The Meeker herald., 1918-02-02
An Exchange Of
Love Letters
tcopyrisht. 1916 Western Newspaper Union.
3, RICHARD MARKEDLY

become lovers. I had no thought Of
marrying, and II should marry pre-
sumed that would mate with a
heavenly creature altogether too good
for any man. except myself.
One morning wrote. from my club.
q note to Mary. asking her for some
Information she possessed. waited
some time for reply aud not recelv-
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 man
to his club"
"Why mott" asked.
because girl friend of mine wrote
q man. addressing her letter to his
club, and he showed 1t all over the
club"
OF all the reasons for such . rude
ness that l ever heard this was the
most remarkable. Why she argued that
l would show her letter "ali over my
club" because some one else had acted
thus brutally could not imagine.
Why IL 1t that these stupidlties Of
women attract rather than upset us
men7 I don't know, but up to this
time while I had liked to chat with
Miss Chalfnch on substantial sub
jects, without thought Of anything
tender between us, now for the first
time was drawn to her In a lovelike
way. My visits not only grew more
frequent but emotional. Not long after
this was called away and strange. to
say. fell to writing love letters to
her. I returned and regular court
ship was inaugurated that ended In
an engagement. We were engaged
year and since was frequently alb
sent. there were more love letters.
declared that l had always in
tended-shOuld marry-that would
only marry one who possessed every
virtue. Miss Chaltinch replied that
she had always averred that she would
only marry the most honorable Of men.
I mention these two among the many
laudations that passed between us be-
cause we soon fnlsificd them.
Miss Chalfinch suddenly became
angered with me. It would be i'm
possible to stnte the reason Of one
who would not answer a note I had
written from a club because some
wretch had shown, or was said to have
shown. all over his club, letter re-
ceived from a girl. In fact, I 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 Chal-
finch wrote me a 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 menl 1t
made me mad-not displeused, not an.
CRY, but mad. wrote her: "Please
send me my letters. In the hands of
such an irrational person they are
not safe" This TO the girl who had
said possessed every virtue. She re-
piled that on no account would she
give up what she possessed till she
had received what possessed.
And so we were at a deadlock.
next prepared that the exchange
be made through some honorable wom-
an such as had supposed her to be.
to which she protested that an HON
orable woman would naturally be
trustful-as he had been-and would
trick her, getting back my letters and
keeping those for which they were to
be exchanged.
paid no further attention to the
matter, making no reply to Mary's sug-
gestiOns. 1 read what she wrote me
but did not deIgn to reply. Finally
she proposed that l bring her letters
to her home; she would meet me at
the front door with mine the exchange
might TAKE place there. could go
away, and she hoped she might new.
er see me again.
replied that unless I might have
an opportunity to examine what she
returned to me would have no con-
fidence that they were my letters; Mt
any rate, all my letters. So I de-
clined her proposition.
After brief silence Mary wrote me
that I II would bring the letters I
should have an opportunity to exam
Inc those she would return to me.
accepted this arrangement and agreed
to call the next Saturday afternoon.
At the time appointed drove up to
her house In the car and lifted out
corded package Of encomiums Of my
self and pledges to love me always
that would weigh something like
dozen pounds and carried them up to
the front door. A maid received me
and ushered me into a little reception
room, where I had done hours Of
counting with her mistress.
There before a blazing wood fire
stood Mary, robed In what had always
been a favorite costume with me, and
looking what I had considered hel
during our Jurisprudence very an
gel. Her wearing that costume alone