Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1906-10-26
Z
Love Letters at Auction
BY Lee McCrae

BY Lee McCrae

ANY advice for sale. Larry? Cheap?
Then come along with me. for am in
dickens OF q Ak" cried Ross Court
ney, ccllaring his chum and leading
him of per force to the boarding
house he called home.
ITS case OF excess baggage" he
continued, as he two went up the
broad stairs two steps at jump.
You see. Percy Miles and ! hap
pened into the railroad office where
they We're auc.ioning of old. uncalled
for luggage. and just for fun each OF
us bid IN funk. selected a small.
mannish looking one. and. here we
are. Come and view the burden OF
my woes"
He led the way into pleasant room.
pointed solemnly at little leather
covered trunk IN the middle o. the
floor. threw himself lazily upon
couch. and exclaimed
open the confounded thing! It's
full OF woman's stuff. Percy got a
fine cycrcoat In his. and some new
ties and things. But what can this
unincumbered man do with that toy
gory?r
Keep It til you're married." sug-
gested Larry.
Married. The girl I'd marry
wouldn't touch secondhand clothesl
Besides. | daren't keep II here. Mrs.
Landiady Is too curious No III just
dunn II In the lake some dark night
and make a mystery for the police
And incidentally get yourself into
more trouble But why such cruel
waste? These things cost money
lots OF It. | lmagine-and you paid
dot In the bargain. Suppose you
give II to some grown-up orphan
asylum. or--no. | say, Ross. go
through IL systematically and find out
the owners name and address--it is !
surely on something-then write to
her. Offering to sell the whole thing
back for a trifle."
Coed Do an act of charity and
turn an honest penny by IT. Scotch
you surely arel But there's the din
ner gong Won't you go down with
me?"
4
'ummage for you. II you like"
Wish you would. Only lock Mrs.
out"
Courtney disappeared. the door was
,olted. and Larry turned back to the
battered little trunk with a look of
,ity on his handsome face. Had it
,een lost in one OF the awful catas-
rophes he had read about its owner
iilled and her body. like the baggage.
How else would a val
able trunk remain unclaimed? They
,ere girlish things, dainty wells. rib
ons. ginghams. silks and piles of ,
nowy linen He fingered over pair ,
half-worn slippers, thinking of Gin
erella and her prince }
But not the sign of clewl" he
Perhaps there are let
,rs In thi box"
Its catch was bent; he wrenched 1t =
pen. and out flew-his photograph! y
He sat down plump upon lace y
1t and stared. On the back of 1t =
ere his initials In his own handwrit
&. and date he had put upon but :,
lie photograph. Beneath the picture :
ere all the letters and scraps of :
ties he had ever sent Nell Burr; also :,
me comical pencil sketches he had :,
ade of one acknowledgements pic =
cling day, and some little trinkets ~
had given her. -
Only one hit OF paper bore other -
than his own. Unfolding =.
he read; =.
to call back the days that are not,
line eyes were blinded. your words -
were few. eu
II you know the truth this side of tn
Heaven? te
AIRY Larry Tender and true.'' ~
lie bent his head upon the brown isl
nix and groaned aloud: "And now ag
1 are dead. dead Oh. Nell.' tn
low the old love song Douglas, I'M
ugas. tender and true" brought co
k the happy days they had spent
etheri And now its revised ca
rds revealed her heart and showed TO,
a how sadly he had misunderstood br,
I. And she was dead. dead, tea
'ourtney's heavy tread on the stair
used him from stupor to quick ac- ha
a. The photo and letters were Low
mined back into the little box ~,
Ich be hastily hid under his shape
! old Panama; then. unlocking the
II. he met his old friend with
lid sort of smile. exclaiming: so,
You're right, There's not thing