Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-07-20
Saint Maru's Beacon
EvT's TEMPTATION.

blue ribbon.
81 do wonder what it is 20 said
she, and then hemmed the stitch
down. There wasn't much to
mend, after all. Thought the tear
was much longer, lie caught it
on a nail in the Office. Now, | do
wonder what is in this package 2"
Eve pat the coat over a chair and
took up the parcel.
''Tom won't mind she said.
will just take peep. I'm sure it's
for me-"
Then she undid the ribbon, un-
folded the paper and saw letters.
Dear Tom lie keeps my let
tiers next his heart, and he has new
er told me-"
But the writing was not hers.
She saw that at a glance.
ellis mothers letters" she said.
"He loved his mother so.'
Then she began to tremble lit
tie, for the letters did not begin
with "My dear son." nor with any
thing like it. She cast her eyes
over them. They were love letters.
"Tom had loved some other wo-
man before he met me-" she said,
beginning to cry. "Oh, what shall
| do:" Then she cried out. "Oh,
foolish creature that am OF
course she died. and he only loves
me now. 1t was all over before we
met, and | must not mind"
But here she paused gave scream
and then threw the letters from her
as though serpent had bitten her.
1t was dated in the previous week.
1t was but four days old.
ooh! oh! oh =" shrieked Eve.
"Oh. what shall | do: Oh. where
shall | go?"
At every cry a thought pierced
her breast like a stab.
"Tom, my Tom! What shall
do? Tom Tom! He to be false
Tom! Oh, | have gone mad '
No! There they are! They are
really there-those letters! Why
do | not die? Do people live
through such things as these 20
Then she knelt down on the floor
and gathered up the letters and
steadily read them through. There
were ten of them. Such love let
tiers No other Interpretation
could be put upon them. They
were absurd love letters, such as
are always produced in court case
of breach of promise. And they
called him "Popsy Wopsy," "Darl-
ing Parting" "Lovey Dovey,"
Gown Sweetness" and CANCEL of
my Soul" and they were all signed
"Your Own Nellie.''
ats is all true" said poor Eve,
wringing her hands, and it is worse
than anything that I have ever
heard of. l trusted him so. / be-
lieved him so. My Tom-mine =
Then she wiped her eyes, gather
ed up the letters, wrapped the sill
yer paper about them, tied the blue
ribbon and put them back in the
awful breast pocket of that dread
full overcoat and hung it up in the
hall again.
Tom shall pever know she said.
'l'll not reproach him. | will new
er see him. again. When he comes
home, shall be dead. will not
live to bear this
She sat down to think over the
best means of suicide. She could
hang herself to the chandelier with
window blind cord, but then she
would be black in the face and hid
cous. She would drown herself,
but then her body would go floating
down the river into the sea, and
drowned people looked even worse
than strangled one. She was too
much afraid of firearms to shoot
herself, even in the present strait.
She would take poison. Yes, that
would be best, and though she
would never see Tom again he
would see her and remorse would
sting him.
So having put on a hat and thick
veil, Eve betook herself around the
corner to the nearest drug store.
The druggist was an old German /;
benevolent looking one, with red
cheeks and smiling mouth, and
when she asked him for poison for
rats he said, 'So.' and beamed
kindly upon her.
''I-want it very strong. said
Eva