The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-09-12
a RETURN Of
LOVE LETTERS.
tOriginal.]
. . . . . . o Q . . Q Q . . .

! In eighteen months the aggregate
/ weight of these letters was forty
! pounds. The couple We're desperately
1 in love, and the letters We're written at
| high pressure. Mr.. Reyburn avowed in
| glowing terms that he had met hun
| dreds of girls without being in the
least influenced by them. 1t was only
| when thrown in with one who was the
| soul Of honor, a model Of amiability,
an angel in the flesh, that he had sue
| cumbed. Miss Hildreth declared that
| she could love no one less than q no
| bleman of nature, and her dearest Sci
| don was one Of natures kings. She
| felt that her happiness was as safe in
his hands as if he had come down from
heaven to assume it's care.
They quarreled. 1t would be imDossi-
BILE to state the cause, for, since neither
Of them remembered it, no one else
could be expected to know It. Conf
dcnce having been destroyed, the idol
each had set up was at once shattered.
Suppose" remarked Mr. Reyburn to
himself, that she should sue me for
breach Of promise and produce my let
terS to be read in court" 81 have no
doubt" unused Miss IIildreth, chat
such man would show my letters at
his club"
Mr.. Reyburn wrote her a cold, cut
ting note, saying that he supposed she
would want her letters returned. This
was with view to securing his own.
IF you had been gentleman" re-
Piled Miss Hildreth, you would have
returned them instantly"
Il supposed you would have first re-
turned mine,' he wrote 1T is tho
lady's privilege to break finally AMI
forever with gentleman. Then /
would have returned yours"
Send me my letters at once" she
wrote. One who has acted as dis.
honorably as you would not scruple to
read them to others. I have no doubt
they have already gone the rounds Of
your friends"
There was silence for Il time after
this. Reybrrn was thunderstruck that
a woman he had loved would stooD to
make such Il charge and was well sat
1shcd to have broken with her, but he
felt all the more anxious to get his let
ters. ~ girl who would make such an
accusation would not herself hesitate
TO SHOW letters that had been written
her, so he reopencd the question of OK
change and proposed sending the pack
ages by express. Miss Hildrcth at first
asSentcd. but on inquiring the cost found
that she could buy considerable candy
with the money required She wrote
Rcyburn that the letters might be lost.
Then he suggested a mutual friend.
Miss IIildrcth feared that the friend
might read the letters, but If he would
consent that one of her own sex should
be the bearer she would agree to his
plan. mo, Thanks" he wrote. "AIy
experience with women would not Jus
lr1,,c
And have discovered that men are
too dishonorable for anything" she re-
piled.
Then 1T was arranged that on n GER
tain night each should hide a package
in Il hollow tree just outside the wall
surrounding her home, and each was
TO take the package the other had left
Both stood off and watched for the
other to make the first deposit, and. the
scheme fell through
Il knew l couldn't trust YOU" she
wrote
"a pretty scheme to get all and give
nothing he replied.
by this time Hepburn felt sure the
girl was keeping his letters for a Dur
pose. Every time he thought Of their
eNtraVagant phrases being perused by
others or printed in the newspaDers
TO secure them at any cost Then ii
occurred to him to take her letters TO
her himself and receive his own from
her hands. He wrote asking If such
plan would meet her appreciation.
She replied that she supposed there
was no other way.
1t was a murky afternoon when he
called, and large flakes Of snow had
begun to fall. He carried the letters
dong up in brown paper, to which was
fastened wood and Wire handle. They
made package the size of large
bureau drawer. He was not used TO
being seen on the street Juggling .mer-
chanulSe and was much mortified at
meeting Il number of his acquaintances
1t was the enormous bulk that dis
treSSed him. He was ushered into the
little parlor where he had sat with
Miss Iildreth SO often. 4 bright fire
blazed on the hearth, contrasting pleas
anlE with the cheerless scene without
Miss tiildrcth was standing before the
fireplace, her face lighted by the flame
She heard Mr.. Reyburn enter. but did
not turn her head. She was dressed
becominGly and looked very pretty-
not at all like an adventures who
would sue him for breach of promise
lie could not assume 4 proper dignity
carrying some twenty pounds of LEFT
TO-. Il