Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-06-06

A touching end. She imagined il all.
with her exuberant young fantasy;
and sang, transposing the key TO
minor, the sobbing staccato adieu IN
which the poor violetta regrets the
smiling dreams of her past.
Then Alice went into her dressing
room and plunged her feet, with the
| dainty stockings of black silk and lace
insertion, in hot water. Then running
back 20 the larger room. tracking with
wet footprints the pink-and-greenc car
| pet, she pushed an armchair near to q
window, opened the sash. seated her
self and, favored by the winter twl-
light, raised those charming and
soaked extremities 10 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 a careful toilet, and went down
stairs TO dine with her parents and
some guests. In fact, the Willard fam
lily. She was even more than usual gay,
gentle, DESTROYS TO please everyone
proudly cherishing her secret of sui
eide.
But fate willed to make her ridicu-
lous. The next morning, indeed, she
felt the iii 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 tunid
and parched and apart. because one
must breathe through the mouth If at
all; the nose-and Alice's was charm
ing. delicate, thoroughbred little
nose-becomes red. swollen. shape
less. unremittingiy importunate In its
demands for attention What state
for a heroinei Figure ~ yourself the
| Tragic Muse with the snufilesl Poor
| Alice was utterly desolate- She de-
tested her good lungs of vigorous
| coutralto, 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, a few minutes before
| three, 70 watch for the passing of her
dear Anatole. At the supreme mo-
ment her feelings got the better of her
| caution; she leaned forward TO look
| at him; he glanced up, saw her and
bowed. Then derisivc smile curled
his mustache; his shoulders gave a
| true Partisan shrug. very expressive.
| Alice shuddered into a forlorn little
heap; he had seen her so disfigured;
that horrible nose had ended every
thingi Otherwise, ut least he might
have loved her. But how could he be
| expected to carry forever in his heart
the image OF that infamed face? She
had not been able TO kill herself-only
his Lowell 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 n 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.
slow did you take your cold. Alice?"
he inquired.
III took It on purpose-there!" she
burst forth. Everybody is cruel. Let
me die!"
Impossible to obiige you. my dear
| little cousin. There is but one similar
case on record where the patient died
| Of sneezing, and his head had been
| previously sliced off with so sharp
sword that he didn't know IL until he
| exploded sneeze and his head few
across the room. You, my good Alice,
have an acute coryza, which, being in
terpreted, is a bad cold in the head;
and 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 e. We get over all
sorts of things. you know" said the
| young doctor, with an affectionate
common sense which made Alice feel
little less foriorn.
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 II to be reported at
once ut the club. Alice blamed bit
terly, in her heart. her impossible nose
as the cause of the sudden detection
of her adorer. slow could hep" she
exclaimed, involuntarily.
"Why not2" reioined Cousin Fred,
cheerfully. Sweet little soprano
pipe, beautiful grill
"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"
"I wish that he may havel He 10
detestable. And she, tool"
However, the ultimate destiny of
M. and Nine. Fleury need not con-
Germ us. Let US think of ourselves,
| Alice dear"
How, ourselves2"
think whether you could care for
the cousin who has always loved you
and told you 30 as often as you would
let him. Think. Alice. and tell me if
you will be my wife,
1 ssPut I am so hfdeouRi Look af NV