Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-07-24
WHAT'S in A NAME?"

pTiNo nhu Bottink NY nhIuo puDiibhou
broadcast throughout tho length and
breadth Of tho land. IL IN, of course, "a fine
thing 10 wake up one morning and find
one's solf famous, but even this apparent
ly has Its drawbacks did not mind the
crafty appeals for holp, tho willy prospec-
fuses OF fortunes 10 be made by taking
shares In this or that bogus company or
even tho well laid schemes Of horse racing
pools that came In by every post, but when
IL came 10 downright Misrepresentation i
thought tho limit had been quite over
stepped.
IL was about fortnight after tho day
on which my humble patronymic was
blazoncd forth TO the world as tho winner
Of a much coveted prize that received the
following remarkable communication:
"At last i have found you, villain
Your hiding place Is no longer secret
for have read In public print your hate
full name and address! Scoundrel Those
whom you arc bound by every earthly tic
TO cherish and support have been cruelty
left to the tender mercics OF the parish,
while you doubtless have lived life of
luxury But the game Is now played out,
and n day Of retribution Is Mt hand /,
your lawful wife, and my six children
your children-will make IL our business
to call on you and demand tho rights "a
husband and father has so long with
held Bewarei You have extended TO US
no mercy; we will show none to you
Your loving wife, SUSAN"
To say that was knocked back by this
strange epistle Is only to express half
truth 1t fairly took the wind out Of my
sails. My wife and children-six Of them !!
This was surely coming IL strong toward
f.ll he,
viously had celebrated his twenty third
birthday. 1 did not even possess that in
dispensable desideratum to u family man
"a wife. True, was soon going to have
one, for-and this is little secret between
ourselves-the banns OF marriage between
the accomplished Clementina Wilks and
myself had been called for the third time
only on the previous Sunday, and week
hence was to see us united forever In the
bonds of matrimony. This by the way
or course / knew there must be some
terrible mistake In the document held In
my hands, but that knowledge did not
make the perusal Of 1t any the more agree
able could plainly see that it might
easily lead to some little awkwardness at
time when / least wanted any. How
ever, was determined not to let the thing
unduly worry me, so, swallowing tho mat
utinal tea and toast, l shortly afterward
lit cigarette and set out for the perform
anco1ef my daily duties, finally consoling
myself by coming TO the conclusion that
tho affair was probably stupid joke on
tho part of some freakish friend, and
should hear no more of it,
At "a little later than my usual hour In
tho afternoon returned to my lodgings
and then saw-a fact Of which was not
previously aware-that had stupidity left
this very remarkable communication be-
hind mo on leaving home in the morning,
for it lay on sideboard open for any one
to read. l Guessed, of course, that the land
lady had, by virtue Of landlady's in
alienable rights, made herself by this time
familiar with it's contents, but did not
challenge her on the point. was more
concerned to know IL any one else had
done so, too, and with that view inquired
If there had been any visitors during the
day.
"Only Miss Wilks," was the landlady's
reply, with sort of bottled up smile. "She
came about an hour ago. thinking you
would be home, and after staying few
minutes suddenly left"
Suddenly leftl Had she then read the
stupid thingp Doubtless. Although l
knew Clcmentina to be not more than
ordinarily inquisitive girl, the near ap-
proach OF our marriage seemed to give her
sort Of right to make herself acquainted
with anything that concerned my welfare,
and what was more natural than that she
should feel real interest In the correspond
ence of the man who week hence would
be her husband2 Oh, yes, felt sure she
had read it; but, then, she was a sensible
girl and would surely SEQ the thing in its
right light. OF course she would But /
would much rather have told her about 1t
myself than that she should acquire the
knowledge OF 1t by her own means. How
annoying 1t all was, to be sure
1t was some time later when I sailed
forth to the home Of my beloved for the
usual evening visit. How pretty the little
villa looked wherein sho dwelt, with its
sloping grass lawn and beds of brilliant
geraniums How proudly tho tulips rear
cd their heads above the blue flowered
iris that skirted the garden wall, how
fragrant the honeysuckle that climbed
around the artfully designed entrance, and
what q wealth of floral beauty was dis
played in the miniature conservatory that
encircled the drawing room window But
how much more lovely than all was Glenn
entina herself, as she stood awaiting me
inside the room In all the beauty Of bud
ding womanhood with her brilliant eyes
and flushing checks!
rushed forward to greet my charmer
with all my customary effusiveness. did
not get quite the reception expected
''Monsterp' cried Clcmentina, drawing
herself up to her full height of feet 8 and
waving me of with her hands. zap
proach me not! Have you tho effrontery
to insult me with your polluted presence
you base manp'
For a woman who In half dozen days
is expected to become ones wife I thought
this rather rich, but as knew Clcmentina
had n hankering after stage effect con-
cluded she was acting and laughed at her.
"Ah! You mock me, vile thing! Quit
my presence and go-go to your wife and
children!" shrieked tho fair one, evidently
In earnest.
"Clementina, don't be stupid" l said.
UThora L. a m, icfoEa 4 kpnxu IN vvhat yn,,