Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-08-21

L was OOllScu W 20 W IeStu AuO leave
my home for day my wife had not
moments peace. She would come two
miles on the road to meet me. If was
belated she would stay awake all night,
waiting for me, and if, by dint of en-
treaty, she was prevailed upon to 60 and
see her former mistress, who was still
very fond of her, no power on earth
could keep her there more than half a
day, and even then her regrets for my
absence put the others out of temper.
Her fOndness for me went so far as to
make her give up dancing, so as not to
be obliged to put her hand into a
strangers; and nothing caused her such
grave displeasure as the compliments she
for my wife an innocent child, who had
no thought but for me, and who would
confess her dreams to me as enormous
crimes if she had not dreamt of me.
"One day I know not what demon
whispered in my ear, *Supposing all this
were only dissimulation?' Men are
mad enoug h to seek how they can tor
ment themselves in the midst of the
greatest happiness.
"My wife had q workable. tn
drawer of which she kept CAREFUL
locked. had noticed this several times
She never forgot the key, and never le;@5
the drawer open.
"The question ran in my head,
What can she be hiding from me
there?' had taken leave Of my senses.
l no longer believed either in the inno-
cence of her face or in the purity of her
eyes, in her caresses or in her kisses.
Suppose all that were nothing but n.y.
pocrisy?
"One morning the countess came
again to fetch her, and after much en-
treaty succeeded in deciding her to
spend the day with her. Our estates
were some miles apart, and I promised
my wife to 60 and join her.
As soon as the carriage had left the
courtyard l gathered together all the
keys of the house and tried them in the
lock of the little drawer. One of them
opened it. I felt like man committing
his first crime. was a thief about to
surprise the secrets of a feeble woman.
My hands trembled I drew from out the
drawer, prudently, carefully, one by
one, the objects contained therein, SO
that no confusion should betray that a
strange hand had ransacked them. NY
breast heaved; I was well-nigh suffocat-
ed. Behold, suddenly, beneath mass
of lace, 1 had placed my hand on a
packet of letters! I felt as if fash of
lightning has passed from my head to
my heart. Alas! one glance told me
what these letters were! They were
love letters
"The packet was tied by a pink rib.
bon with silver edge.
As l touched the ribbon the thought
occurred to me: Is this right? Is this
work worthy Of an honest man? To steal
the secrets of womanl Secrets which
belong to the time when she was young
girl! Can ask her to render an account
OF the thoughts she had before she be-
longed to me. Can I be jealous of a
time when she did not know me? Who
could suspect her of fault? Who?
was base enough to do SO, and the devil
again whispered in my ear: tSupposin Z
that these letters were of time when /
had already right to all her thoughts,
right to be jealous even of her dreams,
when she was already mine7' I united
the ribbon. No one saw me. There wa.
was not even a mirror in the room to
make me blush for myself. l opened
one letter, then another, and read them
to the end"
"Oh what fearful hour that was fol
me! What did those letters contain
The vilest betrayal of which man was
ever yet the victim; and they were writ.
ten by one of my most intimate friends!
And in what strain! what passion
what certainty of his love being shared
How he spoke of secrecy! What coun.
sells he lavished on the art of deceivinp
a husband! And all these letters were
of a time when was married and per.
tectly happy! Shall I tell you what
felt? Imagine the intoxication caused
by deadly poison. l drank deeply OF
that poison. read all the letters; all
Then refolded them, retied the ribbon
replaced the packet, and shut thu
drawer.
~ knew that if did not 20 for he]
at IL o'clock she would come back from
the countesse's in the evening. And *
it happened. She got down hastily from
the carriage and ran towards me as
stood waiting for her on the steps. Sh,
kissed me with extreme tenderness anc
seemed to be very glad to be with. MI
again. let nothing be seen on my face
We talked, we supped together and the1
retired to our separate bedrooms. I die
not close my eyes. Wide awake,
counted every hour. When the clocl
struck quarter past midnight got u,
and passed into her bedroom. Their,
was the beautiful blonde head buried il
the white pillows. It is just that angel
are ''vpicted ii the midst of white clouds
What a frightiul lie was this on the par
OF nature; vice with face of such limo
cence! My resolution was taken. Ihat
the stubbornness of the mad man hauntet
by fixed idea. The poison had cor
roded my whole soul.
"lPlsced my right hand gently undel
her throat and strangled her. Sh,
opened tor one moment her large, dar|
blue eyes, looked at me with astonish
ment, then closed them and died. Sh,
died without struggling against me, as i
falling asleep. She was never anpr,
with me, not even when l killed 6ei
One drop of blood fell from her moutl
on the back of my hand. You know
where; I did not perceive it until tn,
nextday, when it had dried. We burie,
her without any one suspecting tn
truth. I lived there in complete soil
tude; who was there to control m,
actionsf She had neither relatives mo-
protectors to question me on the sdbiec
and designedly put off writing to m.
friends, 80 that none of them coule
arrive in time.
"On coming back from the vault die
not feel the slightest weight on my con
science. / had been cruel, but she de
served it. I did not hate her; coul(
forget her; hardly thought about it
Never did man commit murder will
less remorse than l.
"On my return, 4 found in tn,
chateau the countess so often men
TONED. My measures had been 80 vel
taken that she also arrived too late TO-
the funeral. She seemed much agitatet
on seeing me. Terror, sympathy, grie
IL know not what-m her speak X
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