Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-09-14
THE LETTER THAT
WAS NEVER SENT.
tOriginal.1

summer morning to make one feel a
delicious gladness. There was more
than this to make Littlefield glad. He
had come home to spend a two weeks
vacation after a very busy season in
the city. He had for months been
working, not only days, but nights, and
when at last it became expedient for
him to knock off he was presented with
a handsome check by his employers
and a considerable raise of salary.
These blessings led up to another pos
sible happiness. When Littlefield went
to the city he had left at home school
friend or love; he did not at the time
exactly know which, but had since
learned that the latter word better ex-
pressed his feelings. He had been far
seeing for a boy of eighteen and had
contented himself with enjoying Louise
Phillips companionship without max
ing a complication between them. He
was going to another field to make
his way as best he could without in
fuence or means, and he felt that he
had no right to enter upon an affair
that might stand in the girls way
matrimonially. But now he was to
receive q competence for two he had
returned anxious to meet his old school
mate and see how she appeared to him
after an absence during which she had
passed from sixteen to twenty-one.
Swinging a cane in his hand, he step
ped down from the porch and out on to
the walk that lined the road. 1t was
not the best time of day to make a call,
especially on his old companion. In
deed, he was especially averse to haste.
He would devote the two weeks before
him to renewing his intimacy, studying
his own desires and those of Miss Phil
lips. If at the end of the fortnight all
was proDitious he would tell his story
and abide the result. But, though he
did not intend to make a call at 8
O'clock in the morning, his steps nat
uralIy fell toward the home Of the ner-
son who occupied his thoughts Fe
had not gone far before he saw coming
q " -AS
she approached lie saw that she was
Miss Phillips. But tle bud had opened
Every vestige Of TIE child had disap-
paared. lie saw VISION OF loneliness
that made lis pul~ea tl!rc5.
Miss Thiiiirs?" lie asked, raising his
hat.
AR. LittleGe!G"' she replied. start
ing. Indeed. sic appeared confused, 50
much so as to drop 4 letter sac carried
in her hand. LittleGeld PICKED it w
and handed it TO her. lie noticed thu,
1t was addressed to man. lie took
fright at once To whom could she be
writing? The castle he had erected in
his mind tottered. Then confidence was
momentarily restored. Why assume
that she was writing to a lover?
when did you Gomez she asked.
''Last evening. May join you? I'm
only strolling"
Certainly. It's long while since
I've seen you. You've not been home
since you left, believe"
Eyes, once or twice, but you happen
ed to be away
She was fumbling the letter in her
hands. Presently she dropped it again.
Frank restored it to her
as the letter hot?" he asked.
"Hot? How could it be hotY'
at seems to burn your fingers
A deep scarlet spread itself all over
her face 1t was the breaking Of q
signal flag. That the man knew we'll
enough. But what was the interpreta-
ton? Littlefield, with a lovers prone
ness to panic, read, "The letter is to
my fiance." Then hope came and sug-
gested that perhaps it was an accept
ance of a fance. At any rate, it was
plain to him that instead of taking a
fortnight to look over the ground he
must exert himself to save the day if,
indeed, it was not too late.
81 Think" he went on, 'that you had
better let me put your letter in my
pocket, not having a pocket yourself"
He took it from her, she not resist
ing, but instead of putting it in his
pocket he took it in his hands prepare
tory to tearing it in two.
what are you going to do that for?"
she asked.
Something tells me that you have
written this letter without sufficient
deliberation-that you don't wish to
send it."
''No; I deliberated long while.
There is every reason why I should
send It."
"But one"
'rWhat'S thatT'
love, or, rather, the absence of It."
Again the signal. This time it was
not crimson flag. butsa troubled look.
He tore the letter In halves, then In
quarters, then In eighths and kept on
ad infinitum. It seemed that he could
not get the parts small enough.
''What right have you to do thatT'
''The right of possession. It's nine
points in the law"
'T can compel you to write another
In its stead"
'"That 1 shall be happy to do.''
''You don't know what to saw