Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-12-25

"And men can love like thisIn she said
sadly. Gan men are not alike. thenF'
Enough of ne. /" l said. Tell me Of your
self. Tell me ho~ / can aid you Your
husband-n
She drew a sharp, quick breath. The
] color rushed back to her cheek Her eyes
glittered strangely. Nevertheless, she spoke
calmly and distinctly.
"Husbandl have none," she said
"Is he dead p
"No"-she spoke with surprising bitter
ness-"no; should rather say never was
a wife. Tell me, Basil,n she continued
| fercely, "did you ever hate a manf'
YES" / answered emphatically and
truly. Hate a mani From the moment
saw the wretch with whom Philippa fed l
hated him. Now that my worst suspicious
were true, what were my feelingsi
| felt that my lips compressed themselves
knew that when Ispoke my voice was as
stern and bitter as Philippa's. "Sit down."
said, "and tell me all. Tell me how you
knew I was here-where you have come
/ from"
Let me but learn wherce she came, and
felt sure the knowledge would enable me to
| lay my hand on the ma / wanted. All!
| life now teld something orth living for
81 have been here some months" said
Philippa.
"Here! In this neighhorhoodF'
"Yes. l have seen you several times.
have been living at a house about three
miles away. felt happier in knowing that
in case of need I had one friend near me-"
l pressed her hands, "Go on" l said.
hoarSely
"He sent me here He had grown weary
of me. was about to have a child. was
in his way-a trouble to him."
Her scornful accent as she spoke was ill
! describable.
"Philippa! Philippal" Igroaned, chad you
sunk so low as to do his biddingw
| She laid her hand on my arm. "More,r
she said, Listen! Before we parted he
struck me. Struck-me! He cursed me
and struck mol Basil, did you ever hate
mani"
threw out my arms My heart was full
of rage and bitterness "And you became
this mans mistress rather than my wifen
| gasped. Neither my love nor her sorrow
could stop this one reproach from passing
my lips.
She sprang to her feet. "You!" she cried
Did you-think-do you imagine Read
| Only this morning learned it.n
She threw q letter toward me--threw il
with a gesture of loathing, as one throws
nauseous reptile from ones hand. opened
it mechanically.
YES" she said, ''you are right in think
ing had fallen low. So low that l went
where he chose to senl me. So low that
would have forgiven the i'll treatment Of
months-the blow, even. Whys Because
until this morning he was my husband
Read the letter. Basil, did you ever hate Il
manp
Before I read / glanced at her in alarm.
She spoke with almost feverish excitement
| Her words followed one another with head
long rapidity. But who could wonder at
this mood with woman who had such q
wrong to declare? She grew calm beneath
my glance.
Read" she said, beseechingly. "Ah,
Godl l have fallen low; but not so low as
you thought"
She buried her face in her hands while
opened and read the letter. 1t was dated
from Paris,> and ran thus:
'As it seems to me that We can't exactly
hit it off together, think the farce had bet
ter end The simplest way to make my
meaning clear is to tell you that when
married you I had wife alive. She has died
since then; and dare say, had we managed
to get on better together, should have
asked you to go through the marriage cere-
mony once more. However, as things are
now, so they had better stop. You have tho
satisfaction of knowing that morally you
are blameless.
''If, like sensible girl, you are ready to
accept the situation, am prepared to act
generously, and do the right thing in money
matters. As hate to have anything hang
ing over me unsettled, and do not care to
trust delicate negotiations to a third party,
l shall run across to England and see you.
| shall reach Roding on Wednesday evening.
Do not send to the station to meet me; /
would rather walk
The letter was unsigned. My blood boiled
as read it; yet, in spite of my rage, felt Il
grim humor as l realized the exquisite cFni
cism possessed by the writer. Here VS. :,
man striking foul and recreant blow at =,
woman whom he once loved-a blow that
must crush her to the earth. His own words
confess him rogue, bgamist; and yet to
can speak coolly about money arrangement.
can even enter into petty details concern'rs
his approaching visit! He must be with""
shame, without remorss; villain, absclu'
ly heartless