The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-03-28
FORGOTTEN
LETTERS

Quite recently, according to "the
public prints" a MIST Ex-l-t-d
P-r-s-n-ge." as Thackeray would put it,
had occasion to regret the writing OF
certain letters.
He may, if this be true, console him
self with the reflection that there are
many, many others. There is a man
in Washington who, only the other
afternoon, experienced perhaps a keen.
err modification over certain letters
that he had written than any "Ex-Lt-ed
P-r-s-n-ge" ever did.
It was a rainy afternoon, and his
wife was doing some ante.Christmas
rummaging in one of her old trunks.
From that trunk she plucked a pack.
age of old, rather faded letters, neatly
tied up in cerise ribbon, and then she
came downstairs to where her hus.
band was attempting to read the
newspaper There was certain ma.
licious twinkle in her generally ami,
able eye.
You used to care for me in those
days" was her curious way Of open.
ing the conversation.
HUH" said her husband. looking
up vaguely from his paper. What's
that"
Used to love me then" she said
untying the packet of letters and pull.
ing one of them from It's envelope.
What days? Whatchoo talking
about? Whatchoo got there?" he
asked
ooh. some letters" she replied
placidly. Some of your
"Oh rubbish, Matilda" he broke in
please lemme alone. I'm reading"
Here's one of them, written shortly
after we were engaged she went on
unheedingly. "I am not a wealthy
man. she quoted from the faded page
but I can at least, my darling, strew
the path for your adoraby dainty feet
with wild roses and pOppies-'"
"Oh say" he broke in. flag that,
won't you? What's the answer to all
this? Please lemme lone. Can't you
see that I'm reading"
And here's another passage" she
went on remorselesss when | look
into your dear violet eyes | feel, stir,
ring within me, the awakenngs of
new life, the moving harbingers of
something higher and"
please cut it out my dear" plead.
ed the husband his face reddening
i,h
lone"
Here's another one, written about
40 minutes later-you used to write
me about nine letters day then, you
know. dear. You say here: When
hold you in my arms and inhale the
dewy sweetbriar fragrance of your
sunny hair, | feel as Paris must have
felt when he clasped Helen to his
heart in the golden antique years"
"Oh, for Heavens sake, can that
rot, won't you, please Matilda" the
man begged, but it was no use.
And then you 60 on to say: Never.
since the Chaldean shepherds watched
their flocks in the dusks and twilights
worshiped as | worship my Matilda.
Never since"
Great Caesar, what a muff, what
muttonhead | must have BEEN"
groaned the husband, What "a"
why, | think it's real nice, really"
said his wife, with a sort of retrospec.
tive smile on her face. Il couldn't
understand good deal that you
wrote, of course, because YOU know
you were such a-er-forid and
stylish writer, my dear, but Well,
here Is something that | understood,
though: AT the outset Of the dear
journey which we are TO take, hand in
hand, | promise you that never once
shall you hear so much as an unkind
word cross my"
Say, look here, Matilda, that junk
all runs for Sweeney. Please forget
it. What the deuce is your idea in
springng it on me now, when"
This sounds nice, too. Those
precious, lily-whlte and hyacinth-
sweet hands of yours shall never have
to be soiled with
Tell you one thng-I'm going to
% out O here, Matilda, if you don't
drop that ! won't sit here like fiat
head and listen to you unreelng that
kind o."
You used to think so much Of my
ears, too. Listen to what you said OF
EN- here: They have the dainty,
elusive tint Of such beauteous sea
shell as that in which Venus must
have risen from the sea, and"
There may have been worse lob
sters than | was when | uncoiled all
Of that superheated steam, but If there
were I'd like to have a peek at 'em
just for the sake Of"
"And my nose, too, you used to be
so fond of: Shaped like Clytie's, and
with the most adorable little solitary
freckle perched right on the bridge,
and"
IT'S hard to believe that | ever took
my pen In hand 10 scribble such In
fernal gibberish. Don't believe wrote
such stuff at all. Don't believe ever