The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-01-11
THE LOVE
EPISTLE
Mr.. Hamfoundsr Finds q Letter atthe
Front Door.
BV John 81. McNselV.

pick up something Just now as you
came in the front door," asked Mrs.
Ramfounder, a portentous tone in her
voice.
Pick up something!" calculated
Ramfounder.
That's exactly what said. II
looked TO me like letter. Now you
need not try to dodge my question by
pretending surprise will repeat It
for your benefit. Didn't you pick up
something as you came in the front
door?"
IF your eyes" replied John, with
great courage. ARE failing you.
would certainly insist that you go to
an oculist."
81 want you to understand, Mr.. Ram
founder, that my sight is as good as.
If not better than, yours. will not
allow you to cast reflections upon It
even while you are attempting in your
petty and mean manner to practice
subterfuge and evade the answer.
Didn't just see you pick up letter
as you opened the front door,"
Il suppose you did"
All! So have trapped you, Mr..
Ramfounder, at last So / have cor
uered you in a despicable trick. 1
felt all along that | was being wanton.
ly and willfully affronted. And now
you openly admit that you are guilty
of picking up letter from under the
door and hiding it In your inside peck
ct, although, of course, in the begin
ming you tried your nefarious and
heinous fraud and deception. When
you found that | had discovered your
contemplate and sordid scheme you
lost no time In confessing Why? !
ask you, Mr.. Ramfounder? Oh! Do
not try to fool mel Do not delude
yourself into thinking that cannot
see through your mean and base trick
cry. Can you answer my question?
You would be only too delighted to
blurt out In your coarse and ugly way
the truth just to get the pleasure of
insulting a faithful wife, who labors
until her finger nails almost drop out
making your home comfortable and
pleasant when you come home from
days toll down in that Office where
you claim you work | have my doubts
on that score, too. But | shall GER
tainly not give you the opportunity.
can say that much. 1t was merely one
of your mean plots. You wanted me
to know that you picked up the letter
and concealed it away in hopes that
| would ask you for 1t. But / would
never do such thing. l would not
contaminate my mind by reading any
! thing that was written to you. am
not anxious to lower my character by
satisfying your insolent purpose. OF
course. You thought in your weak and
insipid mind that | would let my curl
osity get away with me and demand
that you expose the letter. You were
trying some more OF your trickery II
, gives me profound satisfaction to say
. Mr. Ramfounder, that you are de.
feated and that you will not have the
/, pleasure of mistreating me any longer
d | have always done the right thing. Nc
one can accuse me Of"
. my dear, here is the"
r Don't you dare force that horrid
4 letter upon me, Mr.. Ramfounder. Did
: Mt | just tell you that would MOI
I touch the awful thing for a millior
: dollars? Mo- You need not entertain
) any hope that I will ask the name O.
the writer. have my suspicious anC
= 1t is not necessary to corroboratt
them. The shame and disgrace 4
upon your conscience, not minel You
" monumental arrogance has exceeded
|. all bounds. The highest pinnacle O
: insult has been reached, assure you
N Mr. Ramfounder. ! can comprehsn,
u clearly now why the letter was place.
= under the door. You had hopes tina
| would discover it before you al
= rived home You were anxious that
!, should pick 1t up and read II merel,
to give you an excuse to hurt your loJ
ing wife. | suppose It is a keen disaT
pointment to you that one OF tn
neighbors did not happen in durln
the afternoon and find It, The humil
alton would then have been more GU
- ting and your satisfaction would hav
been greatly increased, being familiar
4 as you are, Mr. Ramfounder, with th
l. habits of the neighbors to take u
every little thread of evidence and e,
aggerate until 1t develops into reg
lar scandal. But never mind! Their
he is an end to this fragrant Haunting {
he your violent attachments in my"
u IF you will listen"
That's right, Mr.. Ramfounder: &
gi- ahead insisting upon my looking
81, your love epistle. But 1t will not Z
er, YOU the slightest good AS said b
fore, you are not satisfied to hide yol
nu intrigue in the secrecy of abashmen
You want me to know all about
You are determined that / shall hal
every iota of knowledge. so you 8
range for your victim-mind you, l 81
victim, because any one who has Il
least connection with you is certa
to be a victim of your small and rut
n less characterize slip the letter und
19 the front door. How dare you. N
aamfounder, abuse and maltreat n
without concealing your face in I
to ,O morse and beseeching pardon?
Ing there no reproach Of calloused co
' 10. science in your hard and cruel hear
We; But shall make you regret this
your dying day. There will como
GU time when you will"
But" screamed Ramfounder, in