The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-04-06

sible to man whom one has heretofore
believed to be an angel in human form,
and Eva took little miserable comfort
in the thought that Tom would kneel
beside her coffin and burst into tears
and passionate EXPLANATIONS of regret,
which she, perhaps, might see from
some spiritual post of observation. So,
having put on her hat and thick veil,
Eva took herself down the street, and
around the corner, to the nearest Ger
man druggist.
The druggist was an old man, a be-
nevolent looking one, with red cheeks
and a smiling mouth; and when she
asked for "poisOn for rats,n he said
'So!" and beamed mildly upon her.
81 want it very strong," said Eva.
'So!" said the druggist.
but not to give more pain than is
necessary" said Eva.
ITO the rats ?" asked the druggist.
"Yes," said Eva, "of course; and it
must be quick, and not make one black
in the face"
And with q grave countenance he
compounded a powder and handed it
across the counter.
Eva took it and paid the few cents he
asked, and walked away. Once home
she went at once to her room and un-
| dressed herself and retired to bed, TAX
ing the powder with her. Once or twice
she tasted it with the tip of her tongue,
hoping it was not very disagreeable.
Then, finding it sweet, she bravely
swallowed it.
at is over" she said. "Oh Heaven,
forgive me, and forgive Tom"
And then she laid herself down upon
her pillow. Just as she did so the ia,
miliar sound of latch key in the doOl
below started her. Tom never came
home at noon-but there he was now
no one else but Tom would walk in il
that cool way, and now he was calling
her.
"Eva-Eva-Eva- are you p
Never before had she refused to an
swer that voice. Why had he come Il
torture her dying moments? Hark-
Now he was bouncing up stairs. HI
was in the room.
"What is the matter? Are you i'll
Eva" be cried.
mo-" she said faintly-"only tired
"Ah! You look tired, little one," saiC
he. "I came home to get the Overcoat
l suppose you've found out by this tim,
that that in the hall is not mine; | WOr
last night by mistake, and he is anx
ious about it. He asked me if there wa
any one in the house who would be ap
to meddle with papers or anything il
the pockets. l said | thought not.
hadn't jealous wife-eh? What's tn
matter, Eva ?"
"Oh, TOmW cried Eva, hysterically
"Oh, Tom, say it again! it was no
your coat? Oh, Tom, Kiss me-"
"Why, what is the matter, Eva?'
cried Tom. "You must be illm
Then Eva remembered all.
"Oh, l am a wicked woman, Toni
she cried. "There were letters in th
pOcket-love letters. 1 read them.
thought you false to me. II took poi
) SOD, Tom. Pm going to die-and lon
to live so. Oh, Tom, kiss me-"
ayes, yes" cried Tom. "Oh, goo
heaven, what poison ?"
'Mr. Hoffman will know. I bough
it of him. Perhaps he can save me-!
cried Eva.
I He burst into the shop like a whirI
! wind.
"The ladyp' he gasped. 'The lad
, who bought poison here an hour ago
She took it by mistake. Can you say
her? Have you any antidote? She
! dyingW
mo, now said the old German. "B
, calm, be at rest! No, no; she cannc
t die of dat. When a lady ask me fo
| poison dat will not turn rat black i
face l say to myself so: 4 smells some
things and l give her in de pader shus
a little sugar and something's. Sh
could take pound. Go home and te
r her so. L never sells poison to woman
r dat cry and do not wish de rat to becom
t black in de face. So be calm"
r So Tom flew home again, and Eva re
joiced; and hearing that Johnson was
single man, who admitted himself to
engaged, she did not rip the patch q
she had at first infandad