The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-10-07


ing the kite on its delicate mission,
and then it came, fresh nor'wester,
blowing crisp and cool over the river
and certain to send the Kite flying Ill
land far away from Little River,
lothian went up on the highest hill
back of the house, the red kite Juggling
at the short line held in his hand, A
brief run and the red messenger was
loosened and dashed up and up ANA up
and then away before the wind. whirl-
ind and dipping and tossing some
queer dancing dervish of the air.
He watched ii until it WAS a red
speck against the sailing white clouds.
and then he went down the hill.
Headed straight for Dexter county.
shouldn't wonder If II landed In
Rosevile. Great smoke" lothian
paused and scratched his head III per
plexity 81 didn't specify that ! only
meant unmarried wimmen should an
swer. Come to think Of 1t, though, II
married woman found the letter
she'd probably have sister or some
body who'd take an interest
lothian kept away from the post
Office for two whole days. ana then he
went down to get his nall. There was
none.
That night he went to "box social
at the church parlors
Fate decreed that lothian Reed
should purchase the box that Sophie
Trenton hnd prepared. Sophie had
! changed from the pretty. dark haired.
black eyed girl of twenty years ago 70
a snIlow looking, dried UP littc NOR
! tal who dressed far too young for her
age Now she looked soulfully at Jo-
| than from under HE bfim OF her inn
mense hat and smiled enchaad1gly
~ don't know myself sometimes"
! she ratified on II used to be the most
scatterbrained girl that even was
didn't know my own mind ore days
end from another, I've done aud said
lots OF things that | wished could
take back. | should n been happier
and maybe Others too
Jotham was deaf IL her ch"tter, His
brain was performing Wonderful math-
! ematical calculations anent tive veloc-
! ity OF the wind and the possible speed
travelled by Cupid's messenger At
! this rate, for the wind still llew brisk
/ iy. the kite must have Travelled far out
of the state lothian wondered rather
uncasly, If the wind should not abate
,IfyIt mo 1t.flty tho
waited down to Mexico or some other
heather country where women were
a drug on the matrimonial market?
The Thought Of fair Senorta presid
ing as mistress over Hilltop farmland
incidentally its owner sent Lothian 70
the door for breath of fresh mir and
a squint at the weather. To Sophie
Trenton's angry surprise. Jctham for
got to come back again
Two more days passed, with no mail
and no tidings of the Kite lothian had
glngerly opened the weekly paper, hair
fearful that the kites FaudorinGs
might have brought ii within the ken
OF the hungry editor but no there wa
no word
Then one day GOTHAM was Smelling
peas Ia the back pogeh whoA he heard
the clIyE Of the front gate l2.yh and
light. swift trend ca the path around
the house
The sight h. looked upon brought
him to his feet wide eyed open
mouthed, the pan Of peas rafting IN
needed to the ground.
Before him stood a tall rouneish
woman with fair hair part q ahloothly
on her white forehead and pulled be
comingly behind her cars. Her skin
was fresh and pink, and her eyes were
dark blue and steady in their gaze
and over them the straight brows cut
clear dark line. Jotham saw tn,
laughing eyes, the twitching red lips
half breaking into mirthful smiles, saw
the crisp blue cotton dress the color oi
her eyes, the fresh white hat and Tia,
string Of coral beads about her rllroat
and recognized his old sweetheart
Mary Cray that was!
| In her hands danged the crushed
fragments of the box kite.
Found 1t hanging on the pear tire,
by my sitting room window" She ex
planned as she laid the kite on tn,
Ecnch THAT'S great idea OF yours
Jotham Most as big as the other ide'
you had when you asked Sophie t.
marry you"
II was fool" said lothian Rec'
bluntly. I'm a bigger fool now, be
cause its just eiyin' fate anothe
chance TO laugh iii my face. You lily
ia Roseylle now. don't you?" he asked
She nodded Funny, wasn't it, you
: kite should land there? she said
Seems like there was something III
: common In it," admitted Jotham sc
berry. 81 sent 1t up four days ago o.
} this hill forgot till afterwards tina
Y some married woman might get hol
of it. Looks as If you was meant
: get It,"
) Mrs. Blake she who was Mary Graz
4 smiled innocently. "Of course 70
Y know Jim passed away three year
/ ago" she ventured
( lothian stared round eyed, and the
great gladness came into his fac
A "Then--you--can keep the letter, Mary