The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-21
A VERY SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.

They had been discussing the anonymous letter scan
Gals and Of the odd Authorizations produced the
minds Of otherwise by that strange malady
called neurssthenia. when old Blanke told this cne
had been family physician to the McLennans a long
tine before Miss Cattanach live with them in
tho mixed capacity housekeeper companion music
teacher and friend. She a young English woman
about . I think whom I arst her at McIennan's
table and striknsly handsome evidently well educated
and unaecedy amiable. we became pretty good friends
directly Her father it seems had been old-fashonod
clergyman in Derbyshire but had with only few
hundred pounds for his widow and child They
America. and Mrs Cattanach was an invalid her
little fortune dwindIed that Obliged to open
millinery shop. 1t here Mrs. McLennan met
her and when the young womans mother died the orphan
was induced to make her home with the McLennans
have always felt that if the started
just when did young McLennan would have mar
red Miss Cattanach, but he officer the
regime already mustered hadn't
been in the house weeks when ne sailed for Cuba
He died of the fever siboney meantime how
the friendship between Bessie MeLennan
strong and fast. They like sisters always
together beauty the American girl foil
and challenge for radiant spendor the English
During Mrs. McLennan's long illness they
with another nursing her and when she died
griel mutual and equally poignant The was
IN February and friend McIennan who took his loss
terribly heart caught cold the cemetery
which settled in his bowels and from which
fully recovered.
During the following summer retired from business
and. being quite wealthy. undertook number of easy
journeys for his health. He the girls with him.
one of these tours at Nice if my memory is
right that Miss Peugnet. young French
of many good qualities not wholly
the eccenricities his them quite
by chance in the Dusseldorf hadn't been
talking my old friend minutes before knew that
he was himself IN love with Miss Catanach. He wasn't
fifty years then, and Bessie rounding into
the Sos thought myself that must be happy match
] of the engagements the following New
Years and a long lel.er from McIennau. telling all
about it, about the state of his health and-more than
all ese-abou his Bessie They all married
in March. and back the in June. I
noticed that two unwecOme changes had taken place in
Of my friends. NJ patient was in bad way
physically and there estrangement between his
young daughter Gastric a stubborn
and virulent type had seized him. He his
house once the Peugnets with him. and Bessie the
embodiment of wifely devotion I'm that sug-
gested it, but the French doctor agreed help
with McIennan's case.
His very first move enraged me beyond expression
h nouted diagnosis and of
secrecy between said that he believed patient
dying Of slow poison. knew that Janet shared
this horrible suspicion and that Bessie the
scious object espionage The poor
hearbroken by the GOODNESS of her husbands daugh
ter. but though she made a hundred efforts her
back she failed Then Janet began to take lessons in
Italian from rather handsome professor and Bes
sic consumed with the desire be always with her step
daughter asked be permitted lessons
this had perceptihe effect Janet, I began TO
suspect that the unhappy girl afflicted with that
form of neurasthena that focuses the sinister
suspicious friends and relatives. 1t early the
week which AcLennan died that became certain that
the italian professor was only detective employed by the
Pegnes fasen upon Bessie evidence of the
full crime of which they suspected her
7 in their confidence but week after my
friend death. Janets husband laid
before the fun of his wifes horrible misgvings
They believed that Mrs McLennan had been put
the 10y the agency that had later disposed
husband Yrs Peugnet believed that she her
self destined be the victim. She had already
suffered symptoms similar To those which had
suited in Illnesses her father and mother.
Puesnet if Sgnor Paderacca the professor-de-
ecve had discovered any eVdc lie seemed surprised
indignant that / guessed character
he ingust but lost his and said that the detec
tive ass; that had discovered nothing probably
because did wish and chat fate Pad
sracea himself in love with the young widow
1IcI.ennans provided generously Bessie.
unselhsh she and tender of Janet, that,
spite all the injustices and felt against her.
she refused the larger Of the and
ctuay relinqushed much of it to Mrs. Puegnet be-
anne sort of friendly commissioner between them and
COX advantage OF my relations with them both to
dssuade Janet from her utterly cruel and unreasonable
suspicious my quite i'm and resulted
only bringing upon myself the malignant dislike of the
cor girl who now felt sure. victim 10 neurasthe
MA Losing an patience with both Janet and her
husband. who persisted treating with sort Of
u ercous tolerance. quit visiting them Bessie. having
5-opery arranged her affairs, selling everything.
way. leaving address Peugnet and his wife
acz to Paris and stayed there l never Singer Pad
lacca alive again
The whole affair might have passed from my memory
ong but for remarkable coincidence that occurred
me at Cannes year ago Late q night /
noned the bedside American lady whose husband
just the hotel She had been hystercal with
ref and unconscious. Their apartments were
It the end Of the hail the floor with mine. and
hther fastened The maid who admitted was be
de herself with grief and excitement found Madame
N a couch a corner OF the drawing groom. It
Bessie.
what IS her name. I asked Of the maid.
'Eet is Madame Elise Guda-" said the girl
And where is the body Of her late husband" I
Tying be calm,
Ter hand
went into the bedroom. and looking narrowly at the
cad that it Siguor Paderacca-
+ gave my restoratYes the maid with directions
their application and left Paris in the morning
JOHN II RAFTERY.
Survivsis Of Useless Fashions
she Aria