Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-01-10
INSPIRED LETTER
BY w. KENNEDY.

cold winter evening, with Just Dit too
much Of a whipping wind to be COM
Portable, and it was with sense Of
relief that he entered his comfortable
apartments and found cheerful fire
blazing in the crate in his sitting room.
Saintsbury was one of those young fell
lows who may be described as nicely
fixed" His apartments were not "too
much" but just right. He dropped
into an easy chair and ran his eye
casually over the evening paper. Then
came parenthetical smoke, and he
sat down to his desk to write his let
tiers.
Saintsbury's two letters were as dis
similar as 1t is possible to imagine. One
was merely note to Edith Crawford
asking her to go with him to see ICY
rano de Bergerac" the latter part of
the week. Yet how fondiy he wrote
1t. He began the note Dear Edith"
writing the words with caress, and
he sat aamiring his own rashness,
though lee knew he was merely writing
for his own edification and that the ar
istocratic Miss Crawford would never
set what he had there written. He
scribbled the name all over the page
and then, with SIGH laid the sheet
aside and began to write the formal
note which he always sent to Miss
Crawford. Saintsbury was so deeply
In love with this lady that 1t actually
scared him.
The second letter which he had to
write was for u friend who was in
love and wished to send beautiful
letter announcing this fact to the wom-
an he adored, but did not know how
to do it. "Write me letter, john"
said Dick, "as IL you were writing to
your own girl" John endeavored to
follow out these instructions. He did
not know the name of Dicks sweet
heart, and in order to do his best he
addressed the letter to Edith Crawford,
intending to leave her name out when
he copied the letter. He found 1t easy
to write under these circumstances,
and when 1t was concluded he read 1t
over and gIowed with the beauty of 1t.
He could find no fault with it, and he
felt that he could not improve upon 1t
by rewriting IT. So what was the use
of rewriting it? Dick had to copy 1t
anyway in his own nervy hand. So
he took out a couple of envelopes and
addressed them and enclosed the let
tiers, having forgotten all about leav-
ing Edith Crawfords name In his
friends letter.
The next day at the bank he was
rung up by his friend Daniels. II say"
said Dick over the telephone, you
didn't know that you sent me letter
addressed to a friend of yours, did
you? What's up, anyway, old boy?"
John remembered then that he had
forgotten to erase Miss Crawford's
name, and he blushed through the
phone as he replied: "Oh, that's all
right. Just scratch her name out and
I think it will do"
"You haven't given yourself away
a-plenty, have you?" said Dick.
Could it be that he snapped the let
tiers and sent Ediths to Dick and
Dicks to Edith? The idea was quite
Edith's name was in the beautiful love
letter. 1t was impossible that he could
have made such q mistake, but he was
vaguely uneasy about it, and that eve
ming he hastened out to Miss Craw-
ford's to set the matter at rest.
He found her in the drawing room
alone, and looking pensiyely into the
fire. How beautiful, how tender, how
dainty she was in the freight glow
He broke it awkwardly: did you
get letter from me?"
"Yes," she answered with adorable
softness.
swell, did Ibid you--can you tell
me what wrote-I mean did say"
81 do not understand you, Mr..
Saintsbury," said Miss Crawford, rath-
er distantly.
Pardon me, but I mean, did ] ask
you in the letter you received whether
you cared"
lis it possible you do not remember
what you wrote me?" she inquired,
with beautiful iciness.
"Why, of course; but fear there
has been some mistake"
Miss Crawford was not only amazed,
but she was apparently quite angry.
AS for him, he was In agony Of doubt.
Pardon my awkwardness," he said
with smile, "and will explain. Last
night I had to write two letters. One
asked yen to go with me to see 'Cy-
rano de Rergerac.' The other was writ
ten for friend, who asked me to write
it as if I were addressing the woman
I loved"
'Then," said Edith, with a sort Of
sweet dismay, "this letter was not for
me?"
ooh, yes it was. 1t went straight
by mistake. That was ALL" said John.
sBut what becomes of the invitation
to see 'Cyrano?" asked Edith.
Bother Cyranol" cried John, now
grown entirely brave. "What I want
to know is whether you accept the in
Wtation to become Edith Saintsbury?'