Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1911-06-22
THE LOST
! LETTER
By LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY

Misunderstanding was about. The
lives Of young people are full Of mis-
understandings, and the more they
are In love the thicker the misunder-
standings come along. Cupid sends
them as tests. Where two people In
love can't patch up q misunderstand-
ing and 90 ahead and be happier than
before they shouldn't marry.
It was little awkward in this case
that Miss Nina Farrand, school
teacher. was going on her summer
vacation the next morning, and so Mr..
James Cllngham Of the insurance COM
pany wouldn't have an opportunity to
drop In next evening and bring the
dove Of peace under his arm. Miss
Nina had as good as said that she
wouldn't write q line while she was
gone. and he had as good as said that
his time would be fully occupied with
out writing private letters.
When Miss Nina reached her aunt's
In the country she found It was five
miles from the nearest post office.
She had given Mr.. Cllngham the ad-
dress before the spat. On the way up
there she hoped the distance would be
90 miles, for she was cross yet, but
when told II was only FIVE miles her
heart was like lead. Five miles to
the post ONCE, and sometimes the
family did not send or 90 for a whole
fortnight. Five dusty miles, and most
Of the way uphill. and she and Mr..
Clingham mad at each other!
II there had been a post Office with
in ten rods she would have tossed her
head and braved It out, but Ave miles!
She wanted to weep. She wanted to
write a long letter the day she ar
rived, II only there had been tele-
phone-but there wasn't!
Miss Nina waited Ave long days and
then she wrote. She had a heart. and
she wanted 10 spread It with the ink.
but It wouldn't do. Mr.. Cllngham must
he taught a lesson. She mentioned
that she had arrived, that she had
found her aunt about as usual. that
there were hollyhocks in the garden.
that It was dry weather and that a
goose had chased her.
Mr. Jones and his old horse and
wagon came Jogging along on time,
and when the letter had departed the
schoolma'am felt relieved. Indeed.
she almost felt sure that the farmer
would bring her one in return. Mr..
Clingham might simply write that It
was his busy day-and the city was
dusty-and the comet didn't amount
to shucks-and he was going to the
ball game, and sign 1t: Your very
obedient servant" but It would be a
comfort. She went half a mile up the
road to meet Farmer Jones on his
return. She pretended she was look
ing for scenery.
SCOT you letter, by gol!" he shout
ed at her from a point 20 rods OF.
Yes. got you a letter, and it's post
marked in the city. Bet it's from your
fellow. Whoa. Ephl Here's the
e-pistle."
He started to draw II from the
pocket Of his old lined duster, while
the heart Of the young lady started up
a-tunklng. but 1t wasn't there. He
searched other pockets. He looked
into his hat. He hunted over the
wagon. No letter.
"Jerusha, but I've lost I'll" he
finally admitted.
"Oh, Mr.. JonesG
Now don't have q at, young lady.
The harness busted on me about four
miles back, and ! got down to fix 1t.
must have lost the letter then. II
was right at the foot of O hill, and
there was a COW looking over the
fence. I'll start right out In the morn
ing and look for It,"
But I'm so sorryi" walled Miss
Mira.
"1c'm l, but don't have a at. The
letter will be right there In the morn.
iuS."
In the morning when Mr.. Jones
came along, Miss Nina insisted on
driving along with him. He was full
of confidence that the letter would be
found, and when he finally reached
the foot of a particular hill he drew
rein and said:
Fright here Is where the harness
busted. and right here Is where get
down. Wen find that letter in a
jiffy."
The fatal spot was reached at last.
There on a stone sat-not the lost
letter, but Mr.. Clingham himself! She
was within twenty feet Of him before
she saw him. They were staring at
each other In the most awkward way,
when a rumbling In the distance was
heard. From down the road came a
cloud of dust, and in the midst Of 1t
could be made out Farmer Jones and
his old rig. The old horse was on the
run and the old wagon was creaking,
and the farmer was shouting and hold
ing a letter up to view. He drew
nearer. He stopped. He flourished
the letter once more, and shouted:
Never lost the thing tall Hole In
my pocket, and It got into the lining.
Jest found It an hour ago, and came
on the gallop."
The letter was handed down, and he
turned and headed for home. Az he