The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-05-06


The empty sleeve OF army blue;
And worn and pale, from the crisping air,
Looked out o face that the father knew
For the heart must speak when the lips arc
dumb,
Under tho silent evening skies
Together they followed the cattle home.
Kate p. Qsgood, in Utica Observer.
MRS. JONES' ELOPEMENT.
Mr.. Jones came home one afternoon
feeling cross and tired Business had
been dull, and the clerks had been pro.
voking. When he felt out of sorts, as he
did that day, a nice supper and his wife's
company were the best antidotes he knew
Of, and he hoped to have them effect
cure in this instance, as they often had
in others.
But Mrs. Jones was OUT, the girl said.
She had been busy in her room all the
afternoon; she did not know what she
was doing. About an hour ago she had
put on her bonnet and gone out, and had
charged her to tell her husband that she
would not lie back till late in the even
ing. "Gonc out on particular business,
she said," added Bridget.
"Oh, particular businessv growled
Mr.. Jones, "1'd like to know what par
ticular business she hasa l should saw it
was wife's business to stay at home.
She knew, of course, fiat 1 was coming
home completely tired out, but that
doesn't interfere with her pleasure in the
least. She can enjoy herself just the
samc-probably all the more because I
am out Of the way. wish l knew where
she'd gone.''
He went up to her room to sec if she
had worn some of her oest clothes.
because if she has," reasoned Jones,
''she has gone off to have a good time
with some one she cares more for than
she does for me.''
Mr.. Jones' brow was blacker than a
thunder cloud at the thought. He was in
precisely that state of mind that makes
mountains out OF molehil,s,
But she hadn't worn any of her new
clothes.
1T can't be she's gone to party" con-
cluded Mr.. Jones, "or she'd have rugged
up more. 1t must be she's gone some
where else, and wants to keep dark. It
begins to look mysterious. A woman
doesn't generally go off in this way with
out saying something to her husband,
and wear her old clothes, without ITS
meaning something, I've Observed" said
Mr.. Jones solemnly to Mr.. Jones in the
glass. "Id like to know what it all
means, anyhow
1t was at this juncture that Mr.. Jones
discovered letter on Mrs. Jones' writing
desk. 1t is freshly written page, be.
ginning, "Dear Edward"
Mr.. Jones' hair raised on end when
his eagle eye caught sight of that name.
Could it be that his wife was in the hab-
it of writing letters to gentlemen? Per
haps she had gone to meet one now.
He read the letter through without
stopping to take breath from beginning
to end. 1t ran Us follows:
DEAR EDwARB:-I have read YOUR
very touching appeal over and over, un-
til every word Of it is stamped upon nv
heart. It has caused me to fight ter
rlble battle with myself. / love you
and there is no use of me denying it. I
cannot deceive myself, nor you, by so
doing. My duty is to stay with nv
husband. l loathe him-despise him:
as such I suppose he has claim on me.
in the eyes OF the world, that YOU have
not. But my darling, I love you and l
have come to the conclusion to cast nv
lot with yours. will do as you wish
'ne to: will meet you at the oak tree
tonight at ten o'clock. I hope shall
And here, at the bottom Of the page.
the letter broke off very abruptly. The
other side of the page was blank.
"Great Jchosaphat!' that was the
word that broke from Mr.. Jones' lips
when he finished. It was the nearest to
swearing OF any word he INDUCED in.
II ever he telt justified in using it he
did now: His face was sight to be-
hold. 1t was tuii of anger and surprise
ard complete bewilderment.
"She loves him, does she2" he eiaculat
ed, family, land I'm tyrant, am 1? The
wretched creature! She loathes me and
despises me, does shea I'll show her a
thing or two. Let me see-ten o'clock
at the oak tree. I'll be there, my dear,
and I'll teach your dear Edward some
thing be won't forget. I'll go this bless
ed minute and get a couple Of officers,
and we'll wait for you. I fancy we'll
surprise you little. Great Jehosaphat!
she's actually been deceivlng me ali the
time, and letting some other man talk
love to her, and coax her to elope with
MN. can't believe it, and yet can't
doubt 1t, tor here it is in her own writ
Ing. wouldn't have believed It if it
wasn't here in black and white; dear me !
wonder it can bear up under the aw
tul blow! What will folks say? shall
be ashamed to meet anybody. Oh. It is
awful-awful.'
Mr.. Jones wiped his face with his
handkerchief, and looked the very pic
ture of grief.
MIR. Jones was so ''struck all of q heap. "
TO use his own expression, by the terri
bic intelligence that no did not stop to
reason over the matter. He never once
thought that ''dear Edward" couldn't bv
any possibility have received this letter,
since it had not been sent. He ONLY
realized that his wife was going to run
away, and that she was going to meet
her lover at ten o'clock.
"l1l be there, my lady," said Mr.. Jones.
significantly putin on his ovcrcoat, pre-
paratory to setting out in search Of the
proper officers. 's11l be there, and III
give dear Edward something he didn 4
bargain for. Ill Edward him"
About nine o'clock Mr.. Jones and .
couple of officers came up the road stealth
1ly and seated themselves behind a clump
It bushes near the place where the two
main roads crossed each other.
Nov you mind what say" said Mr..
Jones, "1'u go for him, and you.keep out
ut the way till I'm done with him. III
mage him wish he never thought of such
thlng as making love to other mems
wives, see If I don't! I'll trounce him
within an inch Of his life, the contempt.
bic puppY u and Mr.. Jones atr,1clr o,,4