Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-03-22

had left bereft of all save two of her
hatch. But this particular witticism
did not bother her in the least, per-
haps because she realized how pat the
comparison was. Instead of silencing
him she showed him the letter which
she constructed some days later-con-
structed most painstakingly the second
week in December. She deigned to
read it aloud to him before she dis
patched it on it's journey.
Barbara, dear child" she wrote,
this is the appeal of lonesome spin
ster lady who finds that winter still
only lusty infant here, is the season
for younger, warmer pulses. l am very
tired of Caleb's continued company
that is, with nothing to leaven it. The
keenest of epigrammarians, my dear.
becomes very commonplace, you knoT
to ears too long tuned to one voice. So
1 am writing you in dignified despera-
ton to come to me this holiday season.
Caleb is not always as epigrammatic
as l could wish. l am going to be
positive that you will come unless you
have already made other plans. And,
on second thought, if you have al
ready done so am going to fall back
upon the privileged tyranny of one
who once carried you in her arms,
You must come to me this Christmasv'
There was another whole para graph
of rambling, repeated arguments and
then a full page devoted to the beau
tipS of tho hills and season
THE days are diamond brilliant"
she wrote, "and the nights as dryly
cold and crisp as Caleb's few last cher
1shed bottles of champagne. We have
a foot of snow, two feet in the ell Of
the house where the mint bed lies. and
that has afforded Caleb much peace of
mind too. The roots will live nicely
under their warm blanket, you see
all of which must read frivolously to
you, coming from staid Miss Sarah.
can only plead that already l must be
less lonely for anticipation Of your ar
rival. Are you we'll? You will find
new roses for your cheeks in this eli
mate. And you may telegraph your
acceptance this once if you are too busy
to write, although you know 1 deplore
the lack of those punctillios which once
made Of all custom and etiquette a
most charming thing"
It was signed "Yours, my dear, Sa-
rah Hunter
There was a quaint twist to the letter
81 sharp angles in the chirography
which a newer decade Of femininity
might have found sadly lacking in s.
largeness of loops now Indispensable
as indication of character" And
there was a postscript, of course.
"Stephen O'Mara has been several
times to dinner since your departure.
He is working very hard, but most sue
cessfully, am sure, for he appears to
be very happy. He is thinner than he
was, but who could have guessed that
the boy he was would grow to be such
a handsome man! Men with eyes like
his and such voices used to break the
hearts Of susceptible maids when l was
sixteen. Do come! S. H.
She read it aloud from beginning to
end, nor did she falter much when Ca
leb greeted the postscript with a shout
of JOY. Caleb was most high spirited
those days, for the line in regard to
the progress Of Steves work was in
truth an understatement if anything,
even though the assurance of his hap
piness might have been called a mis-
construance Of facts.
"What do you think of it?' his sister
asked pleasantly, when she had finish
ed reading. Twill it-do?'
IF you mean will it fetch her, can
only say heaven knowsr' Indeed, he
was enjoying himself. "You feel posi-
tive that she cares for him, you say?
But 1 thought you were always in
clined to believe Steve rather easy to
look at, even as boy?"
81 was" maintained Miss Sarah. Her
voice grew girlish. "Do you remember
the night you gave him my old hunting
coat, Cal, and he went to sleep with it
in his arms?"
Some of the teasing note left her
brothers voice.
'"Then why do you tell Barbara-why
do you seem to infer He foundered
hopelessly.
"Stupid!' said Miss Sarah. "Will
she Gomez"
'She won't!' he stated solidly.
When he spoke in that tone Miss
Sarah always chose to believe the con-
trary, and events in this instance
proved her right. Barbara did not
wire. She wrote a long letter full of
little twists and turns which led at
last to the subject which Miss Sarah
had mentioned so parenthetically
I'm delighted at the prospect of get
ting away from town for a week." she
closed as she had opened her reply
delighted at Mr.. O'Mara's splendid
success. Last night l overheard ia
Their telling some business associates
that he would one day be the biggest
power in the north country unless
something happened to check him
soon. That was very flattering, wasn't
it? 1t will make you very proud. 1