Love Letters

The letter, which was written on ruled note paper, bore every evidence
of care and thought. "Hepsey," it began, and, on the line below, with a
great flourish under it, "Respected Miss" stood, in large capitals.

"Although it is now but a short interval," Ruth read, "since my
delighted eyes first rested on your beautiful form--"

"Five year!" interjected Hepsey.

"--yet I dare to hope that you will receive graciously what I am about
to say, as I am assured you will, if you reciprocate the sentiments
which you have aroused in my bosom.

"In this short time, dear Miss, brief though it is, yet it has proved
amply sufficient for my heart to go out to you in a yearning love which
I have never before felt for one of your sex. Day by day and night by
night your glorious image has followed me."

"That's a lie," interrupted Hepsey, "he knows I never chased him
nowheres, not even when he took that red-headed Smith girl to the
Sunday-school picnic over to the Ridge, a year ago come August."

"Those dark tresses have entwined my soul in their silken meshes, those
deep eyes, that have borrowed their colour from Heaven's cerulean
blue, and those soft white hands, that have never been roughened by
uncongenial toil, have been ever present in my dreams."

Ruth paused for a moment, overcome by her task, but Hepsey's face was
radiant. "Hurry up, Miss Thorne," she said, impatiently.

"In short, Dear Miss, I consider you the most surpassingly lovely of
your kind, and it is with pride swelling in my manly bosom that I dare
to ask so peerless a jewel for her heart and hand.