The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-08-21
A Decade In
Transit
Bv ALICE ! SURGE

| articles are books. When one closes
| book he or Shc-mOst probably She
will take up almost anything TO marx
the place. Then. too, things that may
be we'll preserved lind their way be
/ tween the leaves of volumes. Flow
erS. photographs old letters. bits Of
paper of all kinds may De shaken out
of books.
One day Gur Joseph Werner, man
of thirty. Stroll,i into a library to nose
about anon" the volumes on the
shelves He was scholarly fellow.
and the books he sought were such rs
few persons cared for. Passing a
shelf marked History" he took down
a copy OF "JoScphuS," an eminent Jew
ish historian. who wrote during the
first century Of the Christian era
Turning over the leaves. he came upon
an unfinished letter written in wO
mans hand The words Dear Joe
caught his eye. and since his name
was Joe he was interested. CHANGING
At the date, hr saw that zen years had
passed since the letter had been writ
ten
He pictured i'm his mind the history
of the volume from the day the letter
bad been placed in ii A girl was writ
ing To q man Some one entered the
room whom she did not wish - see
the letter "JoSephuS" was lying
open on table She placed the letter
in the book and closed H. Either she
had forgotten il or had been called
away and never saw il again. The
volume with the letter In II had found
its way into the library. where it may
not have been opened up to the pres
eut time
While Werner was dreaming about
the letter be was looking at the chi
Biography. II reminded him Of writ
Ing that he had seen long ago Ii was
all very vague, but there was some
thing ineXpreSSiblv tender connected
with IT, He glanced down TO see who
was the writer. but since il was unfn-
ished there was no signature.
His mind drifted back to period
about the time the letter was written.
Perhaps il was an association with
the handwriting He was then enter
ing upon his first and thus far his
only. love. How delightful that grad
ual fusing of two young hearts. Low,
ing was rs natural as breathing. Then
came the serious part He was about
to go away 10 fight On the worlds bat
tlefield for a living competence, q
fortune. He had spoken his love,
which was returned, but the girl must
have time 10 think about II. She was
farseeinG and thought II unwiSe to
engage herself TO one who had not yet
even made a 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 be was reading.
The writer evidently was giving to a
lover an answer such as be had 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. 1t looked more familiar than
before. Gradually a belief came to
him that the letter had been written
TO him He remembered the date that
be had left home. and that on the LET
ter was the day before his going As
he looked and continued to look the
old familiar hand came back to him
There was no installing II. The letter
had been written not inished-to him.
But ii had never been sent
Why? All. There was the mystery.
The letter went into Werner's pocket
instead of the volume In which it had
been incloSed. He knew where the
writer lived. though he had not seen
her since he parted with her a decade
ago He determined to 20 to her for
an expla ma ton.
They stood face 10 face. Each rec
ogniZed the other He drew the let.
ter from his pocket and handed 1t to
her. She looked at II in wonder. rec
ognizing ii. but evidently being dazed
at holding II in her hands
How did you come by thisT" she
asked
He related to her the strange hap
pening by which he and the letter had
drifted to the library and met there
Her memory seemed to be confused in
part. though as to writing the letter
II was clear
81 wrote this" she said. 1.-The day be-
fore you left us. Mother suspected
that something was between us and had
advised that we remain each free until
you were able to marry Nevertheless
l resolved to answer you in the affirm
alive. While | was writing heard
mother coming A book-l don't re-
member what book-iay open on the
table near me. put the unfinished
letter IN 1t and closed it
Mother asked me what | was going
to do about you. and ! gave her an
evasive answer. She drew a promise
from me to take no action without no
tfying her | was but seventeen and
uncertain what to do; therefore | did
nothing. The letter remained In the
book. where ] had placed it When we
gave up housekeeping. leaving our
home. we sold all our books to deal.
er. How IL came into the library
where you found II can't Imagine
unless the library bought II from the
dealer"
Your mother, who was present" he