Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-01-30

teung curses on some one, and alter
nately blessing and cursing his wife
and calling down imprecations on his
own head for being blind to something
or other. l could not comprehend any
more than | did what it was all about
His mother snatched the paper from
me and thrust me into the other room
and shut the door just as he came in.
"Wall, | coulden fin ther whiteliy
cred cuss, an tole yer thet all ye1
talk fur him WIZ in favor of a sneakin
wolf mother" he said, as soon as he
came in and saw no one but his mother
there.
80, eff [ could jes' get bead on him,
I'd show him how ter steal inter a
mans house like thet. Poor little
Jimmy. God knows I meant well by
her mother; an / wuz fool not ter
see thet she WIZ pinin' fur somthin'
whut l could never give hur. Eff she
had only told me thet she wanted tel
go way, an thet she coulden love me
as she should, I'd hev sent hur any.
whur But ter leave like this, an with
u man whut-"
/ could hear 10 more. | saw it all
now. His pretty, innocent-looking wife
had eloped, and he thought l was the
scoundrel / burst into the room, and
exclaimed, before he could say word
in his astonishment:
Mr. Adams, | have just learned
what all this trouble is about. | am
innocent of this, in thought word, or
deed. AS God is my Judge, and as I
hope to receive mercy above, | have
not seen nor heard of your wife since
she left here for church this morning.
You may be mistaken. Why do you
think she has left you? Let me see
that paper your mother had just now."
For answer he gave his mother
terrible look and she covered before
his gaze as if in terror. He then
reached for his gun, and said, in a
voice so low and calm as to be more
terrible than cyclone of wrath:
"Back Don't yer dare ter touch
anything whut she has writ with yer
vile serpent paws. I will give yer jes'
two minutes ter tell whut yer done with
her, an then I'm goin ter make yer
swar ter keep her always. An eff 1
ever hear thet yer hev let her want fur
anything, or thet yer hev got tired of
her, l shall kill yer on sight ies' as l
would a miserable, cowardly cyote thet
yer are. Whur is she?"
"My dear sir, You must be mad. /
swear to you hev not"
With a quick motion he brought his
gun to his shoulder, when his mother
caught it and held on to it with a
death-grip.
Don't, Hank; not thet way. Give
ther stranger time ter pray. Give him
chance. Let him read ther letter.
Don't yer see his hosses an buggy air
in the lot. Don't yer put blood on yer
soul whut yer can't ever wash off.
Hank INV son. wait les little. His
comm back shows he might be inner
cent"
His hosses an buggy amt no sign,
nor his bein' back hear, nuther cause
he'd be sharp ernough ter try an blin'
us that way. But I'll let yer hev yer
way, mother, seein' as ye air all / hev
lei ter me now"
lie handed me the paper, and read.
IN clear, feminine hand, these terri
bly, PLAIN words, the outraged husband
Watching me closely as | read
Dear Hank-I thought | loved YOU
once, but find | do not. / ought to
have told you before, but could not
bear to do so, as you seemed so happy.
/ cannot longer bear the loneliness.
and the drudgery, and the desolation
of life here. If staid longer should
hate You for bringing me here. o, how
can sign my name to this terrible let
ter? | go away with one you do not
know, but do not try to find me, 1t
will be useless will not sign my
name, because / want you to forget it.
Forgive me, as hope God will,
That was all. But | trembled as !
read it, and staggered, and would have
lallen, had not his strong arms caught
me.
Mr., Adams" I managed to say,
this IS, indeed terrible. How you
ever came TO imagine l was concerned
in it l do not know. But. kill me il