Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-02-21

mine ~
Then she wiped her eyes, gathered up
the letters, picked them up, wrapped
the silver paper about them. tied the
blue ribbon, put them back into the
awful breast-pocket of that dreadful
overcoat and hung it on the hall-raek
again.
'.Tom shall never know" she said.
'I'n not reproach him. l will never
see him again; when he comes home l
shall be 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 chandelier with a win
dow-blind cord, but then she would be
black in the face and hideous. She
could drown herself, but then her body
would go floating, 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 herself even in this strait. She
would take poison.
Yes, that would be best, and though
she would never see Tom again, he
would see her. and remorse would sting
him. Here she made great mistake.
A man who is coolv treacherous to
women never has any remorse. Re
morse in love affairs is a purely femi-
nine quality, and even the worst of our
Il l. 4.
natural to believe that remorse is pos
sible to a man whom one has heretofore
! believed to be an angel in human form,
and Eve, took little, miserable COM
fort in the thought that Tom would
kneel beside her coffin and burst into
tears and passionate exclamations OF
regret, which she, perhaps, might see
from some spiritual post of observation.
So, having put on a hat and a thick
vail, Eve betook herself down the street
and around the corner, to the nearest
German druggist.
The druggist was an old man, bene-
volent-loOking one, with red cheeks
and smiling mouth; and when she
asked for "poison for rats" he said
'.So," and beamed mildly upon her.
81 want it very tIong," said Eve.
"Sor' said the druggist.
''But not to give more pain than is
necessary" said Eve.
''To the rats?'' asked the druggist.
"Yes," said Eve, ''of course; and It
must be quick, and not make one black
in the face"
$50" said the druggist, slowly.
.'well," what l shall give you shall not
make de rat black in de face"
And with a grave countenance he
compounded powder and handed il
across the counter.
Eve took it, 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 ol
twice she tasted it with the tip of hel
tongue, hoping it was not very disa'
greeable. Then, finding it sweet, she
bravely swallOwedit.
cit is over" she said. "Oh. Heaven
forgive me, and forgive Tom"
And then she laid herself down upor
her pillow. just as she did so, the IA
miliar sound of latch-key in the door
below startled her. Tom never camt
home at nOon-but there he was now
no one else but Tom could walk in ii
that cool way, and now he was calling
her.
"Eye-Eve-Eve-w are you:'
Never before had she refused TO an
swer that voice. Why had he come t.
torture her dying nomentsg Hark-
Now he was bounding up the stairs
He was in the room.
"what is the matterf' Are you i'll
Eve?' he cried.
"No," said she, faintly-"only tired
"Ah. You look tired. little one,
| said he. Il came home to get the over
coat. I suppose you've found out HI
this time that that in the hall is no
mine. ] wore Johnson's overcOat hom
from the office last night by mistake
and he is anxious about it. He aske'
r me if there was any one in the hous
who would be apt TO meddle with pa
r pers or anything in the pockets. SAT-
[ thought not. L hadn't "a jealous wifi
-eh? What's the matter, Eve?"
.'Oh, Tom 20 cried Eve, Historically
.sOh, Tom, say il again. 1t was no
r your coat? On, Tom, kiss me-
"why, what is the matter, Eve?'
/ cried Tom. "You must be i'll"
Then Eve remembered all.
, "Oh, am a wicked woman. Tom !.
e she cried. There were letters in til
pocket-love letters. | read them.
e thought you false to me. I-Itook po
son, Tom. I'm going to die-and Ion
e to live so. Oh, Tom, save me-"
"Yes, yes,' cried Tom. 'Oh, goo
r Heaven. what poison?"
> .sMr. Hoffman will know. L bougf
it of him. Perhaps he can save me !!
: cried Eve.
And away went Tom, as white
D death, to the druggists around the eol
2 ner.
n He burst into the shop like whir
e wind.
e 1.-The LADY," he gasped. "The lad
e who bought poison here an hour ago
e She took it by mistake! Can you say
v her? Have you an antidoteg She
d dying"
{ "No, norr said the old German. Il
It calm, be at rest, No, no! she cann'
die of dat. When lady ask me Il
!, poison dat will not turn rat black
l de face, say to myself so: Il sinei
d someting;' and | gives her in de pap'
!, shust little sugar and something's. 81
! could take pound. Go home and te
!! her so. | never sells poison TO woman
Y dat cry and do not wish de rat to becou
IT black in de face. So-be calm"'
IL So Tom few home again, and Eve r
joiced; and after hearing that Johns'
u uaa siuUle man who admitted lir