Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-06
The Daily Story
MISS BEAMS LETTER-BY CLARISSA MACKIE.
Copyrighted. ssls by Associated Literary

breakfast in their prim dining room
overlooking the flower garden.
Sarepta was enjoying cereal, coffee
and dry toast; Sophia was almost pur-
ring over bowl of 3 tmeal and cream,
while Sarah, the eldest Miss Bean,
drank strong green tea, with rolls and
a chop. Sarepta was thin and dark
and delicate looking; Sophia, her twin
sister, was plump and rosy like gray
and white kitten, and Sarah was tall
and bony, with sandy hair and eager
/ dark eyes, Once she had been very
handsome, but that was long ago.
Hannah. the black cook, padded
heavily into the room with a letter
held between thumb and forefnger.
''Ephie done brung de mail, ma'am,"
she said, placing the letter beside Sa-
rahs plate. IAN dey want no mon
dat one letter"
every well, Hannah" said Sarah,
adjusting her glasses TO scan the su-
prescription on the large, thick, square
envelope. AS she read her face grew
| quite red, and she looked at the others.
ITS for me, think" she said uncer-
tainly.
sarepta bristIed instantly.
'It might be for me-" she said tart
ly, unless it is addressed to you"
"In that case there would be no
doubt at all whom it was for" gig
gled Sophia, sprinkling sugar on her
oatmeal.
"It says Miss s. Beam" said Sarah
with dignity. From its appearance 1
should Judge it was for me-"
LET me look at 1t, please; am ex-
pecting letter." snapped Sophia, hold
ing out her hand for the missive.
Sarah surrendered the letter and
was irritated to note that Sarepta's
dark face glowed strangely.
Its the one I've been waiting for"
declared Sarepta, with the handle of a
spoon slipped under the flap. Il rec
ognize the handwriting"
$50 do l." was Sarah's obstinate re-
ply. "You have no right to open it,
Sarepta, until you are sure it is yours.
81 am sure"
Sophia blinked her blue eyes and
looked up from her empty bowl.
LET me see the letter. 1t may be
for me. 1 am Miss s. Bean also;
| you appear to forget that fact" she
said fussily.
"Why, it's Mr.. Gray's handwriting,
girls! she exclaimed bluntly. II think
, it's for me. 1 have a great deal of talk
and correspondence with him over
over-church-and personal matters
she ended, with a shipper.
, Sarah's mouth hardened.
THE letter is for me, Sophia. It's
all nonsense your thinking Mr.. Gray
would bother to write to you about
church matters. Ministers are very
busy men,"
Sophia looked ready to cry.
4 81 think he's rs likely to write to
me as to you or Sarepta-more likely.
understand why he has been calling
here regularly all winter"
Sarepta laughed shortly.
> 81 understand why, too" she said
with hidden meaning in her tone.
> at is nonsense for us to bicker over
e this letter." said Sarah impatiently.
ut must be opened and it is my place
as the eldest to do it. 1 can tell in.
: stantly by reading the first line wheth
9 er it is for me or not"
a so can l." retorted Sarepta.
And l." shifted Sophia, dabbing al
n her eyes with a snowy cambria hand
kerchief.
well, the best way to find out is tc
inquire of Mr.. Gray whom 1t is for,
g decided Sarah judicially. II will send
8 Eph over to the parsonage with 8
k note"
The letter was placed on the mantel
o piece behind the Chinese vases, and
Sarah wrote the note and sent it of
S by Eph, the black boy.
a Ten minutes afterward he rushed
into the sitting room breathless witt
!. excitement
g "Marse Gray done gone away in {
n turrible hurry. Miss Sarah, yes'm
Seems lax he had a telygraft las
night that his paw wore killed on d.
railroad, and Mr. Sniff said he guessed
it would be long day afore de pahsoI
come back, fer dey was gwine to giv'
him a good vacashun TO git over d.
shock. He's gwine clean to Californy
wbah his paw lives"
1t was characteristic of the Bean
that not one OF them WOu!u TellnQulSl
her claim to the letter, and so 1t stoot
on the mantelpiece day after day. IN
opened. waiting for Mr.. Gray TO re
ID turn and divulge the identity of th
t. Miss s. Bean" TO whom the letter be
"a longed
K In the bottom OF each maiden hear
there was firm belief that the lette
IS contained declaration of marriage
ID for Mr.. Gray had called with marke
ie regularity every Thursday evening dun
ing the winter. His attentions to tn
III three sisters had been distributed wit
careful nicely and exasperating uncel
tainty. When their niece. Estelle Bear
from Little River, had visited them tn
minister had sung to them while L:
telle played upon the old square piano
;. and the songs he chose were disquiet
80 ing to sentimental ladies.
pa When be lifted his handsome head
u with its noble crown Of grazing hal
% and sang about annie Laurie" Sara
knew that IL he dared the parson woul
re substitute her name for that Of Sex.tC
ct Annie, while Sarepta and Sophia We