The Washburn leader., 1913-09-05
A Decade In
Transit
B, ALICE 7. BuRcE

What receptacle for miscellaneous
articles are booksi When one closes
book he or she-most probably she
will take up almost anything to mark
the place. Then. too. things that may
be well preserved 6Dd their way be-
tween the leaves Of volumea Flow
ers. photographs, old letters. bits OF
paper Of all kinds, may be shaken out
Of books
One day one Joseph Werner. man
Of thirty, strolled into library to nose
about among the volumes on the
shelveA He was a scholarly fellow.
and the books he sought were such az
few persons cared for. Passing q
shelf marked History" be took down
a copy Of "Josephus," an eminent Jew.
ish historian, who wrote during the
arst century Of the Christian era
Turning over the leaves. be came upon
an unfinished letter written In wo-
mans hand The words "Dear Joe''
caught his eye, and since bis name
was Joe he was interested Glancing
at the date, he saw that ten years had
passed since the letter had been writ
ten.
He pictured in his mind the history
Of the volume from the day the letter
had been placed In It A girl was writ
ing to q man. Some one entered the
room whom she did not wish to see
the letter. "Josephus" was lying
open on q table She placed the letter
in the book and closed It Either she
had forgotten It Of had been called
away and never saw 1t again. The
volume with the letter In 1t had found
its way into the library. where 1t may
not have been opened up to the pres
ent time ''
While Werner was dreaming about
the letter he was looking at the chi.
Biography. It reminded him Of writ
ing that he had seen long ago. It was
all very vague. but there was some
thing inexpressibly tender connected
with It He glanced down to see who
was the writer, but since It was unf,n.
tshed there was no signature
His mind drifted back to period
about the time the letter was written.
Perhaps 1t was an association with
the handwriting. He was then enter
ing upon his frst and thus tar his
only. love. How delightful that grad.
ual fusing Of two young hearts! Low.
ing was az natural az breathing. Then
came the serious part He was about
to go away to tight on the worlds bat
tleneld for a uving-a competence, .
fortune He had spoken his love.
which was returned, but the girl must
have time to think about It. She was
farseeing and thought It unwise to
engage herself to one who had not yet
even made start She would let him
know before he went away. But he
did not hear from her.
While thus reverting to the past his
eyes were fixed on the letter. He read
without knowing that he was reading.
The writer evidently was giving to
lover an answer such al he bad hoped
to receive.
Leaving the volume on the shelf, he
took the letter to window, where he
could get clearer view Of the hand
writing. It looked more familiar than
before Gradually belief came to
him that the letter had been written
to him. He remembered the date that
he had left home. and that on the let
ter was the day before bis going. A.
he looked and continued to look the
old familiar hand came back to him.
There was no mistaking It The letter
had been written-not 6nished-t0 him.
But It had never been sent
Why3 All! There was the mystery.
The letter went into Werners pocket
instead Of the volume In which It had
been inclosed He knew where the
writer lived. though be had not seen
her since be parted with her a decade
ago. He determined 20 60 to her Tor
an explanation.
They stood face to face Each rec
ognized the other. He drew the let
ter from bis pocket and handed It to
her. She looked at It In wonder. rec
ognizing II. but evidently being dazed
at holding It in her hands
"How did you come BY this5' she
asked.
He related TO her tho strange hap
pening BY which be and the letter had
drifted to the library and met there.
Her memory seemed to BE- confused in
part. though % to writing the letter
It was clear.
/ n wrote this." she said. ''the day be-
fore you left uA Mother suspected
that something was between % and had
advised that we remain. each tree until
ton were able to marry. Nevertheless
! resolved to answer you In the affirm
alive. While was writing heard
mother coming: A book-l don't r.
member what book-lay open on the
table neaf ma put the unfinished
letter IN it and closed Il
Mother asked mo what was going
|to do about you. and I gave her an
svasive answes. She drew promise
from me 10 take no acton without no
|dfying bee was but seventeen and
uncertain what 70 DO: therefore did
nothing. Ths lsttsf remained IN The
book, whsfe had placed Il When W
rave up houDekoopinI. loayinG our