Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-03-24
A woMAN's CURIOSITY.

so he bad left il, she took it from the hall rack
and carried il into her sewing-rcom.
She was Mrs. Wilton and she bad been mar
,ied FIVE years, and neSer-Deyer-neVer du-
Ing that time hsd 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 happest 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 bad any children. but when
people are all 10 all to each other that is no
very great grief. All her care was for him
And he is Just the dearest, best, truest fel-
low in the xorld" said Eve Wilton to herself.
" I'm not half good enough for him. won
der what this is in his pocket it bulges it all
out of shape"
She put her hand into the breast pocket as
she spoke and drew out little package wrap
ped up 10 silver paper, and tied with blue rib
bon.
Something be has bought for me, ex-
pect, said Eve 81 wonder what it is?
think 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, | know
but that is not the shape Of the parcel. Il
doesn't seem like book. It might be lace
wound on a cari-real lace
She looked at the package again.
al wonder what it is ?" said she, and hem
med the patch down.
"Th.ro wasn't much to mend after all q
she said Il thought the tear much longer.
He caught i; on a nail at the Office, know
Now do wonder what there is 10 that pack
age ?"
Eve put The Goa. over chair and took up
The l:tc parcel.
"Tom wouldn't mind" size said. al will
lust take peep. I'm sure it is for me-"
Then she undid The ribbon, uufolded the pa
per- and saw letters.
Dear Tom" said she, "he must keep my
old letters next bis heart, and he never has told
me.
But tho writing was not hers, she saw that
at a glance.
4" His mothers letters" said She "IIe low
ell his mother So"
Then she began to trembe little, for tho
letters did not begin: My dear son, }" nor any
thing 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. ooh
what shall do?' Then she cried out: "Oh
sh-foolish-crcature that | am! O
course she died, and he only loves ne now. il
was all over before we met must no. mind
but there she paused, gave a scream and
threw the letters from her as though i. la
been serpent and had bitten her. IL was
dated the past week. 1t was not four days
old.
"Oh! oh oh {" cried Eve cob, Nha
shall do? Oh, where shall go?" Al eve
~ cry thought pierced her breast like an ac'
tual stab "Tom, my Tom what shall do
Tom Tom? lie TO be fnlse-Tom Oh,
have gene mad No There they are They
are really there-those letters Why do
not die q? Do people live through such thing
as these ?"
Then she Enclt dow1 on The floor ah gail eT
ell up The letters, and steadily read then
through. There were ten Of them. Such low
letters No ether Interpretation could be Pu
upon them. They were absurd love letters
such as are always produced in court in case
Of breach Of promise. And they called him
"Porsy Wopsy," and Darling Parlingy,
and "Loyey Djvey," and Own Sweetness,
AMI "Anscl Of ny Soul" and they were oil
signed "Your own Nellie"
"Itis oil true A" said poor Eve. wringine
her hands. "And it is worse thanIanythine
ever heard o. trusted him SOL believed
in him 50. sly Tom-mine ~
Then she wiped ber eyes, gathered up The
letters packed them up, tel the blue 'ibbon
On. them back in the awful breas. pocket oI
that dreadful oyercoar, and hung it on the hall
rack again.
TON shall never know" She said. "lI
not reproacl him. Twill never zee him again
when he comos home shall be dead. will
not lige to bear this"
Then she sa, down TO Thick over the best
means Of suicide. She could hang herself tc
the chandelier with window-blind cord. bu;
then she would be black 10 the face and hide.
ous. She could drown herself, bat then bet
body would go floating, floating do&n tie river
to the sea and drowned people looked even
worse than straDgleI ones. Size was too much
afraid Of frerearms to shoot herself, even in
this s,Tai, She would take poison.
Yes, that would be the best and though
she would never see Tom again, he would see
her, and remorse would sting him. Here she
made a great mistake.
a man who is cody treacherous to women
never has any remorso Remorse in love az
fairs is 4 purely feminine quality, aud eyen the
worst Of our sex are not without il. However
II is natural to believe that remorse is possible
10 a nan whom ooe has heretofore believed To