Daily camera., 1901-04-22
n touching end. She imagined It all:

room ana plunged her feet with the
dainty stockings of black silk and lace
insertion. in hot water. Then running
back to the larger room, tracking with
wet footprints the pinll-and- green car
pei, she pushed an armchair near to a
window, opened the sash, seated her
self and, favored by the winter twi-
light, raised those charming and
soaked eXtremities to the sill, laid
back her head and closed her eyes to
take, literally, her death of cold
There she sat for long time, weaving
who knows what wild dreams of love
and death, until she could bear the
chill no more. After which she rose,
made careful toilet, and went down
stairs to dine with her parents and
some guests. In fact, the Millard fam
lily. She was even more than usual gay,
gentle, desirous to please everyone
proudly cberishing her secret of sui
eide.
But fate willed to make her ridicu-
lous. The next morning, indeed, she
felt the i'll effects of the mad exposure.
And how? Oh realism, what crimes
against the poetic are committed in
thy name. Truly, neither more nor
less than cold in the head; one of
those colds which are a symphony in
sneezes; when the eyes weep on their
own account; when the lips are tumid
and parched and apart, because one
must breathe through the mouth il at
all; the nose-and Alice's was charm
ing, "A delicate, thoroughbred little
nosc-becomcs red, swollen, shape
less, unremttingly importunate in its
demands for attention. What n state
for heroine! Figure to yourself the
Tragic Muse with the snutfics! Poor
Alice was utterly desolate. She de-
tested her good lungs of a vigorous
contralto. which had resisted the cold
damps of the winter twilight; she
hated still more the weak little nose
that had succumbed. BY force of hab-
il she went, few minutes before
three, to watch for the passing of her
ment her feelings got the better of her
caution; she leaned forward to look
at him; he glanced up, saw her and
bowed. Then dcrsive smile curled
his mustache; his shoulders gave
true Partisan shrug, very expressive.
Alice shuddered into a forlorn little
heap; he had seen her so disfigured:
that horrible nose had ended every
thing! Otherwise, at least he might
have loved her. But how could he be
expected to carry forever in his heart
the image of that inilamed face? She
had not been able to kill herself-only
his love. Alice ran to the mirror.
assured herself she was frightful, and
wept bitterly.
Now appeared her mother very ten
der to her ailing child with Cousin
Fred, who had answered summons
in place of his principal, out of town
on an important consultation. 1t is
possible that Cousin Fred understood
something of the state of affairs.
How did you take your cold, Alice?'
he inquired.
Il took it on purpose-there!" she
burst forth. Everybody is cruel. Let
me die!"
Impossible to oblige you, my dear
little cousin There is but one similar
case on record where the patient died
If sueezing, and his head had been
previously sliced off with so sharp
sword that he didn't know it until he
exploded sneeze and his head flew
across the room. You, my good Alice,
have an acute coryza, which, being in
,erpreted, is a bad cold in the head;
and l suspect that the larynx, pharynX
and epiglottis-in fact, the whole
Latin quarter of your throat-may
also be somewhat involved. But you
will soon get over it. We get over all
sorts of things, you know said the
young doctor, with an affectionate
common sense which made Alice feel
a little less forlorn.
The next day this assiduous physi-
clan came again, bringing box of
marshmallow caramels and the latest
bit of gossip-the elopement the even
ing before of NJ. Anatole Fleury and
Miss Lily Vansittart. A telegram had
been received from the pair, welded
in New Jersey; Lily's father, in order
to give the best appearance to the
affair, had allowed it to be reported at
once at the club Alice blamed bit
terly, in her heart, her impossible nose
as the cause of the sudden detection
of her adorer. How could he?" she
exclaimed, involuntarily.
"Why not?" rejoined Cousin Fred,
cheerfully. Sweet little soprano
pipe, beautiful girl!"-
"Oh, do you think her so? To me
she is hardly pretty"
Irrespective heiress Of two millions.
Come, NJ. Fleury, the humbug, has not
done so badly for himself"
81 wish that he may have! He is
detestable. And she, tool"
However, the ultimate destiny of
NJ. and Nine. Fleury need not con-
Germ us. Let US think of ourselves,
Alice dear"
"How, ourselves?"
think whether you could care for
the cousin who has always loved you
and told you so as often as you would
let him. Think, Alice, and tell me if
,,o,, will he INV wife "