The Winslow mail., 1919-04-11
] LETTER FOR HULDAHI
: BY MRS. L. s. CHARLTON.
Copyright, 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)

with square envelope in her hand.
Usually she broke the seals in her
brisk fashion, but today she fingered
the envelope rather doubtfully. HUI
dab, her pretty niece, was with her
now, and Miss Huldah Merriam"
might mean either one or the other"
Curiosity, however, led Miss Huldah
to open the letter and glance at the
signature. Then a strange thing hap
pened. She dropped the letter to her
feet, as if it 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 it was not the handwriting she
had once so well known. Possibly
there was some mistake. Mechan-
ically she picked up the letter. and
began to read. 1t was for her niece
after all, this frank, boyish note, which
read thus:
Dear Huldah: We are going to be
in Riverton for q few days. Will put
up at the hotel. I suppose you are
still with your aunt. I'm awfully glad
that may have another chance to see
you before we leave for California.
Will your aunt let me run in some
evening, just as l used to do when you
were home? Please write as soon as
possible.
ever your friend,
"RORERT .EJTS,TJS
Seems like good, straightforward
letter, Aunt Huldah murmured. Hui.
dab won't be home till tomorrow night
but there! 1t would be all right for
me to tell him of my mistake, and in
vite him anyway. wonder, and wist-
full look came into Aunt Huldah's face
she wondered if he knew about the
other Robert Signing a little, she
wrote note inviting Huldah's friend
for the next evening.
Next morning she tried to forget the
past, and resolutely 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
p loudly. "Much too early for either OF
my young folks" thought Aunt Hui.
dab. as she answered 1t.
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 one
q
eyes; then gasped: Robert" !" "Yes,"
said the man at the door. "you invited
me, and I 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 "I know, Huldah-I know It was
my boys, and / had no right to 1t
And l won't cross your threshold till
you say may"
Miss Huldah softened. "Come in
she said gently, "and I will explain
also ] want to hear about vou-and the
other Robert" "There is not much
to tell" he said, seating himself
by the vine-wreathed window. "Shall
begin where we left off, HuldahY
"Please." she said. bravely. and the
man at her side began his story.
81 left you with my heart full Of an
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 stead.
lily growing law practice. One day
looking over an Eastern paper. l saw
the notice of the marriage Of Edward
Thompson and Huldah Merriam"
cousin Huldah." Miss Merriam
gasped. 81 thought of no one but you
then" was the reply. Later on !
met lovely little California girl,
whose love for me healed the old
wound little. Robert was born, and
both our hearts were bound up In him.
few years ago she slipped away
from us, and since then I have lived
solely for my boy. Otherwise, my life
seems an empty one. That is all, HUI
dah-or at least II was until today,
when I opened Rob's letter by mistake,
and saw the dear old name In the old
handwriting, looking back at me-
Could you forgive me, Huldah, and let
me begin all over again?"
Miss Huldahs eyes were misty, and
her voice trembled. but she laid her
hand on the judges with a womanly,
comforting touch. "We were both too
hasty," she said. "You were hot-tem.
pered, and 1 was proud. And
have been lonely all these years. II
was a terrible mistake, we can't bring
back the old lost days, but" 'We
may see many glad ones in the fu-
ture," said the judge softly. And after
her whispered "yes" no more words
were needed. At last Miss Huldah
thought of her niece, and the invited
guest. ST must see about dinner" she
laughed, "will you stay, Robert, seeing
that your son, whom invited here TO-
day, will no doubt accompany you
homer" "Poor Bob" chuckled the