CUPID'S LETTER BAG.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1831, 20 December 1888, Page 3

CUPID'S LETTER BAG.

The Cologne Gazette tells an smuiiDg story of the strange diioovery a grenadier made during the last week's macosuvres. They had been told off to reconnoitre for the enemy, and on hfi way through the field he stumbled over a leather object whioh he picked up and brought to his corporal, who pronounced it to be a dress improver. On oloier inspection it turned out to contain a large number of billet* doux on tinted paper written apparently by a student to a lady in the far north of Berlin. The corporal, who was himself a student going through his "one year's service," tipped the man, and kept the "improver." On the return to Berlin he called on " the lady," and had the good luok to find her alone j but what was his surprise, she was a schoolgirl of tender jeari. Naturally under the circumstance!, he hesitated to give up his find, and hinted that the parents ought to be told; but the fair one was so importunate in her entreaties, that he finally softened. " Papa and mamma have no idea of Benno's existence; please give it back, or you'll drive me to suicide," she said in a piteous way. " 1 have no place to to put his letters so safe as the ' improver,' but I lost it last Sunday when walking with mamma and papa. STou can't believe the anguish I have suffered from the thought that some nasty sneak, and not an honorable man, might find it. Please, please, do give me my ' improver!'" She was pretty, and the corporal could not refuse any longer, and gave in. She quite forgot his presence, kissed the letters madly, and put the " improver " back in its old place, laughing and erying for very joy. She was too absorbed to thank the soldier, who, however, was plentifully rewarded by getting a good story to tell at men.