The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-13

the information necessary, were she so
inclined, you would at once realize if
you visited her apartments at the Ryan
hotel and saw the stacks of letters from
all sorts of people with which her rooms
are literally deluged. The bare thought
of having to open and read them is ap-
palling, not to mention the task of an
swering even 25 per cent of them But
Miss Fay and her assistant open and
read all of them, and such writers as
comply with the condition requiring
them to enclose an addressed envelope
bearing two-cent stamp receive an
swers to their questions
And these questions-their name is
legion. While it is true that the ma
Jority of them are inquiries as to the
whereabouts of lost relatives, money
and other property, yet many of them
possess a far greater and deeper mo-
tive. Some are tragic in their import,
others quaint and curious" and still
others highly amusing and eccentric.
When the Gl % e representative
called upon Miss Fay at the Ryan early
last evening she had just returned from
the ladies' matinee at Conover hall.
The first impression you receive upon
entering Miss Fay's apartments is that
she is the recipient Of a large mail.
The floor, tables, chairs and other
articles of furniture are literally buried
beneath an avalanche of letters. With
letters around, about and beneath the
little woman, she is fairly overwhelmed
with them. Thousands of them still I'M
opened were strewn about, but none
are ever lost. The sealed envelopes
containing the questions that the writ
ers prefer not to ask in public vary in
shape, size and color from the dainty
and stylish stationery of a ST. Anthony
hill society star, who writes such
fashionable hand, to the commonest
kind of an envelope bearing the most
illiterate scrawl
Just look at those letters" ex
claimed Miss Fay, pointing at a single
heap on the floor, that could not have
contained less than 500. What do
you think is in them? Why, every
thing from murder and suicide to the
idlest and most trivial thing Won can
imagine. l haven't opened any of them
yet, but l know l should find some
very serious ones and also some very
laughable ones among them Just TO
show you, I'll pick out few at random
ana read them to you. AS you can see,
~ANSS A-SS~A1 ~ oAA OCcAI Tic -
mark, and [ can assure you from nv
experience that the public would be
vastly surprised if I should diyulge
names of some of the writer's. Among
them you will find several prominent
personages, not only in society, but in
the business world as WE'LL
While speaking, Miss Fay opened the
first letter her hand touched 1t was
from a reputable business concern in
this city. 1t read as follows:
Dear Madame: Kindly tell US when
we Will settle up with the cashier of
bank How will we save anything out
OF 1t and when will our troubles end ~
The letter was signed in the name Of
the firm. Such a letter means much.'
added Miss Fay. Here's one evidently
from a woman of some culture, Judging
from the hand writing. Yes, it's from
a young lady on Laurel avenue, and
this is what she writes:
Can you tell me the characteristics
OF the young man I am keeping compa-
ny with, and does he care enough for
me to make me a good husband %
Now, should say continued Miss
Fay, that this is from a sensible
young woman who is not so wildly in
love with the young man in question
as to marry him first and take the
chances on her future happiness He
has evidently given her cause to sus
pect the depth and sincerity of his
rove lot n0f.
The next letter Miss Fay picked up
was evidently from a young woman
In an humber station in life, though If
was properly and plainly written, bear
ing no traces Of illiteracy The girl
asked this direct question, fraught with
a world Of significance:
Il would like to know if the gentle
man | am going with will marry me
or not"
Such letters arouse nv daanest
sympathy said Miss Fay. Carefully
replacing the letter in it's envelope and
laying 1t one side. Il do not like to
answer them, in leases where I know
that the true answer will bring misery
and despair. Where a girl asks SUCH
a question out of mere curiosity or be-
cause Of an innocent love for the young
man, the case is different, quite diff
ferent, l think from this one.'
A married woman, whose brother
had-lost a considerable sum of money.
wrote a letter asking whether it would
ever be recovered. Miss Fay read the
letter and as she came to the word
lost she exclaimed:
Lost? He never lost the money"
with the emphasis on lost
Judging from several Of the letters
that followed, there is considerable
marital infelicity, even in ST. Paul
families Miss Fay says, however, thai
cases of this kind have long since lost
their novelty and interest as they are
as numerous elsewhere as in the Saint
ly city.
The first letter indicating that ali
was not serene between husband and
came from the wife. who writes:
II want to know il a married woman