The Van Buren press., 1877-05-01
The Wrong Coat.


would wear another aud leave that al
home, and SO, as ho had left it. she took
it from the hall and carried it into her
sewing room. Mrs. Wilton had been
married five years, and during that time
never had an unpleasant moment.
Mr., Wilton had been very attentive,
very kind, very generous, and never made
Ler 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 10 replace the torn portion, she was
thinking these thoughts
They had never had any children, bat
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 dearest, best, tru-
est fellow in the world said Eve Wilton
to herself "im not half good enough
lor him wonder what this is in his
pocket, 1t bulses it all out Of shape"
She put her hand into the breast pock-
ct, Ms she spoke and drew out a little
package, wrapped up in silver paper, and
tied with blue ribbon.
Something he has bought for me,
expect said Eve. 81 wonder what it
Is, Ithink ! won't open it Till he comes
home"
Then she laid the silk across the hole,
cut it ont and basted it down.
Il wonder what it is" said she. alt
doesn't seem like a book. 1t might be
lace, wound on IA card-real iaee.'
Shelooked at the package again.
do wonder what is, said she, hem
ming the patch down.
There wasn't much to mend, after
ALL" she said :" thought the tear much
longer. He caught it on nail at the of
ice, l know. Now, do wonder what is
in that package.
Eve put the coat over chair and cook
up the little package.
Tom wouldn't mind,' she said 81
will just take peep. I'm sure it's for
me-"
Then she undid. the ribbons, unfolded
the paper, and saw letters.
Dear Tom," said she :" He must
keep my old letters next his heart, and
he has never told me.
But the writing was not hers; she saw
that at u glance.
His mothers letters she said. "lIe
loved his mother So"
Then she began to tremhle a little, for
the letters did not begin My dear son"
nor anything Ike it. She cast her eyes
over. them
They were love letters.
Tom has loved some other woman
l,efore he met me- she SAID, beginning
to cry. "Oh, what shall do =
Then she cried out:
"Oh, foolish, foolish creatuse that
nm or course she died, and he loves
ine only now. 1t was all over before we
met. | must not mind
But there she pauaed. gave scream,
and threw the letter from her as though
it had been a serpent and had bitten her
1t was dated the past week. 1t was not
four days old.
"Oh!" cried Eve, oh, what shall
do2 Oh where shall 90 p
AT every cry thought pierced her
breast like an actual stab.
"Tom-my Tom! What shall | do ?
Tom to be false-Tom! Oh, / have
gone mad No. there they are: they are
eally there, those letters. Why do |
not die why do not diei Do peo.
pile ever live through such things as
,aesei"
Then she knelt down on the floor and
gathered up the letters. an! steadily read
them through,
There we're ten Of them. Such love
letters!
They were absurd love letters, such as
Il. 4
breach of promise, and they were all
sigued " Your own Nellie
ut is all true" said poor Eve, wiring
ing her hands, and it is worse than any
thing ever heard of. trusted him 50
] believed in him so"
Then she wiped her eyes, gathered up
the letters, packed them up, wrapped the
silver paper about them, tied the blue rib
hon, put them back in the breast pocket
OF that dreadful overcoat, and hung II in
the hall again,
Tom shall never know" she said !:
"Tlin not reproach him. | will never see
him again. When he comes home shall
he dead. will not live to bear this"
Then she sat down to think over the
best means Of suicide.
She could hang herself to the chande
lier with window blind coid but then
she would be black in the face and hide
GUS.
She cou.d drown herself, but then her
body would 90 floating down the river to
The sea, and drowned people looked even
worse than strangled ones.
She was too much afraid of firearms to
shoot horself even in this strait
She would take poison.
Yes, that would be best; and though
she would never see Tom again, lie would
zee her, and remorse would sting him.
Here she made great mistake
A man who is coolly treacherous to q
woman never had any remorse
Remorse in love-atfairs is purely fem.
mine qnaiity. and even the worst ol the
Sex are not withoutt
However, it is natural to believe that
femorse is possible to man whom one
has heretofore believed to be an angel in
human form, and Eve took little mise
liable comfort in the thought that rom
a,