Jr IPa.#p n\ Itita?Aclltttt fit Q# A flpc i j mi i.i l . OR six hours she bad been doing the same thing at intervals of J *inW twelve minutes. In fact, she had been doing it for several , days. She put on a I coat, walked 21 Ij through a door and l.vV f) down a room for fifty feet, turned, walked back again, passed through the door, took off that coat and put on an other one. There were no false move ments. no delays. The whole perform ance was regulated as by machinery. And it was unutterably monotonous and wearying. It was a mid-August day, and the best the fans could do was to stir the fetid heat of the showrooms. The buyers sat in their booths gripping pencils and pads with moist fingers. The collars of the men wilted. The women, though dressed more sanely, were pale with discomfort. But they had come to town to buy coats, and upon the present accuracy of their judgment depended future sales and their own positions. They saw only r i ——E vre> re sitting on the L_ = _ =V J veranda shelling peas. I had the big ■\\V mf 111 easy chair and sis- VIvU/IMI tor sat In a little \M\W{ft! straight backed rocker, with the IyWlii d,sh in her lap- and a bag of fat green u\*7 Ya/jj peas at her feet. —'* Nannie, our col ored girl, was sweltering in the kitch en, while we were enjoying the cool est spot in the place. Wo exclaimed over the perfectness of some of the pods. "I've eight in this one," said sister. "Oh, really?" I replied, and then there flashed across my mind some thing I had read somewhere in a "dream book." So I paused, and with an air of re vealing something choice (to get sis ter's attention), I began: "You know. If you can find a pod OTHER had been I 4*gHl reading the papers. She had read in that column dedicated to ■ Jm the "Sewing Circle," Km a the greater part of an animated discus eion about the ne fprty.cesslty of wives pImM having allowances. HT'imWnSfii After a great deal of thought she decided she must have an allowance. "Don't I cook the ;neals, do the washing, the ironing, the sewing, the scrubbing, and take care of the chil dren? And what do I get for it? Noth ing. Surely if I hired out as house keeper I'd get more than I do now." Thus she conversed and reasoned with herself one bright, spring morn ing. fff Contributed by H. S. EAREST ABOVE ALL, —Oh, darling boy, if you were here to ft night with me! I ■ seems eternity since ■ you left me. Close H your eyes for a W J minute, boy, and fA think, think of last AEs night. I can see ' you as you stood there on the rocky and wave-beaten shore, your hair blowing carelessly above your boyish face and your deep blue eyes looking down upon me, so seriously and so full of tender love. Tell me, dear one, if you meant all you told me when crushing me closer and closer to your heart, your lips pos sessing mine in one kiss of ecstacy; tell me if you were true. God knows how I love you—worship you—my darling boy. Come back to me, Don dear, and love me as you loved me last night. That night, Don, was the most perfect night In my life, and you made it per fect to me. I cannot bear to hear those waves breaking up over |ho rocks. The very rocks where we stood together with hands clasped. I listen to hear your footsteps on the beach, but the cease less beating of the surf is the only sound. My heart is torn with grief. I cannot write more. Don: you and I alone belong to each other. Nothing will ever take that wonderful love of yours from me. As I write you these words, sweet heart, tears blur my eyes. Tell me, ah, tell me, Don, that you believe in me and still trust me! Yours with a thousand longing kisses. BARBARA. Contributed by A. P. 1,. Deir Mell —I'm desperate. I simply >\\\v WwwwrowNwNwwwKSSwwsNsN({N{NNiiNi9(((iM9ir 555®5 ®^Q9^K9 | 5® T MHlMiMmmN^^ Those Honest, Tender Gray Eyes | 1 **■*• the garments themselves as the mod els moved past, and approved or dis approved, according to their several fancies. And yet Jenny Cass knew that every girl suffered even as she did. The coats were uniformly heavy and exertion added to the torture. Her own shoul ders and feet ached and she was faint and sick with weariness. The busi ness of being a model was abhorrent to her. She had been forced into it. She had come to the city with her head full of dreams, hopes and ambi tions. Her mother was dead and her father had left her to shift for herself. A girl she had known had drawn her to the city. For a while they had lived together and worked in the same store. Then-4he other girl had desert ed her. Jenny had kept at work, try ing to be clean and healthy and con tent on $6 a week. Suddenly a new manager had dismissed her. If was. of course, the wrong season of the year, but bravely she had gone from store to store seeking employ ment. As her money went, she be came shabbier. She was invariably asked how long she had been out of m\\\\\\\\\\ v\\\\ ywwwNwvwwwNwwCwwwwwwwwwwcww V \\\\ What Did the Rector Say? m\\\\\W JNK \\\\\ WNWWWWVWWWWWVWWWWwwxvvv wvx\ v* v %t * with nine in It, you must not take them out, but save it and hang it over the doorway and then read your fat by the next man who enters." "What are you talking about?" said sister, pretending great scorn, but really quite interested. "Oh, I replied, lying back in the chair, "if a single man enters you mar ry him, if it is a married man, you are fated to bo an old maid all your life." "Pshaw!" scolded sister, "where did you invent that?" Soon I noticed her counting rather carefully. "What have you? Nine?" I asked. "Yes, nine," and with that she cool ly stripped all nine out of the pod and added them to the nice little collec tion in the disli. I was mad, but knew better than to protest. She would only laugh. Any how, she is older than I, and engaged, • * The Allowance Came All Right i She thought and planned and planned and thought, wondering how she was going to get that allow i ance, now that she had decided to have it. A happy thought come to her mind. She had also read in the papers that • when men of business concerns want ■ ed an increase in pay, they refused :r> i work until they were granted what . they asked. Why couldn't she do the : same. i The more she thought of it the more it appealed to her, and she chuck IP<l to herself when she thought of Tom trying to get his own breakfast. That evening when her respected husband came homo from work she met him at the door, her face wreathed with smiles. After helping him off with his coat she ushered him to the table and piled his plate with thf choicest pieces her bill-of-fare offered. have to write you and tell you I love you. Yes, I love you with all my heart. The minute I met you I knew I had found my ideal. Perhaps you have al ready guessed my love for you, al though I tried very hard not to show it on account of Jim; but, dear, how could I appear BO totally indifferent when my heart was full of you? Mell. dear, do you care for me a lit tle? If you do I wish you would write and tell me I may call on you next Thursday night I hope you won't think ill of me for writing you such a letter, but, dearie, it was a case of having to. Now, Mell, you must write as soon as you get my letter, for the days will seem like years to me until I hear from you. Good-by, my dearest love. HENRY. Contributed by R. B. J. My Dear Brave Hero Man—l am thinking of y6u tonight, thinking of you, and longing for the day to como when we can claim each other before the whole world. How glad and thankful I am that I found you when you were in trouble, for now you will always know I loved you, not for whßt you could give mo, but for your own dear sake. What a strange experience our caring for each other has been—strangers, almost, yet one in hopes, aims and purposes. Someone lias said, "The course of true love never runs smoothly." How true that has been! Oh, how dark and black the clouds were at times! But today, away off in the distance, I seo a rift in the clouds with the sun shin ing through. It is after tho storm, dear one, that wo have our most glo rious sunsets. Another has said, "All is fair in love and war." Do we believe that, dear? A thousand times no! Fair play is best, even with the enemy. The brav work. Her rei.rencea seemed value less. She was always dismissed with out hope. It was then she got her chance. A cloak firm advertised for models. She looked in the glass. It seemed to her that she lacked all the requirements except that of being tall and correctly proportioned. She was pallid with trouble and want. The last little vest ige of prettiness had been worried out of her young face. Half in despair she put on her weather-beaten black hat. Inked the worn spots on her shoes and gloves, brushed her forlorn blue suit and. went to see what would hap pen. A woman sat at the desk—a woman who perhaps knew other women. She looked at Jenny's references and n' Jenny herself. "You'll do," she said. "And you can go right to work at ?9 c week." That night Jenny had a good meal— the first in days. A week's pay fiiln' her with hope. By the time she was through with this job some other might beckon. It was this belief that kept her KO ing now back and forth under her too. so what interest would she have in such proceedings? She had done It to tease me, and I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing I cared. She went Into the house for some thing, and I quickly pulled out the longest pods left in the bag. The first had 10, the next eight, and I felt it was quite useless to hunt for a lucky nine, but the last one I had taken re vived my spirits, and after counting three times from both ends of the pod, so as to be sure, I tucked it away in my blouse. When an opportunity came I pulled some thread out of sis ter's workbox. and suspended my prize where it would dangle above the head of any "unfortunate" entering. For the next few hours you would not have had to look far from the front door to find me. Once I looked down the path just In time to see sister's fiance approach ing. I seized the telephone book and Dinner finished, she cleared the dishes, gave Tom his favorite pipe and chair, and hurried the children off to bed. These and various other du ties being fulfilled, she took her knit ting, drew a chair up near her hus band's, and began: "Tom." "Yes, Mary" (without glancing from his paper). "Haven't I always been a good wif to you since the day I took you for better or worse?" "Yes, Mary, you have," replied he, wondering what was coming next. "Haven't I always cooked your meals, washed. Ironed and sewed your clothes and taken good caro of our children ?" "Indeed and you have, Mary, and a lucky man am I In having such a good woman, as you. 'Tain't every man Love Letters That Have Made Good est warrior is a generous one, even to his foe. As I stand at my window tonight, looking at the stars, I know that some where they are, shining down on you. I do not fear for thee, but, oh my brave one, I want you! I want you! Because you need me so. Do not fear for me; I am safe. I often wonder when you will come. Will it be when the trees are bursting into life and blossom? Will It be in the summer time? Will it be on a beautiful autumn morning? Or will it come in winter, when the snow is on the ground? I know. "When the mists have cleared away" I shall see you. I shall never forget to ask Him to put His band on your head in blessing and help you. With courage, patience and love. RUTH. Contributed by P. S. MY. My Dearest John—Do you not think it would be well fey you to take your vacation at this time and join me i my perfect enjoyment of the Cape? If you came there would then be nothing lacking in my contentment. This morning I arose before anybody else in the house and walked out to see a beautiful sunriße. It. was one grand day. so I kept on down to the beach and watched all the pretty little oyster boats go out to their work. Most of them are power boats, and when they come back each will have on a load of oysters, which will bo weighed and paid for at oyster houses situated iu the bay. Near where I am stopping is a large group of pines, on the slope of a hill, and a carpet of pine needles to recline on when writing to dear you. At the foot of the hill of pines is a most beau tiful round pond, which one of my friends here has named for her own delight the "Blue I'ool." It is called a depthlcss pond by the Cape Codders. wwtwc m\' sweltering burden or winter coats. Now she wore a thick rough brow weave that (leadened her skin; now a gorgeous plaid that made her look like gypsy; a blue, or a green, or a red that (lung a little color into Jier face. But whatever the color or style, they all felt the sane to her. It seemed to her that she could never bear the sight of a winter coat again as long as she lived. Considering all things, it was no wonder that some girl should faint that afternoon. It. was the misses' model jiist ahead of Jenny. She went down without warning, and only the carpet and the thick folds of the coa* she wore saved her from injury. Jenny started forward. She heard a woman exclaim, "Oh. my!" and then she was aware that a man had leaped from one of the booths to the girl's side. The procession had, of necessity paused. There was a stir all through the place, but Jenny saw only the man who had picked up the girl as easily as if the coat sho wore had been empty. He -was a strong looking man, not tall, but rather heavy. His cheeks batted down the pod just in time. I hadn't hung it there for him. After he went, mother asked go to the store. We would be gone an hour, and, as I didn't want to lose any chances, 1 decided to let the pod hang over the doorway while we were gone. So, when wo got down the walk. I turned back, ostensibly for a handker chief. I rushed into the kitchen aud told Mamie to take special note of any visitors who might come. Theu I seized the hassock and had nearly fixed the pod in its former place, when I heard sister calling. I knew it wasn't securt but trusted it would hang there tili I got back. The minute we returned I consulted Mamie. "VVho'a bepn?" "The rector came in for a few min utes," she answered. "Rector!" I gaspeu. He is married and has two grown-up daughters. as is so fortunate." "Well, now, Tom," she began, in a coaxing tone, "if I am as you Bay, don't you think you could spare me an allowance every week, like all the other women have? About two dollars a week would be enough." "An allowance! Two dollars?" ex claimed he, now thoroughly aroused. "What would you be doing with two dollars to spend oa yourself? Going to moving pictures. I suppose, and gal livanting around to whist parties and the like, while I and the children would be half-starved? No, indeed. My mother, a hard-working, respectable woman, never had an allowance, and no wife of mine will ever have one. No sir; not while my name is Tom." And with that he took up his paper and resumed his smoking, signifying thus that the conversation was at an end John and I often wonder who has ever tested it to really know. Well, you may picture me nearly every afternoon gaz ing down into the calm, rippling waves of the pond, and intermingled with my deep thoughts, harmonizing with every blessed bit of country about me, are big generous thoughts of you, dearest. I believe in this spot a greater sense of appreciation has come to me of your constant care and faithful love. It seems to me no other man could en dure the changes in a girl which are always coming to me in my attitude to ward you. I realize these things much more under the pines, and if you can come and share my vacation I will prove what I feel. One other interest ing place to me at present here is the ocean side of the Cape, John. You will enjoy spending a whole day out on the sand dunes, watching the tide come and go, and visiting the coast guard station, which is of inter est. The crew of life savers will tell us of wrecks In the past and show us relics of what was picked up on the beach. Oh, it is all so exciting to me! and I believe I shall not write any more to you today, dear John, but mall this, with the deepest wish in my heart that you will come. I shall be anxi ously awaiting your reply. Very much love from LILA. Contributed by F. R. I. My Dearest Friend—lt is just a little over a year since wo first met that day that has meant, so much to nie. How my heart thrilled when our eyes met, and as the rest of the day passed I found myself longing for you. I knew then my heart belonged to you and to you only could I give it. And ail those loviug words that you have told me. how 1 shall always cherish them. Only a few days after you ask ed mo to call at my home. Since then I have loved you moro and more each da v. were brown, with a light dash of healthful, boyish color in them; his eyes were gray and his chin almost as bold as though it had been drawn with square and compass. As he lifted the girl, he saw Jenny, and she felt it was not for the first time. Their eyes met, then she turned hers away. Color rushed into her face. He had recognized her and she was ashamed. Within ten minutes the oc currence was forgotten. But every time Jenny passed she felt that his eyes scrutinized her. In consequence, she held her head a little higher to show him she didn't care. And yet she did care miserably, cruelly, not only because he was the man from home, but because she remembered him wistfully. They had been friends, almost lovers, but he had seemed to her rather shiftless in that he was con tent just to hang around Hallett's dry goods store for a few dollars a week. She had no intention of marrying a man whose whole ideal of life seemed to be, centered in selling a yard of cloth or a spool of thread. She had said a good many sharp things to him. and, after a thousand stabs, he had Heavens! 'An old maid all my life.' "Was be the only one?" No, it seemed there was someone else who came to the door, and wouldn't come in. It was my dearest chum's brother, and, alack the day! I well knew be would have come in had 1 been there. Perhaps it would be interesting to note that I never tried the experiment again. When I went to get the pod it was gone, and I had visions of it riding out on the rector's tail silk hat. He was a good man, but it was sometime before I could feel the same toward him after that visit. I went to sleep that night with the words ringing in my ears. "An old maid all her life; all her life." Well, all this happened a year ago. I am now engaged to ray chum's broth er, and do not expect to be an old maid; although 1 told him I did the night he asked nie to marry him. "Why did you think that?" he de manded. and to be thought of no more. But it was far from mother's mind to let matters rest there. At 6 o'clock the next morning the alarm rang as usual, but although Tom waited and waited, his wife made no signs of rising. "I might as well let her sleep," said he to himself; "she must be all tired out," and that morning he went to work with only a cup of half-drawn coffee and a piece of bread to stave off his hunger. The 12 o'clock whistle blew and Tom was off, thinking of the nice hot dinner his wife always had waiting for him. Shutting the door with a bang he rushed into the dining room, ready to sit at a dinner, which, alas! was not there. Greatly perplexed, he read the note which he found on the table. Everyone who knows you speaks good of you. I am not sorry that 1 have trusted you in all. I love you be cause you are my Ideal. I am longing in my heart for the day when we will be as one. Until then I will think of you in the day, dream of you at night, hoping soon to .have a kiss from your own lips. I am ever your devoted little girl. LOUISE. Contributed 8. K. C. My Dear—l received your letter this a. m. and it sure was all to the good. I was afraid that may be you had for gotten me. You know, dear, I heard yesterday that you said something about me, anil I felt kind of hurt, for I thought that perhaps you didn't mean what you said day before yesterday. I truly do think that you are all to the good. You sure were very nice to me Sun day and I appreciate it. You're a dear and awful sweet. I sure did enjoy being with you Sun day. I just loved your kisßes and your cute little ways. You have the dear est voice of any kid I know. I could listen to It forever; it makes me think of running water and the wind in high trees, it is so sweet and gentle. I love every bit of you—your hair and lips and eyes, and your gentle ways and your dear little bits of feet and hands. Your kisses are just divine, too. I wonder if you approved of mine? Some girls have, but they weren't like you. I'm just mad about you and I'd like you to approve of me. I'm an awful poor letter writer, but I can love a lot, especially a little darling like you. Gee, dear, you don't know how fool ish I got about yor, all in one day! You probably don't care for me liko that, do you? You must have been tired, honey, dear. I wish I had been out there. I would have held you in my arms and kissed you to sleep and then I would bave watched your dear turned hi resentment. Now there he sat, a buyer, and she was a model, parading the fall styles in coats before him. She rather would hare died of starvation than that he should see her thus. At 5 the day closed for the models, Jenny took off the lest coat and pu on her own shabbv one. She walked down to the firs: floor and ther>3 she found Mac Hall. He came toward her at once, and she knew that lie had been waiting for her. "I've been looking for you. jenny." he Baid. "The last I heard of you. you were at Starker's, and I went there. They said you left two months ago. I couldn't go home without see ing you, and when you walked out to day—. You see, I'd Just come in when that poor girl fainted." He led her in through the revolving door of a plain, but generous looking restaurant, put her into a chair and sat down opposite her. "Now, we can talk," he said, smiling. "I've a lot to tell you." She looked at him plteously. "I know you must have. After all I And so I ;told him the whole story, and how sorry I had been that he didn't at least come inside the door that afternoon, for Nannie said that he called just before the rector. He listened, but before I got there he was shaking with laughter. He waited till I get to where I imagined the rector walking up the street with the pod on that shining silk hat of his, and then he burst out and laughed long and loud. "Of all things," he ejaculated, "how funny!" He got up abruptly and started off. "I'll be right back," was all he said. He went home and came back soon with a little box in his hand. "Tliis isn't a present," he smiled, "but it may interest you." When I opened the box I found, to my amazement, a withered old pod with nine hard little kernels! As I looked up for an explanation It ran thus: I "Am going to mother's to din ner with the children. You will s have to get your own dinner. 1 "MARY." s When the hands of the clock pointed 6, a very weak and hungry man 1 opened the door to his home, but wha 1 was his horror when his children ran > to greet him, to And their hair tossed L their faces and hands dirty and their > clothing torn and soiled. The dishes that had been used for dinner were I on the table, torn newspapers were £ scattered on the chairs and floor, and ; the whole house a scene of disorder and confusion, i And in the midst of It all was his ) wife, placidly reading a novel, t "Mary, what's the matter?" he in s quired in astonishment. "Why, nothing," sweetly replied she, VfV face until you were all rested. Now, dear heart, answer right back, please. I think about you all the time and wish that I had you here in my arms to love and kiss. Now, don't forget and answer right back. Tell me how much you love me and what you think of me, please. Lots of love and kisses, sweetheart. Lovingly, ROGER. Contributed by J. L. C. My Dearfest Queen—lf I could only express in this letter the deep anxiety I am feeling for you tonight. It seemed too bad that I must leave you to go abroad when I was reeded so much to sustain and cheer you. There is a doubt in my mind yet that my coming was pardonable. So much of my future depends, dear, on the work accomplished here, as you know, but still you, my queen, are the dear est object I have on the face of the earth. I shall not rest easy until 1 hear from you, dear, to know how your health is. May the God who watches over us both protect you from all danger, all illness, v.hile I am away. Time passes slowly away from you, my queen. I want to hasten home. We have so much to look forward to, dear, that our nappiness will be one long reality. Good night, and rest assured you are ever in my thoughts daily, hourly. Ever yours, EAItLE. Contributed by K. W. My Own True Love—lt was only last night that you held' me in your arms, and yet it seems a year. Dear heart, can it be that you have left me forever? I have pined my heart away hoping that some day I might see your dear face again. Your dear memories often come to mo in my dreams. If you knew how much I thought of you, you would not stay away, but fly on the said, you've succeeded." He leaned toward her. "But don't you understand, dear, that your very cruelty spurred me to success? But for you I should have been at Hallett'B now instead of buyer for the biggest store in Benningburgh." "And I'm a model," she said. "Yo see, I couldn't practice what I preach ed. Bat I did try—" A sob came. The waiter set food before he*. "Now eat." Mac said. "We can talk later. There'll be plenty of time. I'm going to take you home with me, Jen ny—" She Interrupted with cry. "Sure thing; I leave on the 1:45. We'll be married before I go, or wait till we get to Benningburgh, just an you say. I don't care so long as I get you. I've been •/aiting for yqu all this time, dear." Jenny had covered her face with bet hands. She thought she was in a dream and dreaded to wake. Did God make such heavenly things true? Pres.. ently with an effort she lifted he| head. And there were her true lover'* honest, tender gray eyes! By Will Seaton lie told me that that was the same pofl I had hung in the doorway. It seem! that by the time he called that daj the pod had dropped and was lying 00 the carpet. The door was open, a! our veranda was well screened, and while he was waiting for someone to answer the bell he stepped over thi threshold and picked it up, intending to hand it to Nannie and tell her h was afraid someone might fall on it However, when he found I wasn'l home, he forgot all about It, and car ried it back to his house. Then, as he tells me, since anyi thing to do with me or my house wal becoming dear to him, he saved it, and had never quite felt like throwing it away. "Then it wasn't hanging there whoa (the rector called?" I gasped. "Oh, oh, I won't have to bo an old maid, then, will I?"/ "Well," he smiled, "we'll ask th< rector about it." By Annette Angert "only I'm on strike." "Out on strike. For what?" and 1 then it dawned on him what she meant as she replied, "Why, for my allow ance." 1 thus matters went on till Sab l urday. Shortly after 12 of that day a hair. l starved man handed his wife his paj 1 envelope, saying: "For goodness! sake, take all you want, only give nn i a decent meal, and clean up thil i house." s It is needless to say that mothei 1 accepted the allowance, but It is neces. sary to add that, when some years lat er, at t>ie marriage of their eldesl > daughter, Mary handed her future son. in-law a check for five thousand dol. ■ lars, Tom was heard to remark thai he never regretted the day his wlf< , struck for au allowance. wings of love to your own little girl. When I see you with other girls J feel like leaving this world forever, Have you forgotten that night so lonl ago when you asked me to be youl wife? Although you may never receive thl| letter yet it eases my heart to write it L. . Contributed by A. B. If. Thou Lover of My Soul—My heart ii yearning for the day when there will be no more separation, since you hav< left me and gone ahead to the hom< that will be eternally yours. I dream of you, and dreaming makes the tim< to come seem so very near. Oh, how I long for that day to com* when there will be no more and all sorrow and sadness shall fle away, and as you have so lovingly tolq me in the days that are past and gon< never to return. He shall wipe awaj all tears from our eyes, dear onq Sometimes I long to know do you praj that I may be calm and true and faith, fully endure until the end of our sep. aration, that with you I may wear ti i crown of victory, or do you simplj sleep, awaiting our reunion In the daj of bliss which I believe is not far dis. tant. Oh, thou precious one, thou who haq preceded thy lonely one, dost thoii know of the things which are in stor< for us, or art thou in the Btato whiqi by many people of this world is called rest? Then dost thou know nothini of the reaching out of thy twin soul, oi for the loss which thou has given t* thine other self in so early leaving me to feel and grope alone? Oh, thou light of my countenance* thou hope and joy of my existence, bovj have I lived all those days without the* just by patiently waiting as I bcllev* you would have me do until the tim* or our separation shall be consummate cd. BELLE EVERMORE.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers