Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-06-09
The Misdirected Letter.
BY TIMOTHY c. DICK.

apartment after returning from bust
ness. sighed. sat down in an easy chair
and felt very lonely Presently he
looked up at the mantel and there
stood a letter 1t was addressed in
womans hand to Mrs. Abner Simmons
TO Mr.. Simmons this address was
mockery 1t suggested a home. a
pleasant looking woman tripping down
stairs at hearing her husbands latch
key in the door. followed by troop Of
girls and boys; connubial kiss and
several pairs of little arms around
papa's neck.
All this Mr. Simmons saw in the OBJ
long letter addressed to her who was
not OF course there was a Mrs. Sim
mons for some man Of the same name
as himself; but, alas, there was no
such person for him! What should he
do with it? He took it down from sle
mantel and examined it closely. 4
hand was stamped on it with its fore
finger pointing to TRY this" and TRY
that" There were SO many of these
suggestions Ito try" that Mr.. Sim
mons believed the letter had been the
u.
How could she be found since she did
not exist? He determined to make
dead letter Office of himself. open it
and return it to the writer.
Mr. Simmons took out a letter and a
card photograph. The photograph was
that Of a woman from thirty to thirty
five years old. and as he looked it
9
ception Of him had flied his fancy
The letter was signed Your loving
sister" The address was given, and Mr.
SIMMONS put it in another envelope.
with q hrief note stating his motives
in Cpeei:.g it and asking for infornla-
she happened to exist without his be-
ing any tstter for her existence. He
wished to keep the photograph. but
did not feel authorized to do so. He
addressed it to the street and number
given in the letter.
In about Il week reply came The
writer said the name on the letter was
not Simmons. but Timmens. (After all.
there was no Mrs. Simmons.) The pho
tograph was likeness of Miss Marga.
ret Butterworth. The writer Miss
Cornelia Eoyd. was transmitting it to
Mrs. Timmens. The letter concluded
with thanks for the favor Mr.. Sim
mons had done the writer.
Just what Mr.. Simmons had said in
his note about the photograph does not
appear. but Miss Boyd must have no
ticed something of admiration and
been ready. as most women are, to
help out romance. for she was not
called upon to mention the picture, as
she did. Mr.. Simmons wrote again.
asking if Miss Butterworth were re-
lated to James ButterwCrth. an emf
A reply came that Miss, Boyd could
not answer the question and gave Miss
ButterwOrths address.
Mr. Simmons cooked up quite an in
genious letter to Miss Butterworth
After mentioning that be had seen her
picture and how he came to see it he
said that the features were remarka-
bly, like those of the Rev. James But
terworth. his esteemed uncle. and he
was sure that he Simmons, could
claim her for relative. probably a
first cousin He received polite reply
that the lady had no such relative and
had never heard of any such person
This was not surprising to Mr. Sim
mons. whose knowledge of the rever-
end gentleman was precisely that Of
Miss Butterworth. The clergyman was
an invention.
The genealogical plan having failed.
Mr.. Simmons wrote again to Miss
Boyd. frankly stating that, he would
be interested to meet the original Of
the photograph and asking if in the
kindness of her heart she would sug-
gest Il method for the purpose. All
the world loves lover. and Miss Boyd
gave him Il list of half dozen friends
of Miss Rutterworth. any of whom
might introduce him provided they
knew him to be gentleman.
Meanwhile Miss Boyd had put her
friend on to the fact that she had an
unknown admirer. and it was Miss
Butterworth who suggested the names
Of the possible intrOducers. One, and
only one. of the names was known tC
Mr.. Simmons. and be was a member
Of Simmons club. The attentions Mr.
Simmons suddenly began to shower
upon this man were only understood
when a request came for the introduc.
ton.
1t was an advantage to Mr.. Sim
mons cause that for several months
Miss Butterworth was cognizant Of the
fact that she had an unknown admir-
er. Her fancy during this time was
feeding on Mr.. Simmons personnel
Miss Boyd, whose misdirected letter
had led to this possible romance, made
inquiries about Mr. Simmons, found
friends who knew him and pronounced
him good man. This Miss Boyd ex
aggerated into "a noble. good man.
Miss Butterworth, too, was on thu
shady side Of thirty and not unwillin,
to meet her fate. Before the introduc
ton she had been given Mr.. Simmons