The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-24
MISS FELICIA'S FALL
BY ELEANOR PORTER.

one day that they had found out and that
Paul Raymond was his name. The youth in
question having left the town for parts un-
known at the tender age of IA, he was not
there to dispute the honor, and as Misc Felicia
gave only a frightened, embarrassed exclama-
ton in response to their confident announce
ment the name remained.
AS time passed Miss Felicia sank deeper and
deeper in the tolls Of her own invention She
intimated that she had met and known her
lover again while at boarding school, and
since then they had corresponded. This, Of
course, necessitated a regular and frequent
interchange Of letters between her and the
aforementioned business man of the bold
handwriting, for she must receive letters to
give color to the statement. Indeed, she now
squandered large portion of her income on
books, her correspondent being in reality .
dealer in all kinds of publications. Then. too.
once week she inclosed blank sheet Of
paper in an enyelop and addressed it with
elaborate care to "Mr. Paul Raymond caro-
general delivery, Boston. Mass After
time she occasionally ventured to pen word
or. two of greeting on the blank sheets to
her imaginary sweetheart, and once she
wrote: You are my lover now, but you
don't know it. l hope you don't mind. I
only wanted you for show, you know She
derived sort Of absurd comfort from this
explanation, feeling that something was due
this creature of her BRAIN
One day the village gossip said to her:
DO let me see your ring, Miss Felicia"
"Ring?" repeated Miss Felicia inquiringly
"Yes-engagement ring, of course. Haven't
you got one?" said she, looking sharply Ct
her.
Miss Felicia's cheeks grew pink.
No-yes-er-I mean-it's coming soon,"
she stammered confusedly, and the next day
certain city jeweler was slightly amazed
by an order for an engagement ring suitable
for maiden lady-something NICE signed
''(Miss) Felicia Winthrop
All this was very we'll, but it could not last
forever. The villagers insisted upon knowing
when the wedding was to take place, and this
was particularly disquieting to the bride elect.
She could only gasp hurried, "Oh. 1 don't
know; not yet awhile!' but it cost her many
a sleepless night before she solved the prob
lem-she must kill her lover.
She had no trouble in manufacturing con-
| venient deadly disease.-and she promptly
went into deep black. She wrote to the book
dealer and told him she never intended to buy
another book as long as she lived and not to
write again. Thus she made sure that none
Of those discriminating, boldly addressed en-
velops should come through the mail.
| 1t must have been fortnight later that
Miss Felicia received call from the village
gossip. The wornan's face was flushed. and
her nervously excited movements plainly
portended something unusual.
NOW, Miss Winthrop, l hope you'll bt
calm. 1t ought to be broke gently, you know.
Now, be calm-very calm-it's nice day.
| amt it. Miss Winthro7?"
BY this time Miss Felicia was thoroughly
unnerved.
Sarah Ann Jones. what are you talking
abcut:" said she, sharply. TELL mc-tell mo
this minute. now! Quick!''
BE calm, Miss Felicia; do be calm 'Taint
much, only. you've been deceived-your lover
amt dead!''
.What?" demanded Miss Felicia, starting
from her chair.
Il say your lover amt dead. and he never
did die He's come back, and he's right here
in this very town, and maybe you'll see him
to- night" blurted the woman, fairly bursting
with the exuberance of her disquieting infor.
nation.
She had her desired reward, for Miss Felicia
fell in limp little heap, and four distracted
neighbors had to be summoned before she was
brought back to iife-and her lover. Then she
shut herself I'D in her room and refused to
come out even when a stalwart. blue-eyeo
man came up her littletpath and pulled twice
at her tnkling doorbel1. ~
Toward night she stole down stairs and out
. the back door, then followed a winding path
to a little grove of trees behind the house
From a child she had always taken her knotty
problems there to solve. The big, blue-eyeo
man was on the watch and followed. so Miss
Felicia had scarcely seated herself when she
sprang to her feet with little scream.
Don't be frightened, please; | am Pau
Raymond-don't YOU remember? used to SIT
opposite you in school. Won't you please
! shake hands with me?" he said pleadingly.
Miss Felicia gave him limp fingers and
looked longingly toward the house.
mo, don't go hack just yet. want ia
speak to you, please Then the color IN his
face matched her own as he began little
awkwardly: Miss Winthrcr. don't know
/, how to say what want to. butt used to
know and-er-like you long ago. and-ano
/ understand that the people here have kind
, of got the idea that yen and ! are lovers -
speaking very fast-"and just wanted to say
J, that maybe we could keep 'em from talking
if you'd be willing to be sort OF friendly win
me- OF course he added quickly, II should
not expect you'd give me anything else-uli
BY and bv-when lou knew me better.
i YOU thought you could, perhaps
) 1t was long years afterward that Felicia
( found among her husbands papers worn
package of letters most Of them, but not all
) of them. -blank. and addressed to Mr.. Paul
), A. Raymond, care General Delivery, Boston.
=