Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-05-11

She had burned the teakettle dry and
melted the spout from the French coffee
pot through forgetfulness. She always for
got directly she had put the chatting dish
over the gas stove and left 1t to the flame.
Mol Once--once she had succeeded In max
ing custard-something with patches OF
whipped whites OF eggs over the top that
she called floating islands. II was extreme
ly good for once. But one cannot always
subsist on whites OF eggs three times day.
There was only one thing In the world
that she knew-musicl She played divine
ly. That was her profession. She had been
professional pianiste when he had hrst
met her and persuaded her into the madness
of a union with him.
He was well connected young man and
In tine would inherit large fortune from
an uncle He would have married her pub
licly, but she would not consent. Your
uncle has other plans for you," she said.
W you marry against his will, you will be
cut of. And l, too, would be cut of by
public ceremony from going back TO my
profession, rs would then be necessary.
You see cannot marry you thus"
So she had repelled all his advances. FL
nally one evening, she, being worn and nerv-
GUS, he persuaded-more, almost coerced-
her into marriage by contract" as he
called it. An old Russian woman who
could not read Esglish, fellow boarder at
Hortense's boarding house, witnessed the
paper. Baldwin took his wife to his bach
elor apartment, and their curious life began.
She was a queer creature, moody, reti-
cent. Sometimes he was afraid of her ST.
iences When she played the piano in the
long evenings, he idolized her.
Today she was dying. He could hardly
realize it.
The hammering in the street continued
and became intolerable. He could not think
clearly.
He felt himself in horrible dream. She
had been III for six days and would not al
low him to summon doctor until too late.
That had been the night before
The hard cold had developed into pneu-
monia She was not restless now. She
hardly stirred except when he tried to
arouse her
Once she spoke Of getting better and ris-
ing She wanted to make dessert for him
Floating islands"
A spasm caught him In the throat. He
felt pierced with remorse for a thousand
little things He felt himself to blame, He
had not taken care of her. He had taken
her away from a life Of hope and ambition
and doomed her to poverty and solitude.
Now she was dying.
Yes, 1t had been only madness-his mad
ness
BY and by she called him to her side
"Did dream-or did "A doctor Gomez"
"You did not dream, my darling. He was
here"
"And what did he sayi"
Baldwin could not speak.
He said should not recover"
Again he could utter no word.
After waiting little she said: 1T is too
bad / meant to-learn to cook something.
You liked that dessert 80 much. No mat
ter Please 20 to the conservatory for me
and see IL there are any letters"
IT cannot leave you, Hortense."
1.-THE woman will come from next door"
Baldwin went out into the sharp spring
air like one struggling with nightmare.
my madness-my madness! he kept
repeating half aloud as he walked or rode
In car. People looked at his haggard, un-
shayen face with curiosity.
"She Is going to die" he kept on. ITO
die, to diel" A hand organ began to play
tune that she often played, simple song.
He felt himself choking
From the conservatory he brought her
back several letters-one a thick, impor-
tapt looking communication.
She .roused from her drowsiness and
opened it. After reading 1t she lay silent.
thinking. Suddenly:
MY feet are very cold" she said. He
felt them, and they were icy. He began to
chafe them with his hands, wild pain in
his heart meanwhile They were long feet,
very thin, not what sculptor would like
Yet they were shapely, il only there had
been more flesh. All this passed through
his mind as u minor accompaniment to the
horrible certainty that she was leaving him.
When he turned at her faint whisper of
his name, she motioned to the important
looking letter. He took and read IL through.
II was lawyers notification that she had
inherited fortune
He put it carefully away in desk drawer
and returned to chafe her hands.
She smiled up at him and fell swiftly into
stupor.
At dusk she was dead.
In her desk drawer he found sealed pa
per- 1t was her will, duly signed and wit
messed. II give and bequeath all that ]
am possessed of to my husband, Gerald
Baldwin"
Another paper, small and folded, caught
his eye. 1t was only housekeeper's copied
recipe: Floating islands: Three eggs, one
quart of milk. With q burst
of sobs he pressed the writing to his lips.
But with that burst Of sobs he was saved
from the spell Of madness that had op-
pressed him.-Harry Townsend in New
York Mercury.