Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-09-21

ears, Margaret Preston walked out alone
making the purchase of some little tribe
In the village an excuse for solitary
hour.
For while she battled with her hate
Tor Elsie, knowing her to have none bu,
friendly feelings to herself. but it over
powered her at last.
Then suddenly-surely Satan was
whispering in her ears-she remembered
that she had heard of a drug, which,
though almost an instantaneous poison.
left little trace, and was tasteless.
For a moment she trembled and
flung the suggestion from her: but Satan
is strong.
There was drug store in the village,
and the proprietor had left young,
empty-pated clerk in charge.
The pois n which would not have been
sold by the older man to any stranger
without a doctors prescription, was
dealt out without a thought by this boy,
and Margaret went home with the tiny
packet hidden in her bosom.
Elsie was watching for her coming
from the verandah.
She came forward to meet her guest
with sweet smile.
''The others have had lunch" said
she. ''but 1 waited for you. 1 have had
cur little table set in the bow-window,
with the view of the river. We shall
have such a cosy time"
/ Then she led the way to the dining
room, Margaret following and tossing
her hat and mantle on a sofa.
The young hostess poured the coffee
and handed cup to her guest, taking
one for herself.
At that moment some one called from
the hall:
''Come, both of You. Something to
see."
1t was only great pleasure barge
going up the river with a picnic party.
Elsie left the table and ran into the
room.
Margaret delayed an instant before
she followed.
In that little space of time she had
emptied the poison into poor Elsie's
cup of coffee, and thrust the crumpled
paper that had held it back into her
bosom.
Elsie returned first.
As she seated herself she happened to
notice that the cup she had passed to
Margaret was overfilled.
1t looked untidy; neither had yet
been tasted.
And with the natural impulse of a
careful hostess Elsie changed the cups.
Little did she guess what she was
doing.
She oxly desired to set before her
guest that which was neatest.
And little did Margaret know what
had happened in that brief instant.
| She looked to see her rival turn pale.
She watched for some token that the
poison had begun its work.
Instead she herself felt strange faint
ness creeping over her, was conscious of
a sudden agony.
The fate she had decreed for the inno-
cent young wife was to be her own, and
it came too swiftly to leave much time
for thought.
Before the man who had ridden fast
and furiously across the country to find
the nearest doctor had performed his
errand, all was over.
Dying, Margaret Preston understood
only that in some way Providence had
outwitted her.
"Pray for me-" she whispered to
Elsie. 81 dare not pray for myself. "
And with her hand held fast between
Elsie's hands, with Elsie's tears falling
fast upon her pillow. Margaret died.
They found the crumpIed paper with
''poison" written on it In her bosom.
The coroner's jury gave verdict OF
suicide, and remorse filed Frank Man.
ning's heart, for he believed that Mar
garet Preston had killed herself because
she could not live without him.
In his troAble he made sort of con-
fession to his wife.
No man ever made full and true one
under such circumstances.
What Elsie gathered from it was that
her own attractions had made him forget
those of Margaret Preston, and that the
Ioor girl could not endure the sight OF
their mutusl tenderness and so to this
day she believes, and often goes with
her husband to the churchyard where
Margaret lies, and with her own fan
hands plants flowers upon the grave Of
the woman who would fain have done
her to death that she might win for hel
own the husband who, though not a:
true and perfect as Elsie believes him
now loves her very fondly; loves her
though he remembers with a pang the
passionate creature who as he fancie'
died for love of him.
In this world the truth will never bs
known, and it is better that it should
not be.
Recent investigations respecting tn
chemical constituents Of tobacco fumes