Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-04-25
LETTER FOR HULDAH
BY MRS. [. Q. CHARLTON.



(copyright, 1918. by Mcclure Newspaper
syndicats)
Mss Huldah stood In the front door
with q square envelope In her hand.
Usually she broke the seals In kcf
brisk fashion. but today she fingered
the envelope rather doubtfuIly. HUI
dab, her pretty niece, was with her
now, and Miss Huidah Merriam
might mean either one or the other"
Curiosity. however, led Miss Huldah
to open the letter and glance at the
signature. Then q strange thing hap
pened. She dropped the letter to her
feet. as II 1t had hurt her. for the
name signed was that Of the man who
had once been more to her than all
else In the world, her girlhood friend.
Robert Eustis.
Yet II was not the handwriting she
had once so wen known. Possibly
there was some mistake. Mechan-
ically she picked up the letter. and
began to read. II was for her niece
after all. this frank. boyish note. which
read thus:
Dear Huldah: We are going to be
I'm Riverton for q few days. win put
up at the hotel. I suppose you are
still with your aunt. I'm awfully glad
that I RAY have another chance to see
you before we leave for California.
Will your aunt let me u in some
evening, Just as I used to do when you
were homer Please write as Dol as
possible.
Ever your friend.
ROBERT EUSTrs."
Seems like a good, straightforward
letter, Aunt Huldah murmured. Hull
dab won't be home till tomorrow night
but therei 1t would be all right for
me to tell him Of my mistake. and In
wife him anyway. I wonder, and a visit
ful look came into Aunt Huldah's face
she wondered II he knew about the
other Robert. Signing a little, she
wrote a note inviting Huldah's friend
for the next evening.
Next morning. she tried to forget the
past. and resoIutely put her thoughts
upon the present-Huldah's return,
and the coming of the expected guest.
Early In the afternoon she was ar
ranging a great bunch of roses In the
living room, when the door bell rang
loudly. 'Much too early for either Of
my young folks" thought Aunt Hull
dab, as she answered Ii.
The figure at the door was no longer
young. with its broad shoulders and
well-set head, crowned with curling
gray hair. Miss Huldah gave M
glance at the clear, searching blue
eyes: then gasped: "Robertl" YES"
said the man at the door. "you invited
me, and ! came"
Yes. here he was after long years,
with pleading In his voice, as he an
swered her half whispered words. "the
invitation was intended for another"
with 1T know. Huldah-I know It was
my boys, and I had no right to II.
And l won't cross your threshold till
o say I may"
Miss Huldah softened. "Come IN"
she said gently, "and 1 will explain /;
also I wan to hear about you-and the
other Robert" "There is not much
to TELL" he said. seating himself
by the vine-wreathed window. "Shali
] begin where we left Off. Huldahf"
"Please." she said. bravely. and the
man at her side began his story.
~ left you with my heart full of IN
ger, Huldah. ! know now that I was
in the wrong. and I ask your forgive
ness. Then I went West and tried to
forget you by digging away at a stead
fly growing law practice. One day.
looking over an Eastern paper. I saw
the notice Of the marriage Of Edward
Thompson and Huldah Merriam"
"Cousin Huldah." Miss Merriam
gasped. IT thought Of no one but you
then" was the reply. Later on I
met a lovely little California girl.
whose low for mo bAaiAd thu old
a. ~