The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-08-11
A RETURN Of
LOVE LETTERS.


ing between Seldom Reyburn and his
| fiancee, May Hildreth. was ten week
| In eighteen months the aggregate
weight of these letters was forty
| pounds. The couple We're desperately
! in love. and the letters were written at
| high pressure. Mr.. Reyburn avowed in
| glowing terms that he had met hun
| dreds Of girls without being III 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 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 its care.
They quarreled. 1t would be impossi-
BILE to state the cause, for. since neither
| of them remembered it. no one else
could be expected to know it, Conf
dence 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
tiers to be read in court Il have no
doubt" unused Miss Hildreth, that
such a man would show my letters at
his club
Mr.. Reyburn wrote her 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 a gentleman re-
piled Miss Hildreth. you would have
| returned them instantly"
II supposed you would have first re-
turned mine' he wrote. 1T is the
lady's privilege to break finally and
forever with a gentleman. Then I
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 | have no doubt
they have already gone the rounds of
your friends"
There was silence for a time after
this. Reyburn was thunderstruck that
a woman he had loved would stoop to
make such a charge and was we'll sat
isfied to have broken with her, but be
felt all the more anxious to get his let
ters A girl who would make such an
accusation would not herself hesitate
to show letters that had been written
her, so he reopened the question of ex-
change and proposed sending the pack
nv NiSc Hi1Hroth Of fret
assented but on inquiring the cost found
that she could buy considerable candy
with the money required. She wrote
Reyburn that the letters might be lost
Then he suggested a mutual friend
Miss Hildreth 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. NO, thanks" he wrote My
experience with women would not jus
tify any such procedure :
And l have discovered that men are
too dishonorable for anything she re-
Piled
Then it was arranged that on GER
tain night each should hide a package
Ill u uOIiO" tlSc JuSl VutStuC tAC w ali
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 I couldn't trust you," she
wrote
"A pretty scheme to get all and give
nothing" he replied.
By this time Reyburn felt sure the
girl was keeping his letters fer a lpzi:
pose. Every time he thought of theii
extravagant phrases being perl,sel l..
others or printed in the newspaper
he became panic stricken. He res"iFr,
to secure them at any cost Tie:
occurred to him to take he. letters
her himself and receive his Own FRI
her hands. He wrote asking If ST.!
plan would meet her appreciation.
She replied that she supposed 1l.os
was no other way.
1t was Il murky afternoon WREN il,
called, and large fakes &C sE2U- il&'
begun to fall He carried TIE l&1...-
done up in brown paper. to which Wa
fastened wood and wire handle. The.
made a package the size CT 4 l;igs
bureau drawer. He Was net used tc
being seen on the street Juggling ne.
chandise and was much mortified y.
meeting number of his acquaintance
1t was the enormous bulk that dis
tressed him. He was ushered into Tx.
little parlor where he had sat with
Miss Hildreth so often. A bright fire
blazed OH the hearth, contrasting pleas
antly with the cherries scene without
Miss Hildreth 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.
He could not assume. a proper dignity
carrying some twenty pounds of let
tiers. He was embarrassed.
He cleared his throat to announce
his presence. and she turned her beauti-
f,,1 aync 11rn,, him COrn biny told