The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-24
EVENING STORY
A Welcome Letter.
BY GERALD ST. ETINNE.

BY GERALD ST. ETINNE.
As Justin Mallory hurried over his
route he whistled merrily. There was
a letter in his pack for Anna Emrick.
and the knowledge of it pleased him.
1t was his first week as a letter car
rier, but every day of it he had found
Anna waiting at her door. Every day
she had been disappointed in the mail
he had brought. That bulky letter
that he had was the one she was wait
ing for. he felt sure. The route
seemed much shorter that morning
You have a letter for me-" Anna
called as she caught sight of him. Il
can see 1t in your face"
laughed as he pulled forth the letter.
Sure enough, here it is"
AS Annals fingers touched the letter
and her eyes caught sight of the en-
velope a look of disappointment,
worse than on other days, crossed her
face. That was not the letter after
all. She bolted into the house before
Justin could say word.
No whistle came from Justin's lips
on the rest of the route. That look on
Annals face kept coming in his mind.
OF course, it was plain to see that the
letter she was expecting was from the
man she loved. What a cad he was
not to write to Anna! Justin won
dered who he was. Some boy she had
met while Justin had been overseas on
war service. That was 1t. The boys
who stayed at home had won the af-
fections of all the nice girls, leaving
none for the returned soldiers. He
had thought lot of Anna before he
went away. but he had shattered lot
of his prospects by enlisting before he
had completed his college term. The
position he had might work into some
thing good at the postoffice. he
thought, and then he would be able to
make up to Anna for this other mans
ill treatment.
Anna was waiting with the same ex-
pectant smile the next day. She had
not taken 1t to heart as much as he
had imagined. This time she didn't
seem so disappointed when there was
no mail for her.
at was rude yesterday" she said with
a smile, as she held out her hand to
greet him, but I didn't intend to be.
l was rather disappointed in the letter
you brought. How do you like your
new work, Justin ?''e
He was glad of an opportunity to tell
her all about it. They were still talk
ing when a voice from across the
street called out in a feminine tone
that indicated patience exerted to the
last notch.
Are you going to stand there talk
ing all day, Postie? Don't you think
folks want their mail?"
That brought Justin to a realization
With Annals CHEEKY smile to encour-
age him he started on, his mind too
full of their conversation to permit
him to whistle, however.
1t was nearly two weeks later when
Justin brought another letter to Anna
It was a thin, Neutrality-suspicious.
letter, but the minute her eyes lit
upon it she gave an exclamation of
pleasure and almost snatched it from
his fingers. Justin read the joy in
4 t,rr Hfo<
chance to open it he was on his way,
, but Anna was too intent on her letter
to notice that he had gone. He felt
| something rise in his throat.
So the fellow had written at last,
Just when he (Justin) had begun to
think that there was some hope for
him to win Anna for himself, but
now that was out of the question OF
course she would forgive the other
man and they would start where they
| had left off. A letter carrier wasn't
good enough for Anna anyway. But
would this other man be good to- her?
If he didn't he would make him an
| swer for it. No one could be unkind
| to girl like Anna. This man had,
! tho. He had neglected her shame
/ fully, and would be likely to do it
| again. The thought of the unhappi-
ness that this would probably bring
| to Anna so upset Justin that he
found himself a block past the place
next letter. He pulled himself to-
gether and managed to make the de-
| liveries satisfactorily
He had made an engagement with
Anna for that evening, but that was
before the letter had come, so Justin
| decided to telephone his regrets. She
would not want him to call, he was
sure, and would know that he under
stood. 1t was not an easy thing to
leave the field clear for his rival, es-
| pecially for a man who wasn't worthy
| of her. It was for Anna to make the
choice, tho, and her joy at receiving
the letter showed him plainly enough
that she thought more of the writer
! than he could ever dare hope she
would think of him. He went to the
telephone half a dozen times before he
could gain courage to lift the receiver
and call Annals number.
'I am sorry won't be able to come
over this evening" he said huskily
Wont you, JUSTIN" His heart
gave a jump as he noted the disap-
pointment in her voice. 81 did SO
want you to come tonight Couldn't
to show you"
Il will try to come, then" he ans
wered. IT may be a trifle late"
As he left the telephone Justin did
not know whether he had acted wisely
or not. 1t would really have been bet
ter If he didn't see Anna or the letter
| she was going to show him, he felt.
| The letter would be her explanation
of why their friendship would have to
cease. 1t was really the proper thing
| for her to do, he acknowledged, but it
was going to be unpleasant for him.
Anna was waiting when he came
He was more than a "trifle" late, and
she had begun to think he wasn't
coming. He was ill at ease as he sat
down. The ordeal was going to be a
| hard one, especially as Anna didn't