Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-22
THAT BOX.

now"
"Of course am fond of you, Hetty."
But you wouldn't have been fond Of me,
Jack, If Casterton hadn't been born. can't
think why the peer married the parsons
daughter. Jack, why did you marry me-
me of all people in the worldl Tell me,
dear, why did King Cophetua wed with the
beggar maidr
Its funny thing, Hetty," said his lord
ship. with a smile of affection, that Blue
boards wife Is always hankering after the
key Of the blue closet and, as the adver-
tisement says, won't be happy till she
gets it."
"Tll tell you why married you, little
Hetty. l married you as duty, dear, be-
cause / was a proud and miserable man,
homeless and childless, the last of my line.
didn't want the Bargemont title to die
out, and married you, Hetty, because you
were the prettiest, wholesomest, healthiest
and honestest little maid / had clapped my
eyes upon, and because there was no non
sense and nothing morbid about you.
II wasn't in love with you, Hetty. when
I married you I don't mind confessing
that 1 did 1t as a duty, but have learned to
love you. You've healed my wounds, and
we'll, you're Castertons mother. And you
agreed to marry me out Of pity. know
you did"
But Twas in love with you all the same,
| for pity, we know, is akin to love, and ]
know you do love ME, Jack, and dearly,
and it's because you do love me that you're
going to tell me alfabout her"
And then Lord Bargemont sighed
"If must tell you, 1 must" he said,
land when have told you, Hetty, you will
pity me all the more.
II came into the Bargenont title when !
was a boy of 10. The court of chancery
took care Of me, and hadn't a real friend
in the wide world. was blase man Of
the world at 25. People looked upon me just
as big fish that had to be caught at any
price.
why, mothers and chaperons threw
their flies in vain. / was absolutely heart
whole But met my fate at last
"She was very beautiful in all mems eyes
clever, accomplished and ambitious, we'll
born and we'll bred, an only daughter,
ready to do her duty and sell herself to the
highest bidder.
'She was magnificent animal. / don't
believe she had a heart but her imperial
beauty attracted me. She was the cynosure
of every eye. proposed to Lady Blanche
Middleton, was accepted, and we were mar
ried.
aFor month was happy-happy as a
child in the possession of a new and expen-
sive toy-then discovered that my hand
some wife did not love me. But she gave
me no cause for jealousy, though became
very anxious on her account.
''She grew more morose and melancholy,
strange in her manner and more inclined
for solitude. Her appetite failed, and her
hao,,fu fadad hafOre my avaa
Zone day / came into her boudoir sud
denly. She was sitting with mahogany
brass bound box open on the table before
her. When she saw me, she closed the box
and locked 1t with q key which she wore
upon her watch chain.
my curiosity was aroused. What on
earth have you in that box, BlancheP
said.
''She laid her hand upon it jealously, and
with an angry look in her magnificent eyes
which, though we were not year mar
ried, had already grown dull and lack lus
ter-she said! Il hate impertinent curiosity
in a man, Bargemont. This little box Il
where keep my secrets-the secrets IprizS
best in all the world, she added
"'And you won't let mese the contentsi
| said.
"'Pd rather die first, said my wife.
81 turned on my heel and left the room
for could not trust myself.
. From that day we quarreled. Idisdain
. ed to seek further explanation from WON
an who denied me her confidence.
! Several months went by, and Lady
r Bargemont's conduct became more and
. more eccentric. II attracted the attention
of the neighbors and the servants. Th'
: neiRhbors said that Lord Bargemont' wifi
,,,ae s,o; :. q IN alancff0lV Inadl
Zone day my wife's maidirIshed into IN.
9 room. her eyes nearly starting from hel
a head with horror. My lord she cried, :
!. can't get into Lady Bargemont's room; sh'
!. doesn't answer me. don't know what Il
I think
II and the maid hurried to my wife,
room. We hammered at the door for ad
Q mission.
"Then 1 burst the door open, and a. dread
full sight met our eyes.
s .There lay my wife fully dressed upoI
E the bed. Her eyes were closed as thougl
in sleep. but when looked into her fac
u and saw what saw there knew that sh
b was dead.
Her hand graspedia strange looking in
e strument OF bam boo mounted In silver, OF
r one end Of which was a curious disk OF poi
o ous clay. Upon the little table at the bed
d side lay the brass box wide open, porta
n BILE spirit lamp which was still burnin
y and what appeared to be travelling ink
stand open.
d "My wife was an opium smoker. Sh
IS learned the habit from friend as cur
le for neuralgia, 10 which she was subject
Those little brass bound boxes, with th
dainty apparatus for the carrying out OF th
% bIdeous eastern vice, are still sold with In
y punity in London. -,
d Those who know Of the hideons thln
say nothing, and when the victims die b
q running their constitutions. or, as In m
wretched wife's case, by an overdose OF ID
d accursed thing sometimes there Is an II
N quest and a verdict OF death by misadvei
le ttire, as In her case.
And now you know all about II, hett
'e and why il was that when you married n
,r you found me a miserable man. There
nothing morbid about you, little woma
q any how"
T. And then the door was flung wide ope
n and a blue eyed boy. some years OF az
rushed into the room. The child was pi
10 ture OF health and strength and happiness
= 'And there's nothing morbid abouthim
added Lord BarRemOnt. "He doesn't loS
/ 90 80 A. - a = 4. n.