The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-12
A wOMAN.s HEART.

Much poetic nonsense and romantic fic-
ton has been written concerning the mys-
terry of woman's heart. The realism of
every day life 10 constantly furnishing us
with humble heroes who instinctively do
the heroic thing without knowing it or
suspecting for q moment that they are the
food, the object lessons upon which poets
and romantic .novelists feed; poets who
probably would be worthless as an inspir.
ing example Of self-command or sacrifice
in . shipwreck: novelists who probably
would never have dared ride . rod of tho
realism of every day life reveals glimpses
of woman's heart that are generally un-
suspected. because 20 seldom do private
lives give up their dearest secrets to the
public. :
Col. William B. Hayes was recently tried
for perjury in New York city. Through
the trial the best friend Of this fat,
jovial, selfish, sensual man was his
wife, despite the fact that he had
not only done her . great wrong, but
that he had shown himself utterly incapa-
BILE of approaching the nobility Of spirit
which had moved his wife to forgive his sin
and endure Its humiliating consequences.
Hayes became intimate, after his mar
riage, with Miss Heating, q shop girl,
whose antecedents had not been perfect.
When she found that she was in trouble
she went to Mrs. Hayes, in December,
1856, and claimed her sympathy and assist
ance. Miss Heating was not deceived by
Hayes under promise of marriage. Mrs.
Hayes gave Miss Heating help. and even.
later, when she discovered that the unborn
child was the child of her husband, she
brought Miss Heating to New York city
and sheltered her in her own home. After
the birth Of the child Mrs. Hayes became
attached to him. and sought to pur-
chase Miss Keating's consent to her
adoption of Rim. Why did Mrs.
Hayes do all this for her husbands
paramour seven years agof The following
touching letter written by this wife to her
husband in June. 1887, explains that de.
spite her knowledge of Hayes relations
with Miss Heating, she was continually
seeking during the years of Ha yes rela-
tiops with Miss Heating, to regain his
devotion. and to win him back by means
of the boy, Willie. the child of Miss Keat-
ing. Mrs. Hayes wrote:
II had only had the money to bring her away
when she wanted to come 1t might have been
all right, but now she has made up her mind to
keep the baby herself. and nothing will turn
her. so now, suppose, all hope Il at an end
for me in more ways than one, for 1t was the
only hope I had Of keeping your love for me,
and have for the sake Of that hope spent tho
last three months in utter humiliation of
my woman's pride, and waited aud attended on
her aud sacrificed myself to utter isolation from
all my friends, and even stayed away from you;
aud did 1t Of nv own free will. because I felt
that child was the one thing you wanted, and
II took yours aud raised II as my own you
would in time come TO look upon 1t as such
yourself. and We would be az happy with 1t 40
II had given il birth. I have fslt that as the
years have gone by your love for me- has crown
cold, and by this ! hoped TO bring IL back as
warm as il was in the old happy days. and my
one desire has been to make you happy. and
overlooked the fact that you had been untrue 10
me in the hope iha: IL did this thing for your
sake you would realize how great was my love
for yon and il would bring back TO me the same
love you used to feel for me when nothing could
tempt you to be unlaith;ul. But nigh, have
known that when bull; nay hopes OF happiness
on such q slender foundation would be doomed
70 disappointment
This letter was offered in evidence un.
expectedly TO Mrs. Hayes and its reading
affected both her and Miss Heating to
tears. This letter, which Is pathetic
enough to have melted the heart of any
man who was q gentleman, had not the
slightest effect on Hayes: he enclosed all
his wife's letters to Miss Heating, con-
tinued his relations with her and concea led
from his wife the fact that he had made
Miss Heating the mother Of two more
children, since dead. For twenty years
this wife has chung TO this husband: for
seven years she has known of his infide!ity
end has not only forgiven it, but has been
willing to adopt his ilicgitimate child TO
win back his love. and to reach this end
has treated his mistress with unb.oken
kindness and generosity; . kindness tina
was sincere. foe she exhibited it at time
when she believed that Miss Heating wa.
the mistress Of her husbands brother.
Today. in spite of ali her wrongs, this
injured wife. at 50 years Of age. is her hus-
bands hravest and hes. friend in his .risl
for perjury. To save her husband she has
gone into court and exposed tale OF
secre; suffering and humiliation which few
women could endure TO reveal for the sake
Of heartiess husband. For twenty years
this excellent wife has loved this man, and
h.