The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-04-06
JohnsOn's 0Vercoat.


She had promised him that she would
mend the lining of bis new overcoat, if
he would wear another and leave that
at home. And SO, he had left it, she
took it from the hall rack and carried it
into her sewing-room.
She was Mrs. Wilton, and she had
been married five years, and never
never-never during that time had had
one unhappy moment. Mr.. Wilton had
been very attentive, very kind, very
generous, and never made her jealous.
She often said she was the happiest
woman living. Now, as she looked at
the lining and compared the silk with
which she was about to replace the torn
portion, she was thinking these
thoughts.
They had never had any children, but
when people are all in all to each other,
that is no very great grief. All her
care was for him-all his for her.
"And he is just the best, dearest, tru-
est fellow in the world" said Eva Will
ton to herself. "I'm not half good
enough to him. I wonder what this is
in his pocket; it bulges it all out of
shape"
She put her hand in the breast pocket
as she spoke and drew out a little pack
age wrapped up in silver paper and tied
with blue ribbon.
Something he has bought for me, 1
expect" said Eva. "I wonder what it
is. l think I won't open it until he
comes home;" then she laid the silk
across the hole and cut it out and basted
it down.
al wonder what it is" said she. ''Tom
did mean to get me an opera glass, l
know; but this is not the shape of the
parcel. It doesn't seem like a book. 1t
might be lace wound on a card-real
lac"
She looked at the package again.
81 do wonder what it is ?" said she,
and hemmed the patch down.
There wasn't much to mend, after
ALL" she said. az thought the tear
much longer. He caught it on a nail at
what there is in that package"
Eva put the coat over a chair and
took up the little parcel.
"Tom wouldn't mind" she said. 81
will just take peep. I'm sure it is for
me-"
Then she undid the ribbon, unfolded
the paper and saw letters.
"Dear Tom," said she, "he must keep
my old letters next to his heart, as be
has told me.n
But the writing was not hers; she
saw that at a glance.
''His mothers letters" she said. "Ht
loved his mother So"
Then she began to tremble little, fol
the letters did not begin: "My deal
son." nor anything like it.
She cast her eyes over them. They
were love letters.
"Tom has loved some other woman
before he met me-" she said, beginning
to cry. "Oh, what shall do ?n Ther
she cried out: "Oh, foolish, foolish crea,
ture that 1 am! OF course she died, anC
he only loves me now. 1t was all ovel
before we met. must not mind"-but
there she paused, gave a scream, anc
threw the letter from her as though il
had been a serpent and had bitten her
1t was dated the past week. 1t was mo-
four days old.
''Oh !oh oh ~ cried Eva. "Oh what
shall do2 Oh, where shall I go?" Al
every cry a thought pierced her breas
like an actual stab. "Tom, my Tom
What shall l do? Toni Tom! He to bt
false-Tom! Oh, l have gone mad! No
There they are! They are really there
those letters! Why do | not die? DE-
RSOPAC NV bhAOASh ShOA luluHS a.
these ?n
Then she knelt down on the floor anC
gathered up the letters and steadily
read them through. There were ten O
them. Such love lettersI No other in
depreciation could be put upon them
They were absurd love letters-sueh a.
are always produced in court in cases O
breach of promise. And they called
him "Popsy Wopsy," and "Darlinl
Parlingy," and "Lovey Dovey," anC
''Own Sweetness and "Your own Mel
lie."
SIT is all true" said poor Eva, wiring
ing her hands. "And it is worse thai
anything l ever heard of. | trusted
him so. believed in him so. My Ton
-miner
Then she wiped her eyes, gathered VI
the letters, packed them up, wrapper
the silver paper around them, tied tht
blue ribbon, put them back in the awfu
breast pocket of that dreadful overcoat
and flung it on the hall rack again.
"TOm shall never know" she said
"pll not reproach him. | will never
see him again; when he comes home
will be dead. 1 will not live to beal
this"
Then she sat down to think over the
means OF suicide. She could hang her
self to the chandelier with window.
blind cord, but then she would be black
in the face and hideous. She could
drown herself, but then her body wouIC
go floating down the river to the sea
and drowned people looked even worse
than strangled ones. She was too muct
afraid of firearms to shoot herself ever
In this strait. She would take poison
Yes. That would be best; and though
she would never see Tom again, ht
would see her, and remorse would sting
him. Here she made a great mistake
A man who is coOlly treacherous t.
woman never has any remorse. Re
morse in love affairs is a purely femi.
nine quality, aud even the worst of oul
sex are not without it. However, it is
natural to believe that remorse is DOS.