Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-07-15
FELICIA'S STORY.

Tie cThUcu-bCrducnluS Ol Il tilclu pcu,
driven rapidly over the paper above
which the pretty brown head was ear
nestly bent. She wrote of garden
parties, of gay and careless people,
while she sat in a shabby little sitting
room in cheap boarding house, with
faded carpets and curtains and worn
furniture.
AT length she paused and looked up
with dreamy eyes. They encountered
those of young man who lay on a
sofa at the other side of the room
q man of perhaps %, with face pale
and worn by suffering A pair of
crutches rested against the sofa within
his reach. His face frightened with a
smile as Felicia looked up.
"Well," he said, is genius burning
very brightly, that you fix me with
that soulful gaze?"
81 was only thinking of the contrast
between the scenes of my imagination
and the reality we live in" returned
Felicia.
She dropped her pen and crossed
the room with her swift, light step,
and sitting on the floor beside the
sofa leaned her head against her
brothers shoulder. He threw his
arm round her.
''Poor little girl wish you could
experience some of those good times
you write about, instead of having
to do them all from imagination. 1
hoped once to do so much for you, and
now it is you who do everything for
me, while can do nothing"
"Oh Phil! You know L like no.
thing better than to work for you.
And, besides, it won't be for always.
See how much better you are now.
Why, soon you will be able to throw
away your crutches, even"
"well, 1 hope So" said Philip, but
without much hope in his voice.
1t was only three weeks rrom
Thanksgiving, but Philip could not
feel thankful while he was still con-
fined to his sofa and Felicia toiled to
support him.
She taught in small private school
and gave music lessons in the after
noon, deriving from these occupations
a sufficient income to keep them in
very simple style. She tried to add
to their resources by writing in her
evening hours those bright stories
which Philip, at least liked to read,
of which it must be confessed very
few had as yet been accepted.
"Come, said Philip, rousing him
self, after pause, ''read me what You
have written. have not heard of
this new venture"
Felicia obeyed.
''That is capital, Felicia he said,
when she stopped. 1t ought to be
accepted.
eyes, but will it?" said Felicia,
with co mical lifting of the brows.
"But there was that editor who &C
oepted a story last summer, and wrote
you such a nice note.
He was very exceptional editor"
81 don't see how you do it," said
Philip thoughtfully; you have never
seen people like that"
Imagination, said Felicia, merri-
ly; "sort of 'Aladdin's Lamp bust
ness, you know. 1 just shut my eyes
in the darkness and it all comes be-
fore me-"
~ wish it did in reality" said
Philip.
Felicia's story was duly finished,
despatched and-returned. She did
not tell Philip of the return of the
manuscript, but presently resolved on
another trial. She would go to the
sympathetic editor who had accepted
her story last summer and offer him
her wares in person.
The next day was Saturday. After
breakfast she put on her plainest
dress, and, taking her parcel of manu-
script, neatly done up like an innocent
looking book, she set forth.
In short time she found herself in
the editors sanctum, and the editor,
polite and gentlemanly person, was
listening respectfully while she offer
ed her modest little manuscript for his
august perusal.
She might leave it, he told her po-
litely, to be examined Manuscripts
were examined in order, and hers
would be read in its turn, and an ans
wer sent her within few weeks-as
SOoh no pOSSlDlt, III ldCt anu tutH
the busy editor gave significant
glance at his interrupted work, which
Felicia understood and promptly took
her leave.
When she had gone the assistant
editor, whom she had scarcely noticed,
inquired who the young lady was.
For answer the chief read the address
Felicia had given him
&C. Miss Crofton, 81 Howard street. ;
That's all | know of her.
" Her face was somehow familiar"
returned Raymond. had college
friend named Crofton. L dare say,
however, she does not belong to his
family"
Nevertheless, he could not get the
girls face out of his mind and the
next evening he made his way to How
ard street, resolved to see Miss Crofton
and find out if she were in any way
connected with his friend, of whom he
had lost sight.
He found the house without diff
Guilty, and learned that Miss Crofton
and her brother lived there. This was
promising. He went upstairs, pre-
coded by the landlady's little boy to
show him the way. The door of the
sitting room, which was indicated to
him as Miss Crofton's, was ajar, and
dismissing his small guide, Raymond
advanced alone, preferring to an