The Lamar register., 1918-03-13

Of destiny were very. very busy work
ing and planning their way for them.
Lauretts waited for one wbols week
before she felt justified In looking In
to the old mall boE. The farm was ai'
ready beginning to look inhabited. and
Jauretta's mother and father were
afternoon Lauretta went out to the
roadside. and with quick Jerk dis
lodged the small boz from Its ancient
resting place on top OF the post.
Her heart beat quickly. She felt
letters sinking about inside. and felt
the coming of much Interesting mnte-
rial for her innRInatio to piny with.
She took the box to the wide porch
ana snt on the steps to open II. Lnu-
tetta seemed TO he opening n tomb or
something that was sacred. but she
continued nevertheless.
There were some hnlf-Jozcn letters
In The box. Some were OF very an
Client date. while two had been recently
mailed. Apparently there were HtIli
people ma ignorant aa to country mail
Ing systems M she herself was. Evi-
these two letters. thinking they would
he collected on the FIRST route Of the
village mailman.
Lnurotta decided to return the let
terra 60 the writors- rather than TO the
persons to whom they were written.
The address In each case wns On the
envelope. She thought u would he
far better Go lot the sender know why
the letters had not reached their jca-
with each one telling of the strange
way In which the missives had come
Int, her possession. Lnuretta hoped
all the people were stili In the land of
the living and that nothing tragic had
happened because OF the failure OF tn.
letters 60 reach their destinations.
From ave of the messages Lnurcttn
received most charming answers. A
correspondence began with one OF the
Young men. which later ripened into
warm friendship. lie had posted his
letter while rushing along the highway
aud had wondered at its fate. lie told
Lauretta all about t In his reply. but.
urged by curiosity regarding the girl
who had been interested enough TO
RENAL the letters. he stopped 10 see
her the very arrt time his machine
skidded along the Cedar Swamp road
Lauretta and her parents were all
three delighted with Franh Joyce.
iauret,a's romantic spirit had pro
dnced many such episodes In the Car
son household
They were all four sitting ont under
the srest snarled arrle tree having
c,solins drinks when = huge yellow car
stopped al the gate.
l.aurestas father went forward 10 see
who the new arrival was lie smiled
Seatsll, when he discovered the ss,Si-
looking stranger 10 he on the same
mission as Joyce.
jimmy Gains glanced swiftly over
the sroar under the apple tree, and
approved most decidedly 10 Laure,sa.
lie cas-, an unsrpreelstive glance at
the recumheat Joyce. and roaaerea
dsrsly ss to his ,deatiy,
Laure,ts srailed when Jimmy Gains
ioined the unconventional circle and
coasde5 his reasons Cor coming.
sHp tt4Ae4 tass I tfeeseN IA sat4
box Ne said. frankly. was proposal
to a SRI. was mighty upse; al get
ting 10 reply, and have beer SssAine
al over the country trying t3 forge;
the SRI"
There Was sEapstay IN Mrs. Car
sons no,herty expression, but ftnamy's
eyes seemed hsppsS forcetral nov
that they had rested apon f.aare<ts
= wish there had been dozens ana
dozens 81 letters more IN that box"
}suehed l,auretsa.
And q compile 81 oozen cars block
1ns the highway joyce fnslnusted
saa lsuretts hsd the grace to BLUSH
Jimmy Gains sioe'er-cd ht Joyce
Jimmy hsd an oaa Feeling thst Iaa-
retts was eoine to Re the naxi and
lss, recipient al O proposal from him
Things happened sudaeny win Jim
my. Already he hsa thanked the imp,
ot fate thst hsd fsned 10 give him
Blanche Markham s7e hpa known
only a passing love for her
wen, an lpcky shst ignorance
led me to posting my lestar In your
box" Jayce ssla - say, vhy dnng
ycu pui the old box hsck agsin' Eou
may cnsch SHINE more messages md
have sort nj p;'f-nte mailing system
and 'i'iendshIr-D.ker comhIneS'
's4rieht hepa" laughed lssir-egss