Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-11-29

my wife was taken violently i'll, and
no one but myself knew the cause. |
( diagnosed her case as paralysis, and
waited all that night by her bedside,
miScalCulated and | had not filed the
deadly capsule with enough, and had
no more with me. She revived and
after struggling for life for several
days So far recovered that we took our
| departure for home. and after week
or so, she had resained her usual good
health.
One morning | asked the superin-
tendent to accompany me to IL town
! near by, that afternoon, to assist in a
somewhat difficult surgical operation
| had planned for this opportunity
to have the matter, which | had de-
termlned on, take place during our
absence. prepared a capsule, twice
the size OF the first, and when | went
to our room to escort my wife to din
ner, she opened the way by complain
ing that after meals she suffered from
indigestion. ! replied that | had an
ticipated her want, 10y preparing an
after-dinner capsule to be taken soon
after the meal, which had no doubt
would relieve her. and il it did | would
prepare quantity. As we walked to
the table, | gave her the capsule. "lou
can take it after dinner" my dear, |
said. IL shall be absent this afternoon,
and hope to find you well when | re-
turn this evening"
The dinner passed off pleasantly,
and bidding her goodbye, the doctor
and | were soon spinning over the
hills to our destination. We had our
subject under the influence of chloro-
form and were just about to COM
mence the operation when heard the
clatter OF horses feet on the stony
road, and a messenger came to tell
me my wife was taken suddenly ill
and my presence was wanted without
delay.
Not having commenced the opera
ton, as had hoped to have done, |
was obliged to leave the subject in
other hands and return, | did not have
to see my wife to diagnose her case.
Its history was better known to me
than to anyone else. Yet | confess |
was not prepared for the scene which
met me when | entered the room.
The hot blood gave her brain the
impression OF fire. Everthing around
her was flaming, and she thought she
was out on the prairie where the tall
grass was caught by the raging fire,
which rushing heaven high, wrapped
her in its raging heat. Then she
screamed with fear and agony, and the
attendants, accustomed as they were
to pain, turned away, pallid and in
tears.
1t only lasted brief hour, when she
slowly sank into Il coma, from which
nothing was able to arouse her. OF
course, | gave her remedies, and ex-
hausted the resources of medical skill
all but the antidote, and that no art
could furnish. for as yet nothing is
known that will neutralize the deadly
combination had compounded
The funeral was quiet affair, for
outside the asylum there were few to
take interest. | received many letters
OF coincidence, which awoke in me
quite different emotions from those
the writers anticipated. l smiled at
their mistaken simplicity and condoled
myself that | was now free to do as |
pleased. The superintendent reported
the case as heart failure"
Did feel remorsed? AS this is a
true confession, like one hypnotized,
| was dominated by one idea. She
was an obstacle to be removed, and
had thought the subject over until il
had become as much a matter Of
necessity as ordinary death. Of course
wept and put band on my hat, and
the newspapers said that Mrs. Lansing
had left most devoted husband, who
idolized her and was distracted by his
loss
After this the intimacy between
Mrs. Armitage and | became closer
| and at times indiscreet. | intended
at first to provoke her husband to get
Il divorce, but that would relieve her OF
good share of the property, especially
the insurance. | could not practice
the trick | did on my wife, for he did
not come to me for medical advice
1t was cunning artiiice when the
Young assistant doctor, who had a
great liking for Joe Armitage, asked
me what he could or should give him
for a Christmas present. replied g
mustache cup, and to further tell the
cook not to fail in placing it by hi,
plate. After two months constantly
seeing that cup set before him, fell
confident that it would continue to be
SO, and no mistake made.
Yet ! hesitated somewhat, after the
manner OF one who has surgical op
Grafton to be performed puts off th'
matter from day to day. Circum
stances brought the crisis. else nigh
have been dallying yet.
l said our intimacy grew, and we
lost circumspection, and two at
tendants, Gus Howell and Allen Hart
we'll, saw more than was good for them