Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-27


-, 49,: "a only enabled to use pen
~ ~ P Iot 3 piece of burning sponge on
.ne DAoF of my hand over the affected
snoo while this burns | feel only the
81 ting caused by its intense heat, and
" at is as nothing compared to the former
pain.
six months ago / was happy mar,
lived without care, upon nv income,
| and was in peace and friendship with ali
the world, enjoying all the pleasure that
man of thirty-fiVe fiEds to enjoy. A
year ago | maTried-married for love.
My choice fell upon beautiful, accom-
plished, warm hearted girl, the protege
of Countess in the neighborho0d. This
pOrtionless maiden loved me--not from
gratitude alone, though through me she
had become mistress of my home and
shsrer of all possessed-she had truly a
child-like love for me. For half year
each succeeding day brought me more
happiness than the last. When went to
the city for day, my wife couldscarcely
rest; when | returned, she came out 10
meet me mile from home; and once
when l had been helated, she never closed
her eyes the whole night long. When l
occasionally prevailed upon her to pay
visit to the Countess, who loved her ten
derly, she always returned the same day
1t seemed impossible for her to remain
more than halt day away from home
and me. Her love for me even went so
far that she gave up dancing rather than
rest her hand in the clasp OF another. In
word, my wife was an innocent child,
| who had no other thought than me.
II know not what demon one day
whispered to me, what If this be only
| assumed! Thus man, in the midst of
| tie greatest happiness, too often expert
ences an insane desire TO look for pain.
''My wife had little workable, the
drawer of which she kept invariably
locked. had often noticed that she had
never left I open; never, by any chance,
had forgotten to take out the key. This
thought began to trouble me; what had
she to coIceal from M; l was certainly
beside myself. l believed in her in1o-
cent countenance, her clear eyes, her
kisses, her embraces no more. What if
these were but parts of the deceptionl
lone day the Countess visited US. She
| came to take my wife home with her,
| overwhelming her with persuasions to go
and stay the whole day with her. oar
estates lay not far distant from one an
other, and l gave my wife promise to
| follow her soon.
Scarcely had the carriage left my
court yard, when collected together all
the keys could find, and with them
| sought to open the closed drawer. At
length l found one.
"a locker on would have taken me, as
| drew out the drawer, for one who for
the first time in his life was about COM
hitting theft. l was a thief, opening
/ secrets.
''My hands trembled as | came in con-
tact with the different things in the
drawer, but l carefully avoided creating
| any disorder that might betray my pres
ence. Suddenly my breast seemed as if
| crushed by iron hands; felt on the point
of suffocating. Under a roll of lace lay
a parcel of papers; quick as thought my
heart whispered they were letters; at the
first glance one would have known them
to be-lOve letters
''Hhe package was bound together By
roseNc0lored ribbon, embroidered with
silver. As touched the ribbon l thought
SIS tbs right? Is it not unworthy of an
honorable man thus to steal the secrets of
his wife-eecrets which belong to her
maidenhOod alone? Il she ausweTable to
me for her thoughts and feelings before
she became my wife2 Should be jeal-
&c F1,saF 81
of my existence But what if these
letters date since had right to watch
over all her thOughts-tO be jealous even
of her dreams-since she mas been my
Wife?n
81 united the ribbon. No one was
there; no mirror near to point ont on my
cheek the mounting flush of shame. |
opened one letter afteI another, and read
them TO the end.
'Ob, that was terrible
''Shall l tell you what was in those
letters The most despicable treachery
ever practicsd sgairst msn. My best
friend had written them; but in what
tone With what persuasive and pas
siOnate eiOquenCe did he speak therein!
How he planned anG cOunseled the course
d wife might take TO deceive her husband
And sll these letters were dated since our
maIriage-while l had been so happy
| find no . Ords 10 picture what l expert
enced on reading them. 1t was feeling
ike the work of deadly poison. l drank
the poison to the last drop. | read every
one OF those letters through by ITSELF
Then l laid them in order, bound them
together, covered them with the lace, and
locked the drawer.
'It was certain that my wife, if did
not go for her, would hasten home be-
fore evening. And so it was. how
quickly she sprang from the carriage and
ran toward me; how she embraced me,
how she kissed me! How happy she
was TO be with me again.
81 allowed her to see nothing Of the
revolution which had taken place within
me- We talked together, supped togeth-
er, aud retired as usual to our rooms,
which were side by side. | did not close
my eyelidE; awake, | counted the hours.
As the first quarter past midnight struck,
l stood in her chamber Like little an
gel in the midst of snowy clouds, lay her
lovely fair head in peaceful slnmber upon
the dazzling white pillows. What mon
sirOUs lie of nature, TO lend to sin features
so innocent. l was as determined, as
iLfexible, as mOnOmsniaC in his fixed
idea. The raging poison of Jealousy had
eaten into my soul. Shortly l laid my
hands upon her throat, and suddenly |
pressed them together. That moment she
opened her large, dark blue eyes, saw me
with amaze, then closed them slowly.
She was dead Sac died without having
time IN utter a word in her own defense,
peaceful as dream. As murdered her
she felt no singer toward me. Only g
single drop of blood, pressed out Of her
mouth, fell on the back of my hand;
where, you know but too well.
"She had no relations to Inquire into
the cause of her death; and l purposely
delayed sending out to my friends invita-
tons to her funeral until it was too late
for them to reach my place in time. No
one upon my estate had any suspicion of
the truth. Besides, was master; who
had any right to question met
"Wnen all was over, and was return
ing to my home, my conscience was not
burdeued in the least She had deserved
her fate, 1 thought of Ter no more.