The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-03-29
EVE.

She had promised him that she
would mend the lining of his new
overcoat, if he would wear another
and leave that at home. And so, as he
had left it, she took it from the halt.
rack and carried it into her sewing.
room.
She was Mrs. Wilton, and she had
been married five years, and never
neyer-never during the 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 com
pared 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.
sAnd he is just the best, dearest.
trnest fellow III the world SAID Eve
Wilton to herself. I'm not half good
enough for him. wonder what this
ia in his pocket--it bulges it all ont Of
shape
She put her hand into the breast
pocket as she spoke, and drew out a
little package wrapped in silver paper.
and tied with blue ribbon.
Something he has bought for me, I
expect said Eve. L wonder what it
is. l think ont open it tilfhe comes
home ; then she laid the silk across
the hole and cut it out and basted it
down.
Il wonder what it 49, said she. Tom
did mean to get an opera glass, know,
but that is not the shape of the parcel.
1t doesn't seem like book. 1t might
be lace wound on card-real lace
She looked at the package again.
Il do wonder what it is,' sid she,
and hemmed the patch down.
There wasn't much to mend, after
ALL she said. Il thought the tear much
longer. lie caught it on nail at the
office, l know. Now l do wonder
what there is in that PACKAGE
Eve put the coat over a chair and
took up the little parcel.
Tom wouldn't mind, she said.
will just take peep. I'm sure it's for
me-
Then she undid the ribbon, unfolded
the paper, and saw letters.
Dear Tom,' said she, 'he must keep
my old letters next his heart, and he
never has told me-
But the writing was not hers; she
saw that at glance.
'His mothers letters she said he
loved his mother so.'
Then she began to tremblc a little,
for the letters did not begin: my
dear SON. nor anything like it.
She cast her eyes over them-they
were love-letters.
Olu uaS lOtCu eOiuC OtHSi WOmaH
before he met me- she said, beginning
to cry. 'Oh, what shall 1 do?' Then
she cried out: 'Oh, foolish, foolish
creature that L am! OF course she
died, and he only loves me now. 1t
was all over before we met. l must
not mind but there she paused, gave
, scream, and threw the letter from
her as though it had been serpent
and bitten her. 1t was dated the past
week. 1t was not four days old.
sOh! oh! oh!' cried Eve. sOh,
what shall l do? Oh, where shall i
go?' at every cry a thought pierced
her heart like an actual stab. Tom,
my Tom! What shall | do? Tom!
Tom! lie to be iaise-Tomi Oh, l
have gone mad! No. There they are!
They are really there-those let,ersl
Why do 1 not die? Why 90 not die?
Do people live through such things as
thesei'
Then she kuclt down on the floer
and gathered up the letters, and stead
lily read them through. There were
ten OF them. Such love-letters! No
other Interpretation could be put upon
them. They were absurd love.letiers
such as are always produced in court
in cases of breach of promise. And
they called him POpsy Wopsy,' and
Darling Parlingy,' andLovey Dovey,'
aud 'Own Sweetness and angel OF
my Soul, and they were all signed
sYour own Nellie.'
'Its all true,' said poor Eve, wiring
ing her hands, sAnd trusted him SO.
I belieYed in him so. My Tom
mine!'
Then she wiped her eyes, gathered
up the letters, wrapped the silver pa
per about them, tied the blue ribbon,
and put them back in the awful breast
pocket of that dreadful overcoat, and
hung it on the hall rack again. - -