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


Elsie Graham in a fit of pique and
jealousy, Margaret Preston, once his
betrothed wife, suffered more than
words can tell.
She nearly went mad with rage and
pride and wounded passion, but she had
sense enough to hide her heart from en-
vious eyes.
And when she was once more mistress
of herself she called upon the bride, and
Mrs. Manning who knew nothing of the
old love story, welcomed her heartily,
and told Frank on his return home that
she was delighted with his old friend
Miss Preston.
.sShe Cannot have cared for me,
thought Frank Manning, with pang
no husband should have felt at such a
thought, but the little wife never guess
ed it, and it did not harm her.
She returned the young ladys call,
and an intimacy began at once.
So that when the Mannings went to
their place in the country for the summer
season. Elsie sent warm invitation to
Miss Preston.
Margaret thought it over.
1t was an offer not to be despised by
fashionable girl with small income.
She desired to marry, and hotels at
watering, places were expensive.
All the men of their set would be at
NJ . nr another
The neighboring residents were people
of position. :,
She could dress and firt to her hearts
content. and Frank would see what a
prize he had lost, even while she gave
him plainly TO understand that she was
glad to have escaped the matrimonial
yoke.
And then she wrote a loving note to
Elsie and held an interview with her
dressmaker.
And Frank Manning-well, he had
loved this girl, and had married Elsie
because she had made him angry.
And Elsie was so sweet and mild and
gentle.
And now he was waiting for her COM
ing with a guilty feeling at his heart.
He wanted to see her, to sit by her, to
hear her sing. As her host he could do
this, at least.
He went to the depot to drive her
home.
Elsie had of course expected him to
do that. but she had not expected what
followed: for when they were IN the
little wagonette side by side, and she
turned and looked into his eyes, Frank
Manning had kissed the girl.
1t was night, and though the moon
was bright shady the lanes which led
to the park were still and lonely.
No human eyes looked down upon
them. and their lips had met so often
oh, SO often before.
But Margaret drew back and flushed
scarlet, and said:
..You forget you are a married man,
sir"
And Frank answered:
.Yes, did forget. Pardon me.
Then there was silence.
She had hoped that he might be
regretful of the past, but had not dreamt
that he would dare presume upon 1t.
For an hour or so after-the evening
was over-the long dinner. the music IN
the parlor. the talk, the walk in the
moonlight, with the young wife's arm
about her waist-Margaret intended to
make her visit very brief.
In little while however she changed
her mind.
She would stay; and this wife, who
boasted to her of her husbands love,
should suffer little also.
And now all that was evil asserted IT
self in Margaret Preston's heart, and
where evil once abides it grows stronger
day by day.
She laughed, she fiirted, she danced
with other men, but she met Franz
alone by the banks of the river.
She sang duets with this one, looked
merrily into the eyes of that, but IN the
lonely woods she sat by FRANK Sios
with his arm about her waist.
They talked freely of the past now.
He had confessed that she was ye
more to him than any other woman
more than his trusting, uhsuspiclou'
WIFE
Only that little life stood between
them. and often as Margaret looked q
Elsie, she felt that she should he glad u
see her in her coffin
Yet the end of her visit approached.
She must go, since she could have NJ
excuse for lingering, and in her absence
MIGHT not the wife win the heart of on'
who already respected and admired her
though his passion was another'sa
Surely.
So with the fiend's whisper IN he