The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-08-04
His Angel.
BY SADIE oLcoTT

| oppa
II see you have letter in your hand
suppose It's for Howardf'
ut is"
"It's breaking your engagement witt
him maybe?"
mo, It isn't. why do you think that?
"Can it be that you haven't heart
what every one else knowsT
whats khatr
"I supposed, OF course, you knew i
or wouldn't have said anything"
Heard what? For heavens sake
stop this fooling and tell me what
you're talking about!'
"Why, they say Howard Is engaged
to a girl in AkervIlle. where he lives"
"Who says itr'
tits common talk"
There was silence for few mo.
ments. Then Della said: Eyes, know
all about 1t. am going 20 write How
ard what think OF him."
She passed on, but instead of going
directly to the postoffice she went to
her home by roundabout course and,
sitting at her writing desk. wrote How
ard Benjamin a letter of a different
kind entirely from the one she had in
tended to post.
In a couple OF days Mr.. Benjamin
was announced. Della had had time
to at least cool down and wished that
she might have taken more time In the
writing of the letter she had sent him
AS she remembered 1t, her feelings
had run away with her. She was sur
prise1 that Howard should have come
to see her after having received 1t, but
supposed he had come to return her
letters and demand his own.
To her surprise Howard advanced
to meet her as she entered the room
with his customary smile, took her in
his arms and kissed her. She blushed
TO think of the disagreeable things she
had written him. wondering the while
whether he had received her letter or
whether there was any truth In the re-
ports as to his Inconsistency. She was
much puzzled.
II came down for the week end,
sweetheart, to be with you" he said.
II couldn't stand to be separated from
you any longer without one kiss" He
gave her a dozen. But how cold your
hands are! Is there anything the mat
ter with your"
"Oh, no; I'm very well! I'm so glad
you've come"
Della trembled lest this were prelim-
mary to an announcement of his de-
lection and his contempt for her on
account of her complaint, just to make
1t more effective. But as her lover
went on in the usual strain, inter
rupted only by an occasional kiss, she
became gradually treasured as to the
falsity OF the reports that had reach
ed her But her letter-Howard must
have come away just before its de-
livery. She dreaded to have him go
back and get 1t What would he think
Of her he who had assured her time
and again that she was an angel. bet |
ter fitted for heaven than this wicked |
world?
Howard left his sweetheart thorough |
y convinced OF his constancy, but in |
error at his returning TO receive the |
she had written. Every |
lime the postman left any mail she |
vent to the delivery box with dread
ind grasped the letters with trem-
bling hand. IL was several days be-
ore she received a missive from her
over, and when she did she was afraid
o open it. She took 1t to her room.
md. after taking it up and putting II
Town several times, she broke the seal.
1t began by stating that TO make up 4
work left undone. TO visit her. he had
,een busy day and night since his re-
urn. Then he went on TO speak OF
hose happy hours they had spent to-
,ether and how he could count the
lays till he would see her again. Not
word about that horrible letter of
ers. What could II mean? Had he
eceived 1t, and was he too high mind
d. too generous. too magnanimous to
axe advantage of II. knowing that 1t
du uttu NliAlth uhatA q ioicI ihiPttS
ion?
In a few weeks he came again, and
bis time Della felt sure that he would
peak of the subject that troubled her,
he wished he would and have IL over
nth. But he did not. he was just
5 affectionate and kind and loving as
yer and evidently still considered her
n angel.
Weeks passed and Della began to be-
eve that her letter had mlscarried.
he inquired of the postman as to
here undelivered letters were taken.
No he told her they all were sent TO
lie dead letter office IN Washington.
etters misdirected or unclaimed or
Tithout stamps were to be found In
he dead letter Office. Della wrote
lere and received a card stating that
he letter she had written about was
lere unstamped. and IL she would
md cents 1t would be sent her
When the letter came Della found
lat she had been so angered that she
nd not written her address on 1t and n
d neglected to put a stamp on it
be began to read Il; bat coming to
lat which now in her cooler mo-
ents she was ashamed OF. she tore
into bits and threw the bits into y
ie FIRE. iii
When Howard came again he noticed II