The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1917-08-10


a day like this, hot somehow 1t didn't
seem cold like today. The world even.
without the sunshine was rosy and
warm and glowing because / WAS with
S0ti. You looked that day as II yOu
M8fted to say something and couldn't
Whit Was it, dear? Did l guess right?
Did you feHtIy love me and was it
that you tried to teIt9 Then Why did
you go awayT
The little wagons filled and two trips
were made to Miss LOrena's big side
porch where the contents were emptied
in heterogeneous mass that delighted.
her heart. "Why, klddiss, Il looks as if
we were going to get good many
dollars for the little sick babies, Come
on inside now and warm your fingers
before geB start out again. Why,
what's this? II I~oks like stack of
sermons. Such a lot Of writing and
pounds and pounds of paper She
picked up a sheet and read.
ITS all about stars And it's old
and dusty, an old manuscript somebody
has thrown out. think I'll take 1t in
and look It over. I've always loved as
trOnOmy!"
IsOrena settled herself on the rug be-
fore the fire to look over her dfScOv-
cry.
Toward the south we see that the
groups of stars which pass above the
horizon" The paragraph ended
abruptly and the rest of the page was
blank except for fOOtnOte. I'm tired
and can't write any more. LOrena,
dear, goodnight"
She sprang to her feet with a cry,
Ciutehing the paper tightly to her
breast.
Robert Culver, returning from his
daily "Trip to the library. went into his
study and opened u drawer of his
desk. 1t was empty HOrrihed he
pulled out another. 1t was also empty
In fact every drawer was as innocent
of paper as the Sahara desert of fish.
He strobe hurriedly to the kitchen.
Nanny, where are the manuscripts
that were in my deskr
"Why, sir, it's the darlin' babies
They came and said they needed the
papers to make a hospital with and
they were so old and dirty thought
you'd forgotten them and gave them
to the boys"
lie went to the door and looked
down the street. The cold wind blew
fine snow into his eyes, but he didn't
feel either. His work, the study Of
years, was gOnel
Suddenly lie spied two small figures
pulling a wagon through the park.
They might know of something. With
out waiting for hat or coat he followed
ns fast as he could.
Hello, boys! Do you know anybody
that's collecting papers around hereF
"We are. Have you got any? We're
after our third load"
mo, I'm afraid you got all l had.
Where are you taking them?"
'TO Miss LOrena Herrick's on Syca-
more street"
"LOrena Herrlck's?" he almost
shouted. He stood looking dazedly
into the shabby little wagon regardless
of the curious eyes turned on him
standing bareheaded in the snow. LO-
rena Herrick! The name that had
been buried in his heart for years
Then suddenly the words took form
and gazed up at him from letter in
the bottom of the otherwise empty
wagon. There it lay, old, yellow and
soiled, but the inscription on 1t stood
out plain. Miss LOrena Herrick, 10
! Sycamore street, DrewtOn, n. Y" The
stamp was uncanceled and the writing
his own. He picked 1t up bewildered.
"Where did this come fromE'
Don't know. Must a fallen out of
something" came the answer.
"Its for Miss Herrick. I'll take il
to her" He turned and strobe away.
LOrena stood before the fire. Rob
ert, dear, goodnight" /" she breathed
softly over and over to the mysterious
figures dancing in the flames.
The front door opened and closed
and Robert himself came into the room,
hatless, snOw-cOvered and very pale
LOrena drew back, almost falling, then
suddenly broke into nervous little
laugh.
you've come for this, of course (!
She held out the paper.
ave come, dear girl of my dreams
for you. Here is the letter which
never was posted, absent-minded beg
gar that am. Am / too late, Lorena
after six yearsT
For answer, she held up her face t.
his.