The Opelousas courier., 1883-12-15
THE1fff9LDAY REVIEW.

gone to meet this woman2 For the first time he
had evaded answering her questions. And how
guilty and2surried he had seemed. And so happy
and light-hearted too! A hundred words and
oh, Tom! Toni she cried wildly, how could
your Then, with a sudden storm of sobs, she}
broke down altogether, and sinking down upon the
floor, buried her face in the crumpled, shaggy over
coat and wept as if her very heart was breaking.
The fire burned low in the CRATE and the tinkling
clock struck eleven. This time she did not stop to
listen to it's silver chime.
Footsteps sounded along the walk and up the
steps. The front door was opened softly.
In the hall Tom paused, a smile upon his lips.
"Jessie's asleep, sure as fate"
Divesting himself of his outer coverings, he opened
the parlor door, cumming to himself a strain of a
popular air, which suddenly ceased as he caught
sight of the ~sobbing, shaking little figure on the
hearthrug.
Heavens! Jessie, what the matter?'
HI took one long step towards her, but at his
advance she sprang to hel feet with crimson cheeks
and dangerously sparkling eyes.
"Stand off, sir! Don't come near me"
"Great goodness! Jessie, what in the world
Don't mention my name SO soon after hersP'
But, jessie
''This Louie who calls you her darling!'
"Jessie!I'
Can you think of nothing better to say for your
self than to repeat my name? this with unnatural
calmnesS.
Tom stood and stared at her in absolute astonish-
ment. At length he managed to say in measured
accents, Jessie, have you-gone-mad?.
Ii l. NAVE, ulSCOFCI LIN CduSc-buGlC! anu SnG
scornfully flung him the crumpled letter Snatch
ing it eagerly, he read every word.
"Where did you get this, jester
"ThereP' She pointed dramatically to til tumbled
overcoat.
s'There?' Tom bent forward and picked up the
coat. He glanced from the note to the coat, from
the coat to the note, and back again to his wife.
She was trying desperately to control her voice
sufficiently to ask him in q cool, sarcastic manner
how he had enjoyed the evening; but she could not,
to save her life.
There was a blank silence a moment, then Tom
bent down and raised a square white envelope from
where it had futtered unobserved beneath the low
chair.
signal for-what? Not a laugh, surely?
Yes, a taught The merriest, widest peal that ever
rang from human lips.
Toni faltered the amazed little wife.
"Yesp' howled Tom. ooh, Jessie you are fooled
this timel It's the best Joke yeti oh-h-hal hal hal'
7 And he roared again.
'Tom-tell mer'
Then seeing her white, anxious face he grew sud
Jessie, did you notice the envelopes"
Il saw one
He showed her the slip that had fallen under the
chair.
She read the address:
( THOMAS HARVEY, ESQ,
1913 - St., City.
Jessie, did you particularly observe the date2'
.Yes;-Wednesday."
Il Tom polntedto the postmark, which showed plainly
u the date, FEB. Is, 1885, on the envelurs.
Jessie, isit possible you have quite forgotten my
: old chum and roommate, Tom Harvey, who was
best man at our wedding, and who was in love with
: pretty Louie Walters, whom his mother didn't want
him to marry because she had picked out an heiress
/ for him? You know Tom and / were inseparable
= and such cronies that We bought overcoats just alike
and were neveryery particular which we Wore--anC
! so-you see-but long before this rather long but
y perfectly convincing explanation was finished, Mrs
L Tom WAS SObbinp and aSkiOp f0rpiVanacc in ba,