The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1914-03-05
A Story Of
A Mystery
Bv MARTHA V. MONROE


remained on the place, but he had no
means and was not engaged III any
business. | wished he would do some
thing to get ahead. for | liked nm
very much. and | fancied that II he
could support a wife he would ask me
to marry him.
The idea Of advertising for a hus-
band occurred to me. l was young
and unsophiSticated and did not real
ize that matrimonial advertisements
are not likely to bring satisfactory re
suits. | wrote out what | wished to
communicate and started out with II
to do some shopping. intending TO
mail my letter addressed to a news
paper in the city at the same time
| did not take a bag with me, and
having no pocket | carried the letter
in my hand. | was so undetermined
about posting it that | carried it about
with me while l made my purchases.
Then | missed it. Whether | had laid
It on a counter or dropped it couldn't
tell But my losing 1t decided the
question as TO what | should do about
1t, for, being addressed and stamped.
the finder would drop it in the mail.
The next day | looked in the news
paper for my advertisement, and, sure
enough, there it was. | thanked heav-
en- that whoever had found 1t could
not know from anything on the envel-
ope that | had advertised for a hus
band In a few days | went to the
city and called for any replies there
might be for me- | was handed sew
eral, all Of which. except one, tore
into bits as soon as | had read them.
The exception was apparently genu-
ine. 1t was couched in respectful Ian
guage, seemed 10 indicate that the
writer really wished a wife and was
quite practical. He proposed that we
correspond till we should get some
knowledge of each other by that means,
then meet.
All this led me to place confidence
in him, and | replied to his letter CIV
ing him a fictitious name and the
number of box l had rented for the
purpose at the postotfice.
We corresponded for several months.
That he was an educated man there
was no doubt. | asked for his occu-
patton. but he declined to give It. This
aroused a slight suspicion, which l in
dicated in my next letter Then he con-
fessed that he was trying to do some
thing in literary way. He had writ
ten some short stories which had been
published in obscure periodicals.. He
was now finishing a novel and would
soon have 1t ready to offer to pub
fishers.
This announcement cast a damper
on the affair. / had had several girl
friends who had tried to make money
by writing, and they had all failed.
felt that since l had fallen into the
hands of one who was down with the
literary fever nothing would ever
come Of ii all. l did not reply to his
letter making the announcement for
some time: then l received a letter
from him which was a trifle reproach-
full, whereupon l wrote him that I
AtdItu ue was lLupTdCLlCdl.
l received no reply to this for some
time; then he wrote that he had Sc
cured a publisher for his novel and
1t would be issued the next spring.
He added that If 1t were a success he
would take steps to make my further
acquaintance; II not, the matter be-
tween us would better be dropped.
Since no reply seemed to be required
l sent none
One morning while looking over a
newspaper ! saw an advertisement OF
forthcoming novel by Edward Free.
man. How singular that the only two
men l had ever thought of marrying
should both be novelists. l was sur
prised. for did not know that Ned
had any ambition to be a scribbler
The advertisement described his novel
as a detective story of marvellous in.
genuity. 1t seemed to me that If any
story would be profitable it would be
one Of the detective kind. l wrote tC
my correspondent to ask what kind
Of novel he was about to publish
and he replied that his motif in the
story was a mystery. This did not
enlighten me.
Several months passed and I heard
nothing from my correspondent Their
one day he wrote that he would cal
upon me the next evening. This quite
took away my breath. AT the appoint
ed hour Ned Freeman came in as
was expecting my unknown friend.
must have shown my embarrassment
for he said at once:
"I'm not going to interfere with any
body or anybody with me- | know al
about your correspondent, for I'm the
man himself"
"Oh, heavensw
zone day | walked behind you or
the street and saw you drop a letter
picked it up and mailed 1t for you
Wondering why you were writing t.
a newspaper I looked over the issue
the next day and saw your adj"
was too amazed and embarrassed
to do more than stare.
Ned, to give me time to recover my
Golf on tn COW ho ,nuol r,,o,