Phillips County herald., 1923-08-23
Little Dead
Ghosts
By ELLA SAUNDERS
-s"s"s"s'.s..s''s..s"s.s"s.s
tts. 1929. Western Newspaper unionA


MfRA sat in her room, turning
over her letters. There were not
more than a dozen Of these, but each
was replete with memories. She was
going to tear them up in half an hour.
Dut first she wanted to read them
through, to make quite sure that not
the least bit Of heartache remained.
for these were old love letters.
And in weeks time she was to
marry VIII.
Here was the first love letter she
mad ever had. 1t was from Irving
Rogers. How well she remembered
that affair! How desperately she had
loved Irving. She had been seventeen
then, and he twenty-five, and they
mad built high the castle of their irl-
descent dreams. They were to have
married and lived happily ever after.
AND now-why, she could not even re-
member how they had broken it off
Irving was married now, stout, pros
porous, and the father of twins. She
had met him once and laughed, to con-
ceal the little heartache. But that was
gone.
Here was one from Henry. That
had been the second affair. How they
had kissed that spring night under the
lilacs! And everything had been
roseate for weeks and weeks. She
had been quite sure that Henry and
she would love each other forever.
And then-how had that affair van
ished? Oh, yes, Henry and she had
quarreled over-over something, and
they had been reconciled and quar-
relied again, and gradually it had worn
itself away.
This one was from Peter. Peter in
the navy. He had written her such
charming letters--dear Peter. 1t had
broken her heart when she discovered
that she had come TO care for Michael.
especially after she had promised Pc
ter to be true TO him forever. Peter
note that she had sent him. She had
often wondered what had become of
him.
The affair with Michael had been a
very serious one. Michael was a
writer. and had temperament. They
had discussed deep, earnest things to-
gether. They had quarreled great
deal, but that had just been part Of
II all. Why had they drifted apartf
She had been unable d live upon that
lofty spiritual level, intermingled with
abysmal depths of misunderstanding,
that Michael demanded.
And this-this letter In the bold,
masculine hand represented the most
serious Of all her affairs before Irving
came on the scene. John had been n
married man HIS wife and he had
separated, and she was going TO get
a divorce. John had told her she was
the one woman on earth for him, and
she had believed him.
Then the divorce failed 10 material
lie and-ah. hut that was too traricnl
TO think about. John had wanted her
TO break through the conventions OF
social laws. And she had been tempt
ed. And II was only after n hard
struggle that she had found the
strength to tell him that he must
never see her again.
To escape those memories she had
plunged into that AFFAIR with Harvey.
She smiled-shc could see Harvey
with his fair hair and his humorous
smile now. What depths OF unsuspec'-
ed feeling had lain beneath iarvey's
manner. She had broken Hnrveys
heart deliberately and coldly In re-
yenee for John. she had broken II
without qualm and sent him away
Then there had been a long Interval
before Irving appeared upon the scene
And this time II was real--staid. prac-
tlcnl, conventional. sensible, AN excel
lent thing. They were fond OF each
other In IN enduring way. That love
was built for permnnenee.
Yes. she had made no mlstnke'
Smiling. she tore up the letters and
consigned them 10 her waste hnsket
The little dead ghosts hnitered into
oblivion In little scraps. Myra rose
M. She had put all of them be-
hind her.
"Irylng, dear. I'm SO happy ia THINK
our marriage Is only week away
she said 10 her fance the next day
~ WITS thinking last night how very
much care for you. and how happy
We shall be together"
$50 was l." answered Irving.
srstI fIHuF WhWf
is the mntterf Tell me-"
"oh. Irs nothing. dear, Well, I was
thinking last night OF the different
girls I'd known. and how ia never
have thought anything about them u
could have known there would be
YOU" 40,
"ch. Irving" Myra looked Mt him
In shocked rcpruach. "i"u haven't
ever cared FOR nny girl but me, have
youg"
~ AaglaK 1. DlatH