Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-03-06
THE FAR-SEEING DRUGGIST.

n
She had promised that she would
mend the lining of his overcoat, if he
would wear another and leave that at
home. And as he had left it, she took
it from the hall rack and carried it into
her sewing-room.
She was Mrs. Wilton, and had been
married five years, and never, never,
never in all that time had had one I'M
happy moment. Mr.. Wilton had been
very kind and generous and never
made her jealous. She often said she
was the happiest woman Lying.
Now, as she looked at the lining and
compared the silk with which she was
about to mend the torn portion, she
was thinking these thoughts.
They had never had any children,
but to people who are all in all to each
other that is no very great grief. All
her care was for him, his for her.
''And he is just the dearest, best,
truest fellow in the world" said Eve
Wilton to herself I'm not half good
enough for him. [ wonder what this is
in his pocket; it bulges it all out of
shape"
She put her hand into his breast
pocket as she spoke, and drew out a
little package wrapped in silver paper
and tied with blue ribbon.
Something he has brought home for
me, l expect" said Eve. II think [
won't open it until he comes home ="
Then she laid the silk on the coat, cut
it and sewed it down.
II wonder what it is, said she. sit
is perhaps lace wound on card, real
lace"
She ook up the package again. 81
wonder what it really is" Then she
took up the coat. "There was not
much to mend, after all, p" she said. 81
thought the tear much longer" Then
she laid it on chair.
tom wouldn't mind; I'm sure its
for me, and I'll just take a peep"
Then she undid the ribbon, unfolded
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.
''His mothers letters, she said; she
loved his mother so"
Then she began to tremble a little.
They did not begin, ''My dear son. -
She cast her eyes over them. They
were love letters.
Tom has loved some other woman
before he met me" she said. "Oh, what
shall | do?" Then she cried out, 30,
foolish creature that l am! OF course
she died; and he only loves me now. 1t
was all over before we met. must
not mind, but there she paused and
threw the letter away as though it was
Il serpent and had bitten her. 1t was
dated the past week; it was not four
DAYS old. ''Oh, dear!'' cried Eve, ''Oh!
what shall | do? Oh! where shall /
go?" At every Cry, thought pierced
her breast like an actual stab Tom!
my Tom! he is false! Oh! L have gone
madl No; there they are-those let
ters3 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
absurd love letters, such as are some
times read in cases of "sbreach of prom
ise;' calling him 'loyey-doyey," ''dar-
ling parlingly," 'popsy-wopsy, terms
used by those who have the complaint
really bad"
Its all true, said poor Eve, wiring
ing her hands. L trusted him so; ]
believed in him so. Oh, Tom! my Tom,
falser'
Then she wiped her eyes. gathered
up the letters, made them up just as
they were before, and returned them
to the breast pocket, and hung it on
the hall rack again.
Tom shall never know" she said.
Il will not reproach him. will never
see him again; when he comes home, ]
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 tic
the chandelier, and then she would be
black in the face; she would drown her
self, but drowned people look even
worse than strangled ones; she was toe
much afraid of firearms to shoot her
self. 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 miserable 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
spiritual post of observation. So, hav
ing put on hat and thick veil, Eve be-
took herself down the street to drug
gist's shop, the only one in the street
and kept by a German.
The druggist was an old man, will
red cheeks and a smiling mouth; anG
when she asked him for ''poison fol
rats" he said "Just so," and beamec
knowingly upon her.
81 want it very strong" said Eve