Once there was a boy who loved a girl very much. The girl's father, however, did not like the boy and did not want their love to grow. The boy wanted to write the girl a letter, but he was sure that the girl's father would read it first. At last he wrote this letter to the girl.

The great love I said I have for you is gone, and I find my dislike for you 

increases every day. When I see you,

I do not even like the way you look;

the one thing I want to do is to look the other way. I never wanted to

marry you. Our last conversation was very dull and in no way has

made me anxious to see you again.

You think only for yourself.

If we were married, I know that I would find life very difficult, and I would have no

pleasure in living with you. I have a heart to give, but it is not a heart

I want to give to you. No one is more demanding or selfish than you, and less

able to care for me and be of help to me.

I sincerely want you to understand that 

I speak the truth. You will do me a favor if you consider this the end. Do not try

to answer this. Your letters are full of things that do not interest me. You have no

true concern for me. Good-bye! Believe me,

I do not care for you. Please do not think

I am still your loving friend.

The girl's father read the letter. He was pleased, and then gave the letter to his daughter. The girl read the letter and was very happy. The boy still loved her!

Do you know why she was pleased? She and the boy had a secret way of writing to each other. She read only the first line of the letter, and then the third line, and then the fifth line, and so on, to the end of the letter.

This text was taken from the book 'The Love Letter' by Collier-Macmillan English Readers