry Elizabeth laid
hand ON his arm and drew him bac
There isn't much more and thiI
i'll didn't love you couldn't show u
letters to you at all. Wait till Il
end-you will understand"
She laid the dead rose on the
with the torn programme. The ne
was only a line or two on a narro
card.
ElOWefS ne sent lEe, AN'D
said, because he wanted to come th
night. And this"-she glanced over
half sheet of rough paper closely C
ered-''he wroSc to thank me for
book l sent him." She looked up
Wilmot. His eyes were dark ana
scrutable. but he was white to the II
and she hurried ON.
There's only one more to rea
these are just cards that came W
flowers or books"
She laid them on the fire and smoo
ed out the paper that had lain clinci
In her hand so long
as that the lastT' asked Win
with dry lips She nodded, and
bent to read 1t.
you are right" 1t said, quite II
TO break with me. There are I'd
sand reasons why you should, and