Evening star., 1926-10-13
His Letters.


v Scott and Locust streets on
4 4 her way downtown that
evening. She was going to
the post Office for the last mail Of
the day. but there was no reason to
hurry, because the train was just
leaving and even if the clerks sorted
swiftly she must wait another 10
minutes before the window was
open.
Expecting a letter from Fred?"
Ruth Graham asked. Then as Mary
nodded, Il wish Steve was out of
town so he could write to me. It's
such fun getting letters, l think. and
Steve writes such perfectly splendid
ones. He's shy when he's with you,
but once he gets hold of a pen
Jimmy! How he makes the words
fly. I suppose Fred's letters are ter
ribly interesting?"
Mary bit her lips.
tried to think of something that
would turn the subject.
They met the shy Steve and he
walked with them, tongue-tied as
usual, but wistfully adoring pretty
Ruth. He asked them if they
wouldn't like sodas and they stopped
at drug store to get them.
Mail must be sorted by this time, /"
Ruth said. Il don't see how you can
stand 1t, Mary. l should think you'd
rush to get your letter. That's the way
l do when Steve's away and -"
She paused, blushing furiously, to
think she had paid too much be-
fore Steve himself.
They strolled to the post Office and
Mary joined the queue before the
window. She thought: Il am sure
TO get a letter from Fred. He always
writes Thursdays" but she felt no
thrill of expectation or uncertainty
or surprise. Even when the clerk
put In her hand the familiar white
envelope her fingers did not tingle
from contact with her lovers mes
sage. Carefully she placed the letter
IN her pocket and rejoined her
friends.
Steve wants to go to the movies, y
Ruth said. But We'll wait till you
read your letter, Mary"
Mary flushed.
"Oh-that can wait" she mur-
INJURED.
Wait" cried Ruth with a look of
establishment. You are the queer
est girl. Why, if it had been a letter
from" Again she caught herself
uUuCTSldHulIlS,
grinned bliSsfully.
Through five reels Mary sat with
the letter In her pocket and some
how she was aware of 1t the whole
time, not joyfully conscious as was
Ruth when Steve stole q squeeze of
her hand, but with dull dread Of the
time she must open 1t. Once she
lost track of the pictures and Ruth
whispered:
I'm glad she's broken with him.
I'd have done 1t long before. But
they made her hang on on purpose.
Suspense, Steve calls it,"
II didn't catch the last" Mary
said
why, she got so tired of him al
ways hanging around and saying
nothing, don't you see? There he is
again. Looks like Fred, l think"
He did look like Fred, just that
handsome, with the same tailored
look about the shoulders and hips
She had always admired the way the
bottom of Fred'S trousers met his
socks; some men looked so shabby
about the feet. Yes, Fred was good
looking, fine enough for a picture
hero, and he had an air that caught
a. girls eyes. Besides. he could talk.
as poor Steve couldn't. She couldn't
help wondering about that. Steve
could write beautiful love letters, but
he was dumb in Ruths presence,
wrile Fred could talk most en-
gagingly, but when 1t came to let
ters-she sighed and Ruth nudged
her.
What the matter?"
Steve and Ruth saw her home.
She stood an instant watching them,
as they went down the street; they
were to be married in the early Fall
Then she went in and found her ia
ther and mother playing checkers
and tenderly squabbling as usual
Where you been, love?" inquired
her mother.
ITO the movies with Steve and
Ruth
Mrs. Pell smiled. That was answer
enough.
AS Mary watched them both she
asked suddenly:
mother, when he was courting?"
Did he? Well, | should say he
did-reams. Your father was good
letter writer, not much to say by
word of mouth-like Steve"
Mary went up to her room. She
pulled down the shades and stood
with Fred's letter in her hand. Well,
she had to read it, of course. Snap
ping on the light she opened the IA
miliar envelope and unfolded the
single sheet of paper it contained.
Dear Matte, he always called
her Matte, although she had told him
time and again that she hated it.
Fred could never remember some
things.-"Just to drop a few lines to
say l am well and hope you are the
same" Her lips grew dry. 1t was
Fred's eleventh letter and every one
had begun the same way. Her
glance drifted toward the close. LAS
ever, Edward Taylor" She crushed
the letter in her hand and her eyes
closed, her lips opened and a sob
crossed them.