The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-02-05

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Eft contains something's I have lad
sent there for you dear" Amt BIO ex-
paafned when Nora Questioned her
about It They ara some things Of
nine that have intended giving you
and they can 60 home with your lug
gay You're a dear what are they-
Nora asked eagerly.
''Some things that started collect
ing when / vas younger than you.
prize them and would not let anyone
have them but my faTcTite netce.
thought once that would be able 30
mako use OF them myself bat that
was years ago." There was tinSe OF
sadness In Aunt F1o's voice-the first
Nora had ever noticed.
Nora found the trunk In her auut's
room ana the key was In the lock. Il
was an old-fashioned trunk but #
looked as # it had done very little
travelling. She looked It over reTer-
emily before she opened Il. Somehow
there seemed to be something sacred
about It Carefully, she lifted the lid
and the odoE oe fresh cedar filled the
room. The trunk was lined with green
silk On top was picture Of very
beautiful girl She picked It up and
looked at It wonderingly. Why It was
Aunt Flo when she was a girl What
a sweet pretty girl size was, too!
It was some time before Nora could
take her eyes from the picture. Her
aunt was not unlike herself.
The picture however, was forgot
ten IN the wonders found"in the trunk
linens of all kinds In sheets, pillow
cases, towels and many other things.
Before she reached the bottom she
- T.
Aunt Fqo's Hope Chest" Now she
knew Why it had seemed so sacred to
her. Poor Aunt Flo, she had never been
married! After Nora had the things all
out and placed on the bed, she stood
back and admired them What store
OF fine things there were! Wouldn't
any bride he pround Of them? The
things she had at home and had
thought were so lovely, were as moth
ing compared to these. After gazing
at them and handling them with eau
tious fingers OF nearly half an hour.
Nora decided to pack the things back.
AS she leaned over the trunk some
! things caught her glance. A neat pile
Of letters tied with a pale ribbon rest
ed at the bottom. There was the same
sacred feeling as she picked them up
and looked at the address on the top
! envelope. It was dated years before,
when her aunt had been a girl, and
| the address was written In bold mas
cu1ine hand. They were her aunt's love
! letters, she knew without looking In
side. If her aunt had not meant to
have her read them she would not
| have left them in the trunk she
thought. Slowly she undid the ribbon
| and took the top letter from the Pile.
Letter after letter she, read. They
read like Leslie1s letters, only more re-
served and old-fashioned. What a
wonderful lover it was that Aunt Flo
had had, and how anxious he had been
that they get married! Why. hadn't
| they2 Some of his arguments were
just the same as LesIie's. How foolish
] Aunt Flo had been to let his pleadings
go By un1leeded. The last letter was
addressed in a different hand and the
fore. The stationary was edged in
black. AS Nora read this letter the
tears started to her eyes. So he had
died IN a foreign country-that was
why Aunt Flo had never married!
Nora sat for long time in media
ton. A step sounded. 1t was Leslie
aunt Flo sent me up here" he apol-
"oh. Leslie, she cried as she jump
ed to her feet: come and read these
letters. 1t is the saddest thing! Poor
Aunt FIo!"
It was not necessary for him to read