Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1915-01-01
WhySheW Wrote
abNoveI
BY F. A. Mitchell


one morning which read as follows:
Thomas Erskine Mortimer Esq:
Dear Sir-I write to ask you where you
got the name of your hero. Edgar Wheat
leigh? My name is Edgar Whea tleigh.
and | am curious TO know how you hap
pened to hit upon 1t for your clearly
drawn character | am very truly yours.
EDGAR WHEATLE1GH.
Now. Miss Wells, Il young lady of
twenty-o summers had taken the
name from the city directory. and it
occurred to her that it belonged to her
correspondent She was about to re.
ply that she had done so when an idea
popped into her head whereby she
might have some fun. She wrote Mr.
Wheateigh. signing herself Mortimer,
that she had heard IL friend speak of
II Mr.. Wheatleigh in high terms and
had been given the salient points in
his character. which she had embodied
in her hero This person of her novel
was undoubtedly another than her
questioner.
This brought reply from Mr..
Wheatleigh giving a few points as to
his antecedents with IL view to discov-
ering whether or not he was the hero
OF the novel. Miss Wells. affecting to
be much surprised at the points lie
gave her. admitted that he was doubt.
less Identical with the man who had
been described to her. In this letter
also she wrote under the guise of her
nom de plume
MIR. Wheatleigh wrote again, asking
Tor the name of the friend who had
described him. The reply was that the
writer was doubtful whether he should
give the name. However since his in,
FORMER might not be the original OBJ
server he would strain Il point~nnd do
so. The outline from which the char
arter had been drawn was Miss
Winifred Wells. To this she added her
address
Inc next scene in this diminutive
comedy was a call from Mr.. Wheat.
leigh Miss Wells came down with his
card In her hand looking very much
pleased.
Its a long while since we have
met she remarked. You have grown
from boy to man since | saw you last
should not have known YOU"
Mr.. Wheateigh IN the novel was
copy or a grand gentleman character
III one Of Ouida's novels. He -would
not be so ungallant as to admit that he
did not remember this friend of his
childhood.
Il would know you" he said, had
not mad the slightest knowledge of
your identity. The only reason | might
not have recognized you Is that from n
rather pretty child you have grown to
be superb woman"
Miss Wells was not only delighted
with her device. but with man of
such unblushing assurance.
but how she asked. "have you
round me out after all these years?"
In very singular way. NV friend
ION Mortimer wrote Il novel naming
one OF his characters for me- When
asked him how he learned certain fea.
lures concerning me, the original of his
character he said that they had been
given him by an old friend Of mine,
" ihiiic w CHS.
ms came very near being too much
Tor the authoress. but she repressed /
her mirth i
How long have you known Tomy"
she asked
rom! Why, | have known him
ever since we were little toddlers to-
gether' our homes having adjoined
each other"
Did ne say l gave you any points
as to your rharacter?"
Mr. Wheatleigh. though s,umn
was, so far us his own merits were
concerned. modest one He said that
Tom had endowed him with traits no
did not possess. Nevertheless he knay
that Miss Wells had spoken very high.
~ OF him. He was bent on Knowing
VINO she was and what had been this
enlid connection between them; but.
aithough he beat the bush necessarily.
ne uncovered nothing. At last Miss
Wells gave him all the Information no
wished and more. too. had he known
II was manufactured.
fou have evidently forgotten what
p"sseu oetween us the night you went
away she said. revealing what il was
oy dropping her eyes to the floor.
forgotten it! | shall never forget
IL. What said then repeat now.
am us unchanged as the rocks"
Then why did you never write?"
why didn't | write? Why, for the
jest oI reasons. broke my right arm
'nree days after we parted"
Miss Wells burst into laugh that
made the house ring When it subsid.
ea she told Mr.. Wheatleigh the whole
story He was as much delighted with
II as she was with the success of her
trick. ia
"eil. he said when it was nil .erA III
Tor once in my life I'm hero-tbe.
nero OF story. What saitls when
ast we met repeat now. / said then
.na' you were the girl for me. nu1
'ay 1t now I'll have no otI
Miss Wells laughed again. Il
.ec,aration as matter of
ana so II was at the time
sut the acquaintance havinx
pleasantly formed WAS co,<