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Show Faith Mope and Charity-Personified Ty Maud Bernard q vCupyngiu.) ,,nT WAS kind of him at least to send n special messenger. Up I to this tlmo tho only sympathy 1 hnvo experienced hns shone r, the eyes of tho postman, and this client sollcltudo on his part 1b getting on my nerves. I utn glad ho failed to witness this flnnl disappointment. I mean final too, for I am determined to devote my efforts to some other line from now on. Still I don't seo why he fhould havo ruined my Christmas. It twins to mo slnco ho held my manuscript manu-script for six weeks, ho could have given It desk room for another day, thus permitting mo to live up to my name today of all days." After this outburst, Mao Hope, n iwould-bo song writer, sank Into a chair, thrustn bulky envelope from the Frank Charity Music Publishers Into her desk, and sat hopelessly gazing ut the small epistle from the same office jnd with a slight touch of humor and i faint suggestion of a smile, recited the contents of that letter not through tho envelope, which she had Dot opened, but from memory: "Sorry, Miss Hope, that this Is not vet quite up to tho standard, but sincerely sin-cerely trust you will not bo discoursed, discour-sed, etc., etc." For threo years Miss IIopo hnd been receiving theso distressing notes from the genial young publisher, who could not summon vtho courage to ndvlso her to give up. Perhaps ho realized it wn perely a caso of humoring an Imaginary Imag-inary talent rather than attempting to earn n living as tho young lndy's Income In-come was sufficient to keop her nllv without setting flro to tho unlvorso bj flashing on tho public hor plcturo serving serv-ing ns a corer over somo sentimental verses accompanied by music. It was tho morning of tho last day of tho third unsuccessful year. Mao IIopo was Interrupted nt breakfast bj the bound of tho door bell. "A lady to seo you, Miss IIopo," spoke the maid. i Tho nnmo on tho card seemed to add Insult to Injury. "'Mrs. Tr-nk CVirlty. I never knew he wns married. Mnybo It Is scmeono tle. Probably somebody knows I need charity. Tell her I will bo down Immediately." Im-mediately." One glanco at her visitor assured Miss Hope It was no stranger, but an old school friend. "Violet Talthl You? Tho card reads Mrs. C'harltT." "Why, Mae, you deem surprised." "How fcliould I know you were married?" mar-ried?" "Violet, stealing a glance at tho die-orderly die-orderly debt, remarked tartly: "Perhaps It would bo u good Idea to read your letters If you want to Veep up with the parade." "You don't mean," picking np tho bulky envelope from tho Frank Charity Char-ity Music Publishing company, "that this Is a letter from you. It looks fur ill the world like manuscript." "Mnnnscrlpt. Indeed I It Is the story of my life written on my wedding day, end i mil delighted to find It unopened whole week later. I thought It was wonderfully thrilling, and to snj tho cast, Interesting to an old friend. I (pent so much tlmo composing It, I am Mro you will bo fully enlightened If Tou rend It Instead of looking at mo In blank amazement and making It Impossible Im-possible to express myself." Miss Ilcpe, after Beelng her Buess. comfortably seated, delved lnK W lepths of the secret, but not before she and said by way of apology: "A week, my dear, Is a very short tlmo to bo Ignored with a suspicious 'ooklng envelope of this kind," nnd this remark was thoroughly appreciated appreciat-ed by Violet Faith Charity. "My dear," said Violet, "It nil happened hap-pened because I attended services on Christmas eve, but to begin nt the time when I last saw you, tho one day I most distinctly recnll was tho day I met Frank. Ho wns on tho stage, and believing him to bo a regular actor, I dared not mention him to Aunt Agnes. For years I suffered tho annoyance of entertaining her cholco acquaintances and met with her disapproval for my utter Indifference. lou can imagine my relief when tho second appearance of Frank In our llttlo city showed hlra In tho light of a Chautauqua singer consequently ellglhlo to admittance to the best circles. Ho sang somo of your compositions, won my aunt, took his bride, nnd hero I nm. Suppose you take a glanco nt tho other envelope that enme by tho samo messenger." Mae, speechlessly, laid down tho "story of my life" and lingered tho small envelope, which held another surprise; sur-prise; silently reached for her letter opener, and lnsldo of another minute a check for $1,000 fell Into her lap. When she could pull herself together sufficiently sho rend tho llttlo note accompanying ac-companying : "Dear Miss Hope I sang your songs at Edgewood, and they made tho hit wo have both been waiting for. I won a bride and you win tho cosh. Merry Christmas. "FRANK CHARITY." "It seems, Violet, tho same man has made us both happy. He has given you the hero you prayed for, and has helped "It lumi, Violet, th Sam Man Has Mad Us Both Happy." me to a coveted career, and the only reason he did not make us both happy on Christmas day Is that you took th proper step lived up to your name, l'ulth, ond went to church to have your prayer answered, whllo I chose the pessimistic pes-simistic mood, and when happiness fell Into my lap I threw It nsfde and lost Uopa In tho face of Charity." I i View of Richmond Suite Iwnh. u.st tuuon loj i.iy MipMiloil uy tno HW cltUeus of northein Cnche. lafl ' ' Ml ' v -ttHHVri'i 3. "K' ?- l, fl H . , .. ,ii -n - .-"o.wN. -. nmywf y l ' v - - -wnnOMTg -TTAI rs? r j- - r Jmwwj-i''G3nas ,-i A liaM T1 ngsjgj |