The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-06-05

the poor wife. us Bella told the tale
..Oh, let me go to himt'
Away she rushed up the stairs to the
bedroom above and bent over her hus-
bands pillow.
.,Jeffy. dearl'' she sobbed; but. to
her CONSERVATION. Jefferson opened
his eyes, looked ut her and said:
Leave me. womani"
1T isn't a woman. 1t is your own
Emmy sighed Mrs. Jetfries.
Take her awayn said Jefferson.
..Is he delirious. doctorpn asked poor
Emma Jane. trembling.
mo, madam replied that gentle
man gravely.
Then what does this meanPn asked
the poor woman.
Madam said the doctor. the most
solemn of his profession. which is say
ing much. madam. 1 have no desire
to pry into your domestic difficulties"
My domestic difficulties? l never
had any. Oh. dear, dear Jeffy. speak
to your Emmy sobbed Mrs. Jeffries.
But her Jefferson only replied by
saying in deep chest notes:
.,Crocodilei Take her away. The
sight of her is madness. Win no one
rid me of her presenceP"
"Oh. Mr.. Joblings, tell me what he
meansrf
Beg pardon, madam. l must re-
quest you to retire. answered Mr..
Jobliugs, all his nature apparently
turned to gall. You alone know the
meaning of those awful words
Poor Emma Jane. She rushed down
stairs when the door of her own room
had actually been closed upon her. and
told her ineoherent story to her friend.
I've seen him jealous before" she
said. .'but not like this. What can it
meanPn
What did you doP Whom is he
Jealous OFF" asked the other woman.
''Oh. Ned, l don't know" sobbed
Emma Jane.
And Edwina Jones concluded very
naturally that Emma had been flirting
terribly with several individuals.
Thus, wronged by all. even her
girlhood's friend. Mrs. Jeffries aban-
doned herself to despair.
A bullet in the calf seldom kills. and
as it was extracted promptly. the
wound healed and Jefferson Jeffries
began to recover. but he still refused
TO see his wife; and on the first day of
his convalescence he summoned his
lawyer and sent him TO Emma Jane
empowered to effect separation.
This letter is my reason" he said.
with dreadful groan. thrusting the
crumpled note into his hand. Il was
on my way to shoot the fellow when
Joblings managed to shoot me. She
shall keep the house if she likes. but 1
never wish to see her again"
With this message the lawyer sought
the unhappy lady. and in the presence
of Edwina Jones interviewed her
''One comfort at least / shall get
from this said Mrs. Jeffries with
dignity. Il shall know my erime.''
Mr.. Jeffries opines that this will
EXPLAIN said the lawyer. presenting
her with the erumpied letter. which
with its signature suggested very
dreadful things indeed.
Emma Jane took it in her hand,
looked at it. and then handed it to
her friend.
My letterr' cried Edwina. dumb
founded.
The puzzled lawyer elevated his eve
brows.
Il am called Ned at home" said
Miss Jones. Surely Mr.. Jeffries
knew that. Oh, Emma Jane, how 1
have wronged you in my heart"
Explanations followed.
The lawyer. choking down his laugh
ter. returned to Mr.. Jelfries' apart
ment and gave them to that gentleman
with dramatic effect Never had he
more trouble in preserving the grave
dignity proper to his position. when
jefferson Jeffries. clasping his hands
together calculated:
'--Edwina Jonesi' OF course knew.
But l forgot her very existence. How
1 have wronged my wife! Wretch
that am. can she ever forgive me2"
'.Neveri' Emma Jane decided. You
have disgraced me before your friends.
before strangers, cast suspicion on me
and insulted ME by word and deed l
demand separation"
Then she went home to her parents.
and jefferson Jeffries was left alone to
reflect on his ridiculous conduct He
was obliged to explain to the doctors,
to Joblings, 10 everybody. and he suf-
fered agonies of shame. He longed
for his Emma. whom he loved more
than ever and he writhed under the
reproaches of her mother and father
and the nienaces of her big brothers.
When he was able he used to go alone
at midni ght and stare up at his wife 8
window. and by day haunt her steps
unseen when she went out walking.
At last he followed her to church one
Sunday. She was alone in her pew.
He entered and sat down beside her.
When the hymn was given out he
offered her his hymn book. Over 1t
their heads met.
.sOh, Jefferson, how could you?" she
whispered; but that evening she went
back home again. She felt that Mr..
Jeffries had had his lesson. and would
profit by it for the rest of his existence.
Ned says they are the happiest couple
she knows