The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-14
THE WRONG COAT.

IHE WkUNG UUAl.
She had promised that she would mem
the lining Of his overcoat, II he woulc
wear another and leave that at home, ant
50, as he left 1t, she took 1t from the bal
and carried II into her sswin8.room. Mrs
Wilton had been married FIVE years ant
nsver during tina! time had one unhapp!
moment.
Mr.. Wilton had been very attentive
very kind, very generous, and never mRdC
her jealous. She often said she was thu
hRppiest woman living,
Now, as she looked at the lining Rnt
compared the silk with which she wa
about to replace the torn portion, she wa
thinking these thoughts.
They had never had any children, bu
when people are all in all to each othel
that Is no very great grief; all her care
was for him-all lis for her.
"And he Is Just the dearest, best, truesi
fellow in the world" said Eve Wilton Il
herself. ,"pm not half good enough fol
him. Iwonder what this is in his pocket
1t b1lges it oil out Of shape"
She put her hand into the breast pocket
So che spoke and drew out little pack.
sge, wrapped up in silver paper and tied
with blue ribbon.
Something he has boughtfo for me, ex.
peCt, said Eve. ~ wonder what 1t is.
think | won't open it until he comes
home"
Then she laid tho silk across the hole
and cut 1t out and basted 1t down.
IL wonder what it ii" said she. sit
doesn't seem like book. It might be
lace wound on card-real Lace
She looked at the package again.
II do wonder what it is, said ahe, hem.
ming the patch down.
"Thsre wasn't much to mend, after all, u
she said ~ thought the tear much longer,
He caughtit on q nail at the office, know.
Now do wonder what there can be in
that package"
Eve put the coat over a chair and took
up the little parcel.
"Fom wouldn't mind" she said; ~ will
just take peep. Pm sure 1t is Tor me"
Then she undid the ribbon, uniolded
the paper, and saw letters.
"Dear Tom," abe said. "He must keep
my old letter5 next his heart, and he never
has told me-"
but the writing was not hers; abe saw
that at glance.
"His mothers letters" she said. "He
loved his mother 3d."
Then she began to tremble a little, for
the letters did not begin "My dear son," "
nor anything like it. She cast her eyes
over them.
They were love-letters.
"Tom has loved some other woman be-
fore he met ms," abe said, beginning to
cry. "0h, what shall l do7"
Then she cried out:
"0h, foolish. foolish creature that am
OF course she died, and he only loves me
now. II was all over before we met. ]
must not mind"
But there she pauaed, gave q scream
and threw the letter from her as though
it had been serpent and had bitten her.
twas dated the psAt week.
Il was not four days old.
"0hp cried Eve, "oh, what shall do
Oh, where shall l goP"
At every cry thought pierced her
breast like an actual stab.
Tommy Toni What shall I do
Tom to be fHlse-Toml Oh, have gone
msdl No, there they are; they are
really there, those letters. Why do not
die-Thy do not die2 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
No other Interpretation could be put
upon them.
They were absurd love-lotters, such as
are always produced in court in cases Of
breach of promise, and they were all
signed, "Your own Nellie"
at is all true" said poor Eve, wiring
ing her hands, "Rnd 1t is worse than any.
thing I ever heard Of. l trusted him 60
l believed in him 3d."
Then she wiped her eyes, gathered mp
the letters, packed them up, wrapped the
silver paper about them, tied the blue
ribbon, put them back in the breast pock.
ct Of that dreadful overcoat and hung 1t in
the hall again.
"Tom shall never know" abe said. "I'll
not reproach him. will never see him
again. When he comes home I shall be
dead. I will not live tob ear this"
Then che sat down to think over the beat
means Of suicide.
She could hang herself 10 the chsnde.
lier with window.blind cord, but then
she would be black in the face and hid
eous.
She could drown herself, but then her
body would go floating down the river to
the sea, and drowned people looked even
worse than strapgled ones.
She was too much afraid Of firearms to
shoot herself, even in this strait.
She would take poiaon.
Yes, that would be best; and, though
she would never see Tom again, he would
see her, and remorss would sting him.
Here ahe made great mistake.
A man who is coolly treacherous to wo-
men never has any remoIGe.
Rsmorse in love Affairs is purely femi,
nine quality, and even the worst Of the
sex are not without 1t.
However, 1t Is natural to believe that
remorse Is possible 10 man whom one
has heretofore believed 10 be an angel in
human form, and Eve took little miser.
able comfort in the thought that Tom
void kneel beside her coffin, and burst
into tears and passionate EXPLANATIONS o.
Of regret, which she, perhaps, might see
from SOME spiritual poet Of observation.
So, having put on hat and thick
veil, Eve bstook herself down the street
and around the corner to the nearest
druggist.
The druggist was IN old man, q beueyo
lent.looking one, with red cheeks and I
smiling MOUTH and when she asked for
"poison for rats" he aAid, $50" ant
beamed mildly upon her.
~ want 1t very strong" said Eve.
"sop said the druggist.
"But not to give more pain than Is nee
essary, hsaid Eve.
IGT6 Tho rata Pu anked khA dyn0oist.