The Keota news., 1921-03-18
AN IMAGINARY
HUSBAND
D. VICTOR REDcLIFFE.
(ceDyrtghs. 1879. wsssssa Newspaper Uatos

pipe, IN ash tray aud . fancy smOk.
Ing stand. At once In their inquisi.
tive. babbiing circle the decision was
arrived at that the lady In question
was about to become . devotce OF the
weed.
A little later. after q shopping visit
to the city. one Of her packages was
left In the train. Tho conductor re-
stored II to her. but not until he had
Informed his wife that Il had con.
tained Q pair Of lounging slippers.
mans size. and the imputation spread
that Miss Martin had . beau and wss
going to get married. Several busy.
bodies visited Miss Martin hoping to
get . sight Of the Suspicious articles
enumerated. but obtained no sight Of
the same.
'rhose old cats !" volubly denounced
little Matilda Brown. the maid whom
Miss Martin employed. and who was
true blue and full Of love toward the
kind mistress who treated her ~ con.
sidcrateiy % she would . relative.
She Was talking to . neighbor. THE
idea! They Just came snooping
around 10 see II they could get hold
of some mean thing to say about the
loveilest lady 10 the world. Why
haven't they got sense enough to guess
that Miss Martin has been making
some presents to her cousins down at
Evansville. who got married last
month";
But Matilda's mind was full OF
secret uneasiness while she thus de.
Tended her beloved mistress. and she
uarve,ed at great mystery concealed
within the precincts Of the pretty little
cottage home. For neither smoking
outfit nor sllppers had been sent away.
They repoeed at that very moment In
a room which recently Miss Martin
had transformed from Q library into
q den. and q mans den. at that. She
kept that especial apartment securely
locked up when strangers were around.
bot she could not hide its existence
from Matilda. Bit By bit she had fur.
nlshed Il, and ~ various articles Of
comfort and luxury adapted to man.
kind solely were set in place. Matilda
solved the enigma to her own salts
faction 10 the cautious soliloquy:
"She's got an imaginary husbandi"
Yes. Matilda had correctly figured
out the pusxle. and soon she knew .
great deal more about Il. Miss Mar
tin. twenty-six. but still girlish. had
never been wooed. She regretted the
fact ~ she grew older. for life was
monotonous and lonely. There was
only one epistle In her life that had
approximated real interest In Q mem.
bef of the other sex on her part. About
q year previous Alan Frisble. whom
she had known since he was q school.
mate. had come to her on the score Of
long. time friendship.
''Teresa." he sad said. ri an not do.
Ing well In this town, and I want to
try my luck further west. I need 500.
and I want you to loan II to me II
you have It and can spare Il, to be
faithfully repaid later. wish to
leave ~ security my dead mothers
diamond ring, worth more thnn the
amount"
you offend me by limiting ut such
q thing ~ security" declared Teresn,
hut he pressed the pledge upon her.
Then. With tears In his eyes he lifted
her hand to his lips and kissed II. and
wept with deep emotion.
you are the noblest Of womankind,
Teresa, and life IL worth q lot II II
has been only to l1nd such q true, good
friend T"
A month later from q thousand