Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-19

ending
THERE was silence for minute and then
Bowdoin asked a question
Suppose this was not for novel. Miss Car
penter, he said. Suppose it was just what it
purports to be.-a love letter to |
know, and without whom cannot seem to find
any comfort in life? Suppose that after many
years of loneliness | had at last met the one
woman, the one-ah-the-ah-" Bowdoins
feelings began to get the better of him and he
broke down completely:
thetically, and l say it only because you ask
me, that you make a great mistake in not 60
ing to her and saying these lovely things to her
in person. You surely can't be seriously think
ing Of" Here Miss Carpenter disturbed by
her own temerity, stopped short.
Go on, go on" cried Bowdoin. :" never
needed good advice more than do at this very
moment. You must have noticed how pre-
occupied | have been"
oh yes indeed, said Miss Carpenter "Ev-
erybody has noticed it, but we all thought it
might be dyspepsia something"
Well. it isn't!' cried Bowdoin savagely
:" It's this, pointing to the letter. :" simply
might just as well take down my shingle and go
out Of business
In that case" said Miss Carpenter gravely.
81 will say what started to say. You must
not send this letter.
why not?" demanded Bowdoin. Doesn't
it ring true'"
assure him. 1T is sincere enough; but do you
really think any woman in the world could see
anything beyond the fact that you had in
trusted the most sacred communication the
most beautiful confidence, that can come to her
from man. to a third party?"
Third partys" demanded Bowdoin. WHO
is the third partve This letter is not to be read
by anybody else"
"Oh. | know don't count" laughed Miss
Carpenter. land YOU know don't count but
do you think she will take that view of it, ]
doubt it. Please take my advice and don't
send dictated letter to the woman you love
1t may be the very essence of poetry and
breathe love and sincerity in every line but
the cold lines of type will destroy all the illusion
of beauty
Perhaps you are right" said Bowdoin
moody. "Onlv can't summon up the cour-
age to say it to her face, and I'd break down in
the middle of it and look like suffering idiot.
Let's finish it, anyhow"
Possibly" said Miss Carpenter drylv-
possibly, after it is all written out. if you do
not make it too long you commit it to
memory and get up and recite it to her some
time
Possibly" laughed Bowdoin finding posi-
tive relief in the young woman's testing sug-
gestion. Then he resumed his dictation.
In view of all this have said. the outpour-
1ngs of my lnnermOst soul, in order to restore
myself to that sphere of usefulness to nv fell
low men upon which the material side of my
life depends, to say nothing of the assurance Of
my own happiness. am writing this to ask you
to be my wife. After what has gone before, YOU
need not be told that love you
THERE." he said. with great sigh of re-
lief. How will that dor"
Every badly, since you ask me-" said Miss
Carpenter promptly :" 1 don't like it at all. In
my opinion. whether YOU need to tell her that
you love her or not, you ought to do it just the
same"
well. how would you finish it," asked Bow
doin, looking at the girl with quizzical twinkle
in his eye. Suppose you make some kind of
constructive suggestion
Miss Carpenter tapped her pretty teeth
with the end of her pencil for few moments
and glanced sidewise over the last paragraph
as if meditating deeply upon some knotty
problem.
Why, l should put it this way" she said:
In view of all this. ct ceterd, in order to restore
myself and SO on, am writing this to ask you
to be my wife, because love you, love YOU,
l love you!' Instead of not saying it at all
because you don't think you need to- she con-
tnued, "you ought to say it dozen times.
Wherever there comma, period.
semicolon. or any other kind of breathing space
in the entire letter. if it was mine I'd put in
L love you,' and then I'd add P. s.
"And what would you say in the P. 81" de
manded Bowdon.
Il love you," said Miss Carpenter with
nervous little smile.
Bowdoin gave happy sort of cackling laugh