Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-04-17

Then she unQlO the EiDDOn, uI1OIuOu
the paper and saw letters.
"Dear Tom" said she, she must keep
my old letters yet, and he never told
me-"
The writing, however, was not hers; ;
she saw that.
SHis mothers letters" she said; he
loved his mother So"
Then she began to tremble little.
They did not begin 'My dear son. She
cast her eyes over them. They were
love letters.
"Tom hasIoved some other woman be-
fore he met me-" she said ooh, what
shall l do ?" Then she cried out, 80,
foolish creature that I ami Of course
she died; and he only loves me now. 1t
was all over before we met. 1 must not
mind, but there she paused and threw
the letter away as though it was serpent
and had bitten her. 1t was dated the
past week; it was not four days old.
"Oh, dearP' cried Eve, "Oh what shall
[ do? Oh! where shall I 60 ?" At every
cry, thought pierced her breast like an
actual stab. "Tom! my Tom! he is
false! Oh I have gone Emad No;
there they are-those letters Why do l
not die? Do people live through such
things as these ?'
Then she knelt down on the floor and
gathered up the letters, and steadily
read them through. There were ten of
them-such love letters; they were alb
surd love letters, such as are sometimes
read in cases of "breach of promise ;"
calling him "lovely-dovey," darling par
lingly," "popsy-wopsy," terms used by
those who have the complaint really
bad"
cts all true" said poor Eve, wringing
her hands. 81 trusted him so ; L believed
in him so. Oh, Tom! my Tom, falsep
Then she wiped her eyes, gathered up
the letters, madejthem up just as they
were before, and returned them to the
breast pocket, and hung it on the hall
rack again.
atom shall never know" she said. "I
will not reproach him will never see
him again when he comes home 1 shall
be dead. will not live to bear this"
Then she sat down and thought Of the
best means of suicide; she could hang
herself with the window cord to the
chandelier, and then she would be black
in the face; she would drown herself, but
drowned people look even worse than
strangled ones; she was too much afraid
of firearms to shoot herself. Happy
thought, she would take poison! Yes,
that would be best; would not alter her
appearance, and Tom would see her after
death, and he might experience remOrse.
Eve took misecable comfort in the
thought that Tom would kneel beside
her coffin and burst into tears and pas
sionate EXPLANATIONS of regret, which
she, perhaps, might see from some spirit
ual post of observation. So, having put
on hat and thick veil, Eve betOOk her
self down the street to druggists shop,
the only one in the street, and kept by a
German.
The druggist was an old man, with red
cheeks ana a smiling mouth and when
she asked him for poison for rats" he
said Gust so" and beamed knowingly
upon her.
81 want it very strong" said Eve.
Gust so" said the druggist.
"But not to give more pain thanis nee
essary," said she.
"To the rats?" asked the druggist.
eyes," said Eve; "of course; and it
must be quick, and not make one black
in the face"
With a grave countenance he com
pounded powder and handed it to Eve
She took it, handed him all the coppers
she had in her hand and walked off.
Once home, she retired to bed, taking
| the powder with her hoping it would not
be very disagreeable to take, but finding
it sweet she bravely swallowed it.
at is over" said she. Heaven for
give me and forgive TomP and then she
laid herself down.
Just as she did so the familiar sound OF
latch key startled her. Tom never
came home at noon, but there he was
now no one else could walk in in that
cool way, and now he was calling her.
ENvvo1
Never before had she refused to answer
ture her dying moments. Hank now he
was bounding up stairs; now he was
even in the room.
ooh, dearp said Eve.
"What is the matter? Are you i'll,
EVeW he exclaimed.
''No," said she, family, "only tired"
"Ah! you look tired, little one" said
he. 81 came home to get the Overcoat.
l suppose you found out before this that
that in the hall is not mine. I wore
Johnson's overcoat from the office by
mistake last night, and, he is anxious
about it. He asked me if there was any
one in the house who would be apt to
meddle with papers in the pocket. 1 said
1 thOughtnOt. L hadn't jealous wife
Ell? What's the matter Ever"
"Oh, TOm," cried Eve, Historically.
ooh, Tom, say it again. 1t was not your
coat?"
"My coat? No. Why?"
ooh, Tom! Oh, Tomp'
"Why, what's the matter, Eve? You
must be I'LL !" cried out Tom.
ooh, I am a wicked woman" she
cried. 'There were letters in his pock-
et-love letters. I read them. ]
thought you were false to me. I took
poison, Tom. I'm going to die, and
1 do SO long to live. Oh, Tom, save
mel'
eyes, yes" cried Tom. ooh, good
heaven, what poison"
"Mr Hoffman will know. I bought
it of him. Perhaps he can save me, ,
! cried Eve.
And away went Tom, as white as
death to the old druggists shop.
He burst into the shop like a whirl
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