The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-08-10
WHAT'S In A NAMES"


fuses of fortunes TO be mado by taking
shares In this or that bogus company, or
even the well laid schemes of horse racing
pools that came In by every post, but when
1t came to downright misrepresen tation
thought the limit had boen quite over
stepped
1t was about fortnight after the day
on which my humble patronymic was
blazoned forth to the world as the winner
Of much coveted prize that received the
following remarkable communication:
"At last / have found you, villaini
Your hiding place Is no longer a secret,
for have read In public print your hate
full name and address, scoundrell Those
whom you are bound by every earthly tie
to cherish and support have been cruelty
left to the tender meroies OF the parish,
while you doubtless have lived a life Of
luxury But the game is now played out,
and day Of retrlbution is at handl I,
your lawful wife, and my six children
your ohildren-will make IL our business
to call on you and demand the rights q
husband and q father has so long with
heidi Bewarel You have extended to us
no mercy; we will show none to you'll
Your loving wife, SUSAN"
To say that was knocked back by this
truth. 1t fairly took the wind out Of my
sails. My wife and chiidren-six of themi
This was surely coming 10 strong toward
young follow who only few weeks pre-
viously had celebrated his twenty third
birthday. did not even possess that in
dispensable desideratum to family man
"a wife. True, was soon going 10 have
ono, for-and this Is little secret between
ourselves-the banns of marriage between
the accomplished Clernentina 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.
OF course 1 knew there must be some
terrible mistake in tho document 1 held In
my hands, but that knowledge did not
mako the perusal of 1t any the more agree-
able. could plainly sec that 1t might
easily lead to some little awkwardness at
q time when / least wanted any. How
ever, / was determined not to let the thing
unduly worry me. SO, swallowing the mat
utinal tea and toast, shortly afterward
lit cigarette and set out for the perform
ance of my daily duties, finally oonsoling
myself by coming to the conclusion that
the affair was probably stupid joke on
the part of some freakish friend, and I
should hear no more of 1t.
At little later than my usual hour in
the afternoon 1 returned to my lodgings
and then saw-a fact of which was not
previously aware-that I had stupidity left
this very remarkable communication be.
hind me on leaving home in the morning,
for It lay on a sideboard open for any one
to read. / guessed Of course, that the land
lady had, by virtue Of landlady's in
alienable rights, made herself by this time
familiar with its contents, but did not
challenge her on the point w9s more
concerned to know II any ono else had
done so, too, and with that view inquired
II there had been any visitors during tho
day.
"Only Miss Wilks," was tho landlady's
reply, with sort of bottled up smile. "She
came about an hour ago, thinking you
would be home, and after staying q few
minutes suddenly left.'
Suddenly leftl Had she thon read the
stupid thingY Doubtless. Although
knew Clementina to be a not more than
ordinarily inquisitive girl, the near ap-
proach Of our marriage seemed to give her
a 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
enco of the man who week hence would
be her husbandf Oh, yes, folt sure she
had read 1t; but, then, she was a sensible
girl and would surely sec the thing In its
right light OF course she would. But
would much rather have told her about ii
myself than that she should acquire tho
knowledge of 1t by her own means How
annoying 1t all was to be sure
1t was some time later when / sailed
forth to the home of my beloved for the
usual evening visit. How pretty the little
villa looked wherein she dwelt, with Its
sloping grass lawn and beds of brilliant
gerilniumsl How proudly the tulips roar
ed their heads above tho blue flowered
Iris that skirted the garden wall, how
fragrant the honeysuckle that climbed
around tho artfully designed entrance, and
what wealth of floral beauty was dis
played in the miniature conservatory that
encircled the drawing room windowi But
how much more lovely thnn all was Glenn
entina herself, as she stood awaiting mo
inside the room in all the beauty of bud
ding womanhood, with her brilliant eyes
and flushing cheeksi
rushed forward to greet my charmer
with all my customary effusiveness. did
not get quito the reception I expected
"Monsteri" cried Clementina, drawing
waving me Off with her hands. "Ap-
proaoh mo not Have you the effrontery
to insult me with your polluted presence
you base manY"
For woman who in half dozen DAYS
is expected to become ones wife thought
this rather rich, but as knew Clementina
had hankering after stage effect / CON
oluded she was acting and laughed ut her.
All You mock Inc, vile thingl Quit
my presence and go-go to your wife and
ehildrenl' shrieked the fair one evidently
In earnest
"Clemontina, don't be stupid, said.
There Is mistake l know to what you
allude You haye been to my rooms and
read stupid note addressed to me. tell
you 1t is all a mistake"
And pretty mistake for mel" cried
she. " But, thank heaven, have discov-
cred 1t In time, before ii ls'e,nne irrepara-
bic. oh, you monster"
Hear me, Clementina, like the sensible
girl l'ye always taken you to be-" plead
ed. II tell you the whole thing Is an ar
ror, delusion, without word OF truth
In 1t. will have the wretched business
cleared up ut once Besides, think mo-
ment The idea is preposterous. If you
could bring yourself to imagine me the
husband of another, you surely could not
believe mo at my age the father of half a
dozen children. 1t is too absurdw And
smiled sickly smile at the folly of the
thing.
"How can tollP Perhaps you have de-
oeived me in your age as we'll OF what
value is a mans unsupported wordp But
leave mo, Go, and let me break my heart
in solitude"
In this strain she went on, blindly re-
fusing to be comforted until the thing got
so hot that seized my hat and rushed to
my lodgings in despair with the Intention
Of forthwith tying myself to the bedpost
instead OF week hence to a wife On con-
slderation, however l decided to postpone
the fatal act for day or two In order TINT
might have time to arrange the disposal
of my worldly goods and chattols, as did
not wish there should be any wranglinR
over tho possession of my hatboxes after
my dece9se. In this determination | re-
t.aEl L. A.. T. L.