Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-02-06

| purely feminine quallly, anu even tho
| words of the sex are not without it.
However it is natural to believe that
remorse is possible to q 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 by her coffin and
burst into tears and passionate eIcla-
nations OF regret, which she, perhaps,
might see from some spiritual point Of
observation. So, putting on her hat
and thick veil, Eva went around the
corner to the nearest druggist-a Ger
man.
The druggist was an old man, a be-
nevolent looking one, with red cheeks
and smiling mouth and when she
asked for poison for rats he said
so! y and beamed mildly upon her.
4 want it very strong said Eva.
so = said the druggist.
But not to give more pain than Is ne
cessary,' said Eva.
To the rats p asked the druggist.
Yes said Eva, of course and it
must be quick, and not make one black
in the face
And, then, with perfect gravity Of
countenance he compounded powder
and handed it to her.
Eva took it and paid the few cents he
asked and walked away. Once home,
she went at once to bed, taking the
powder with her. Once or twice she
tasted 1t with the tip Of her tongue,
hoping it was not very disagreeable.
Then finding it sweet she bravely
swallowed it all.
1T ia over she said. 'Oh Heaven,
forgive me and forgive Tom
And thea she laid herself down on
her pillow. Just as she did SO the fami'
liar sound of a latch-key in the door
below started her. Tom never came
home at uooE-but there he was now )
no one else would walk in that cool
way, and now he was calling her.
'Eva-Eya-wher are you"
Never before had she refused to ans
wer that voice. Why had he come
home to torture her dying moments ?
Now he was bouncing upstairs, He
was in the room.
What is the matter? Eva you Ill,
Eva p he cried.
No. she said, family, only tired
All you do look tired, little one
said Ne, L came home to get the over
coat. Isuppose you've found out by
this time that the one in the hall is not
mine wore Johnson's overcoat home
from the Office last night by mistake,
aud he is anxious about it. He asked
me if there was any one in tie house
who would be apt to meddle with the
papers Or anything in the pockets. l
said thought not. l hadn't jealous
wife-eh. What's the matter p
oh, Tom, say il again it was not
your coat Oh, Tom!
Why. what on earth is the matter |"
cried Tom. You must be ILL.,
Then Eva remembered it all.
oh, am a wicked woman, Tom y
she cried. There were letters in tho
pocket-love letters. / read them. l
thought you false to me. IL took
poison, Tom. long to live now. Oh,
Tom. kiss me y
Yes, yes = cried Tom. Good Heav-
ems, what poison p
'Mr. Hoffman viii! know. 1 bought
it ofhm. Perhaps he can save me,
cried Eva.
He burst into the druggists shop like
wlrlwlnd.
The lady !! he gasped. The lady
who bought poison here an hour ago
She took it by mistake. Can you save
her? Have you an antidote? She is
dying y
No. no, said the old German. "Be
calm, be at rest. No; she cannot die
ofdat. When lady ask me for poison
dat will not turn de rat black in do
face, say to myself, so T.? l smell some
dings,' and l give her in de paper
shoots a little sugar and Something's.
She could take a pound. Go home and
tell her so. never sell poison to a
woman dat cry and do not wish de rat
get black in de face. SO be calm.'
So Tom flew home again, and Eva
rejoiced and, hearing that johnson
was a single man, who acknowledged
himself to be engaged, she did not rip
( the patch as she first intended to.