The Meeker herald., 1918-06-08
An Exchange Of
Love Letters
By RICHARD MARKEDLY
IopyIIGht. 1917. Wcstern NeWspaper Union. }

become lovers. l hnd no thought OF
marrying, and II should marry pre-
sumed that would mate with n
heavenly creature altogether too good
for any man, except myself.
One morning l wrote, from my club.
note to Mary. asking her for some
Information she possessed. l waited
some time for reply and not receiv-
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 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 a rude
ness that l ever heard this was the
most remarkable. Why she argued that
1 would show her letter "all over my
club" because some one else had acted
thus brutally l could not imagine.
Why Is 1t that these stupidities Of
women attract rather than upset US
men7 I don't know. but up to this
time while had liked to chat with
Miss Chalfinch on substantial sub
jects. without thought OF anything
tender between US. now for the first
time was drawn to her In lovellke
way. My visits not only grew more
frequent but emotional. Not long after
this l 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 a
year and since was frequently alb
sent, there were more love letters.
declared that had always in
tended-shOuld marry-that would
only marry one who possessed every
virtue. Miss Chalfinch replied that
she had always averred that she would
only marry the most honorable Of men.
l mention these two among the many
laudntions that passed between us be-
cause we soon fulsified them.
Miss ChalHncl suddenly became
angered with me. 1t would be Inn
possible to state the reason Of one
who would not answer note had
written from a club because nome
wretch Ind shown, or was said to have
shown, all over his club. letter re-
ceivcd from a girl. In fact, never
exactly understood her reason.
Well. where lovers face out the first
thing to be done Is to return those
heartfelt laudntiOns Of each other COM
monty called love letters. Mary Chal-
finch wrote me a curt note: "Please
send me every scrap I ever wrote you.
! have not the slightest doubt you will
rend what have been silly enough to
write you to NIL your friends"
This from the girl who had called
me the most honorable Of men! 1t
made me mnd-nOt displeused, not an
cry. but mad. l wrote her: "Plcase
send me my letters. In the hands Of
such an Irrational person they are
not snfc." This TO the girl who l had
said possessed every virtue. She re-
piled that on no account would she
give UP what she possessed till she
Ind received what possessed.
And SO We were at a deadlock.
next prepared that the exchange
be made through some honorable wom-
IN such as had supposed her to be.
to which she protested that m 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.
I paid. no further attention to the
matter. making no reply to Mnry's sug-
gestions. I rend what she wrote me
but did not deign to reply. Finally
she proposed thnt I bring her letters
to her home; she would meet me ut
the front door with mine; the exchange
might take place there. could go
away, and she hoped she might new
er see me ngnin.
I replied that unless I might have
IN opportunity to examine what she
returned to me I would have no con-
fdcnce that they were my letters: mt
any rate. all my letters. So l de-
cllncd her proposition.
After brief silence Mnry wrote me
thnt II would bring the letters l
bhouiu haNe ah oIIUituiutS " eNhh
Inc those she would return to me.
accepted this arrangement ind agreed
TO call the next Saturday afternoon.
At the time appointed drove up to
her house In the chr md lifted out
corded package Of encOmiums Of my
self and pledges to love me always
that would weigh something like II
tlayrn nnundu md ctrrieb thp,u I'm IN
the front door. A maid received me
md uxhered me into little reception
room. where had done hours Of
counting with her mistress.
There before n blazing wood fire
stood Mnry, robed In whit Ind always
been favorlte costume with me. md
looking what I hnd considered her
during our orrespondcncc-a very an
gel. Her wearing that costume alone
T..