, 1905-02-08

-M\\AMN
Don't be frightened, please; l am Paul
Raymond"
terchange IF letters between her and
the aforementioned business man of
the bold handwriting, for she must re-
ceive letters to give color to the state
ment. Indeed, she now squandered a
large portion of her income on books.
her correspondent being in reality a
dealer in all kinds of publications.
Then, too. nee a week she inclosed a
blank sheet of paper in an envelope
and addressed it with elaborate care
to Mr.. Paul y. Raymond. Care General
Delivery. Boston, Mass" After a time
she occasionally ventured to pen a
word or two of greeting on the blank
sheets to her imaginary sweetheart,
and nee she wrote: You are my lover
now, but you don't know it. l hope you
don't mind. | only wanted you for
show. you know" She derived a sort
of absurd comfort from this eXplana-
ton, 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 Fell
cia."
"Ring2' repeated Miss Felicia inquir-
ingly.
"Yes-engagement ring, of course,
Haven't you got one?' said she, looking
sharply at her.
Miss Felicia's cheeks grew pink.
"No-yes-er-I mean-it's coming
soon" she stammered confusedly, and
the next day a certain city jeweler was
slightly amazed by an order for an en-
gagement ring suitable for a maiden
lady-something nice signed ''(A1iss)
Felicia Winthrop"
All his was very well, 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 a hurried, "Oh, | don't know;
not yet awhile" but it cost her many
a sleepless night before she solved the
problem-she must kill her lover.
She had no trouble in manufacturing
a convenient 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 address
ed envelopes should come through the
mail.
1t must have been a fortnight later
that Miss Felicia received a call from
the village gossip. The woman's face
was flushed, and her ~nervously excited
movements plainly portended some
thing unusual.
"Now, Miss Winthrop. l hope you'll
be calm. 1t ought TO be broke gently,
you know. Now, be calm-yery calm
it's a nice day, amt it, Miss Win
throp!'
BY this time Miss Felicia was thor
oughly unnerved.
Sarah Ann Jones. what are you
talking about?' said she sharply. Tell
me-tell me this minute. now. Quick
B calm, Miss Felicia: do be calm.
faint much, only you've been de-
ceiyed-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 tonight!' blurted
the woman, fairly bursting with the
exuberance of her disquieting informa-
ton.
She had her desired reward. for Miss
Felicia fell in a limp little heap. and
four distracted neighbors had to be
summoned before she was brought
back to life-and her lover. Then she
shut herself up in her room and re-
fused to come out, ever when a stall
wart, blue eyed man came up her little
path with long strides and pulled twice
at her tinkling doorbell.