The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11

Soon after her spouse had left home Mrs Harper began rummaging through a closet to get out some of her nus bands wearing apparel that was to be sent to the presser. During this op- eration some papers fell from coat pocket and were scattered about the floor. Stopping to pick them up her eyes rested on the words: Yours Sin- cerely, Lillian Russell" These words were repeated like sentences in copy book all down the page, starting in masculine handwriting and showing the greatest effort to write like a wo- man. She picked up another sheet of the paper. All through 1t was written in a big masculine hand Yours faith fully, Louis James" The wondering Mrs Harper picked up a third bit of paper and saw the words Your friend. LII" Running to her desk she drew out the autograph letter which she had bid in at an absurdly low figure the night before, and compared the two. The signature of the letter ana that on the paper were Identical.
 Light broke upon her. She grabbed up the other papers on the floor. Yes, there they were-Maude Adams, Della Fox. Joseph Jefferson-and all the rest, written in every conceivable way, evil dently by number of men. With flashing eyes she gathered the sheets and rushed over to Mrs. Wilson's. She marched into the house and in Mrs. Wilson's lap she threw the sheets of paper.
 Bertha" she cried, "our husbands have made fools of us. Not a doll at that bazaar last night came from an actor or an actress. They were bought right here in Riverburg by those miser- able men, and they Urote those lttters deqr" adda,l Mrs. Harper. soothingly as Mrs. Will son burst into tears.
 "I can't believe it." sobbed Mrs. Will son. Guy couldn't deceive me so.
 Well, whether he would deceive you or not" declared Mrs. Harper. decisive ly "he has; here Is where he started out practising writing 'Maude Adams It is unmistakably his handwriting.
 Mrs. Harper was never angry long at time and having keen sense or hu- nor. she soon gave way to laughter as she stood gazing at the evidences Of her husbands deception. Mrs. Wilson looked up in aggrieved astonishment.
 "what on earth are you laughing at?"
 "oh. 1t is too funny for anything. she laughed with delight. Ihlnk or those poor uninitiated ones bidding TOT these dolls. 1..
 Its no laughing mdlloI' SAASN Wilson between sobs, III never hoi- give Guy: never, never.
 After comforting the young wire as beet she could Mrs. Harper went back home. Here she began such syste- matic series of telephonic conversation that by noon every woman in RlVerours knew of the joke perpetrated by the men. ,, A.
 When the husband of the Ladies Aid went home to lunch they met warm receptions. Mira. Harper meant to pc severe. but the look of comic dismay in the face of her husband when she re- veaIed her knowledge to him made her laugh outright.
 How did you manage it?' she askeo' when the laughter had supsloeo'
 Tt was easy enough he replieo' WIT son, Browne and several or us got together and wrote the letters. When we saw the stage people were not going to reply we faked stamps and brought home the letters
 How about Louis James's card! she asked. It puzzled us lot and that second let ter from Louis took us some time to concoct. believe the Hamlet doll was genuine.
 Some of the other men did not escape so lightly. The Wilson's had been married only three months and Mrs Wilson rendered her husband very miserable.
 It took a good deal of talking on the part of Jack Harper to convince his mother-in-law. Mrs. Stewart, that the