The Wahpeton times., 1917-12-06
An Exchange Of
Love Letters
By RICHARD MARKELY
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union. J

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1t did not occur to me that we would
become lovers. had no thought of
marrying, and if should marry pre-
sumed that would mate with u
heavenly creature altogether too good
for any mum, except myself.
One morning wrote, from my club,
note to Mary, asking her for some
information she possessed. waited
some time for reply and not receive
ing one called upon her with view to
learn the reason for her silence.
"Your note was written from your
club" she said. II never write a man
to his club"
"Why not?" asked.
because Il girl friend of mine wrote
man, addressing her letter to his
club, and he showed it all over the
club"
or all the reasons for such 4 rude
ness that ever heard this was the
most remarkable. Why she argued that
| would show her letter call over my
club because some one else had acted
thus brutally could not imagine.
women attract rather than upset us
men? / don't know, but up to this
time while l had liked to chat with
Miss Chalfinch on substantial sub
jcclS without thought of anything
tender between us, naw for the first
time was drawn to hrr in Il loveike
WAY. My visits not only grew more
N,,3
this l WAS called away ANA strange to
say, l fell to writing love letters to
her. l returned and IL regular COURT
ship WAS inaumur;ltcd that ended in
an engagement. We We're engaged u
year and since l was Frequently alb
sent, there were more love letters
l declared that had always in
ten,lcd-sllould marry--t,Ht would
only marry one Who possessed every
virtue. Miss C!.aiinch replied that
she had always averrch That she would
only marry the most honorable of men.
mention these TWO ;vlun@ The many
lau'lat!"ns that PASSED between us be-
cause We soon faiSiiird them.
Miss tha!iinch suddenly became
;lnErred with me. 1t Would be im-
possible to state the rea,un of one
VINO would not answr. IL note l had
written from club because some
wretch had shown, or WAS saiu TO have
shown, all over his club, 81 letter re-
celved from ii girl. In fact, [ never
exactly understood her reason.
Well, where lovers face out the first
thing to be done is to return those
heartfelt laudations of each other COM
monty called love letters. Mary ClGal-
finch wrote lne Il curt note: please
send me every scrap ever wrote you.
| have not the slightest doubt you will
read what have been silly enough to
write You to all your friends"
This from the girl who had called
me the most honorable of men! 1t
made me nl;;h--llot displcnScd not an
%ry. but mad. wrote her: ''plpusc
send ne my letters. In the hands of
such an irtHti"nul person they arc
not $: i". This to the girl who had
said possessed every virtue. She re-
Piled That ON no account would she
give UP what she possessed ill! she
lE'' Received what l possessed.
Ana so We were at Il deadlock.
l next prepared that the exchange
be made through some honorable woln-
an such as l had supposed her to be,
to which she protested that an hon
or;ble woInan would naturally be
1rustful-Hs he had bccn--nnL would
trick her, getting back my letters and
Keeping those for which they were to
he exchanged
l paid no further attention to the
Eiatt'r. making no reply to Mary's suy-
&rs'inIlS. l read What she wrote me
but did not dcign to reply. Finally
she proposed that bring her letters
to her h"i.r; Sll" would meet me at
the front door With mine; the exchange
E'i-ht take place there. cnr.,l go
away, and she hoped size might new
er see me- ::%,,:n.
l replied tl,at unless I hi; lit have
an opportunity to examine what she
returned to III" l would have 40 cun-
ilHrAce that ,h"H we're ny lrt! 80
AMY rate. all my lc,io.',. :;n 4 Dc
clli"'i her lr"l,nsiliti:l
After II brief silence A!.1rv vr,tr me
that j if would hr;!. W.. rs l
Shonld h;lEe an Opporti.li.. :. l, rNain-
ine those sh" would return "a Inc. I
accepted this arrangement an, agreed
to cAi! III" nrXt Saturday milcYuoun.
AZ the 1i;De ;li:rui:licil drove UP to
he" house in the Car uii,i iif:.d out Il
corded package Of cucoluiums OF lay-
self a:d pledges To love me always
that would weigh somcthin. like a
dozen pounds. and carried them up to
the front door. A Elaid received me
AID ushrred me into Il little reception
room, where l had dGllc hours OF
cnurtinS with her Mistress
There before IL blazing wood fire
stood Mary, robcu in what had always
been Il favOrite COSTUME with l.lr, and
looking what l had considered her
during our corrcspoEt!cncp--;l very an-
gel. Her wearing that costume alone
Indicated that the farce WAS played to
the clililaX. dropped my burden and
advancing, took her in my arms. Then.
sitting on Il sofa on which we had.
bfeathel more l0vp rluu there WAS in.