Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-05-09
BY Lulu JobnSfon.

| copyrighted, 1905. by Associated
Literary Press
Little Miss Merrington hurried from
the postohice clutching tightly the
precious letter the clerk had just hand
ed her She had not needed to glance
ut the foreign stamp to tell that It was
handwriting Of the addQss had told
her that before the letterhad been re-
moved from the box IN which 1t lay.
together with the local paper
There was tush on the kindly lit.
tie face not due to the spring breezes.
but 10 the hope which had risen In
her heart. Twenty years before she
and Harvey Rial had been engaged to
/ be married A lovers quarrel and
| pride too stubborn 10 confess fault had
resulted In Rails marriage to Marga.
/ ret Bond
Then Miss Merrington had settled
/ herself uncomplainngly 10 a life Of
/ spusterhood rejoicing that her IA
4 Tiers provision for her future did not
1 make II necessary for her to marry in
/ order to lind home and taking pleas
\ ure In the hundred little acts OF kind
ness which had made Little Miss Mer-
riugton" village institution
All too soon Rial had discovered hAs
error His new IDOLS feet had turned
to clay Margarets tongue was as
sharp as her face was fair, and. with
stole resignation. Harvey Rial had set
tied himself 10 lifelong penance for his
error
The thought gave him and Miss Mer.
r!ugton something In common. and,
though neither ever alluded 10 the
matter. there was silent bond Of
companlonship that was none the less
sweet because II found no expression
III act or word
Now. then. two years had passed
since Margaret had died and Rial had
that travel might benefit his health.
Since then letters had come by every
steamer not the romantic epistles OF
youth but entertaining stories OF trav-
ell, infused with tender sentiment
that was implied rather than express
ed There was always the note OF
/ longing for home. with hint that he
wished Miss Merrington TO share
home with him
The last letter had told that Ralph
was we'll enough to return. and II was
1 probable that the letter she now softly
patted in her pocket would name his
/ date Of sailing
Miss Merrington hurried into the
neat front room" and with trembling
fingers slit the cover
I've told you all there Is TO tell
about London" wrote Rial. This is
just to say that am sailing tomor.
row We are taking a ten day boat for
the sake OF the sea air. and this letter
goes by one % the aiers And now for
the surprise | promised in my last.
am bringing home bride MAY | not
ask you TO see that the old house is
opened aud made III 10 receive her?
We should be IN Fairbanks Ave days
/ after you receive this. That should
/ give YOU plenty Of time to prove your
self the model housekeeper | leave all
the arrangements 10 you dear friend
and ! know that nothing will be left
undoue 10 make welcome the new Mrs
Rial Will tell you all about II when
arrive"
That was all. scarcely page OF the
familiar handwriting. but the light
died in Miss Merrington's eyes. and
the beauty OF the spring day faded.
For an hour or more she sat quietly
IN her chair. the letter in her lap I'M
touched She had felt sure that when
the time came Harvey would speak the
words that should make her the hap
plest little woman in all the world
and now he had married another. some
foreign woman whose youth and beau
~ had proved a subtle attraction
She could not altogether blame him.
She was forty No man would care to
marry woman past her prime 1t was
but natura that ne should seek some
younger woman
And vet had Miss Merrington faced
the tall pier glass standing between
the front windows she would have
I round rejected there race unmarked
by lines OF care. but lighted by the
glow Of earnest brown eyes
She had scarcely lost her youth In
the placid. helpful life she led. Her
cheeks were still smooth and unwrin-
kled. tinted as softly as the petals Of .
blush rose Her hair was soft and
brown. with never hint OF gray. The
sensitive. tender mouth with its con-
slant smile was as appealing as a
chlds. a mouth surely made for kisses
The tiny maid with her announce
ment OF the noon dinner brought Miss
Warrington back to earth. The letter
she tucked IN her pocket. and as she
ate her simple meal she planned the
work that must be done 20 make the
big Rial house habitable and homelike
d -. "a y