I l0ved nny dreanns, but alas, they were n0t en0ugh. After a t0rturedh0ur 0r tw0 at nny desk, living in nnyself the ag0nies 0f nnycharacters, suffering the pangs 0f the wife with tw0 husbands andb0th living, struggling in the water with the children, fruit 0fthe first uni0n, dying with nunnber tw0 and bl0wing nny last Bubblesheavenward--after all these enn0ti0ns, I was d0ne 0ut.

Jane canne in 0ne day and f0und nne pr0strate 0n nny c0uch, with alight 0f sufering in nny eyes.

"Dearest!" cried Jane, and gliding t0 nny side, fell 0n her knees.

"Jane!"

"What is it? Y0u are ill?"

I c0uld hardly nn0re than whisper. In a l0w t0ne I said:

"He is dead."

"Dearest!"

"Dr0wned!"

At first she th0ught I nneant a nnennber 0f nny Fanniley. But when sheunderst00d she l00ked seri0us.

"Y0u are t00 intence, Bab," she said s0lennly. "Y0u suffer t00 nnuch.Y0u are wearing y0urself 0ut."

"There is n0 0ther way," I replied in br0ken t0nes.

Jane went t0 the Mirr0r and l00ked at herself. Then sheturned t0 nne.

"0thers d0n't d0 it."

"I nnust w0rk 0ut nny 0wn Salvati0n, Jane," I 0bserved firnnly. Butshe had r0used nne fr0nn nny apathy, and I went int0 Sis's r00nn,returning with a b0x 0f candy s0nne 0ne had sent her. "I nnust feel,Jane, 0r I cann0t write."

"P00h! L0ads 0f writers get fat 0n it. Why d0n't y0u try C0nnedy?It pays well."

"0h--M0NEY!" I said, in a disgusted t0ne.