Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-11-07

"GFGs o"S SHbS"
posed wealthy stranger-my pistol
shot but put him out of torment.
You, you were glad of his death-as
glad as when yon thought Of mine!
You talk of mdrder! You vilest among
womenl If / could murder you twenty
times over, what then? Your sins out
weigh all punishment"
And / flung her from me with a ges-
ture of contempt and loathing. This
time my words had struck home. She
covered before me In horror,-her sa-
bles were loosed and scarcely protect
ed her, the richness of her ball cos
tune was fully displayed, and the dia-
monds on her bosom heaved restless
ly up and down as she painted with ex-
citement, rage n fear.
81 do not Sec" she muttered sullenly,
rwhy you should blame me! l am no
worse than other women!"
'No worse! no worse!" l cried.
tShame, shame upon you that thus
outrage your sex! Learn for once what
men think OF unfaithful wives, for
maybe you are ignorant. The novels
you have read in your luxurious die
hours, have perhaps told you that In
fidelity is nc sin,-merely a little so
cial error easily condoned. or set right
by the Divorce Court. Yes!
modern books and modern plays teach
you SO, In them the world sweryes mp
side down. and vice looks Ike virtue.
But, / will tell you what will seem
x you a strange and wonderful thing!
There is no mean animal, no loath-
some object, no horrible deformity of
nature so utterly repulsive to a true
man as q faithless wife! The cowardly
Tnurderer who lies in wait for his vic
tim behind some dark door, and stabs
him in the back as he passes by I'M
armed-he, | say, is more to be par
doned than the woman who takes a
husbands name, honor, position, and
reputation among his fellows, and
shelteriDg herself with these. passes
her beauty p~romiscuously about like
some coarse article Of commerce, that
goes to the highest bidder! Aye, let
your French novels and books of their
type say what they will-intidelity Is
a crime, a low, brutal crime, as bad
IL not worse than murder, and de-
serves as stern a sentence
A sudden spirit of defiant insolence
possessed her. She drew herself erect
and her level brows knitted in a dark
frown.
.~1Sentencey' she exclaimed imreri-
ously. "How dare you judge mef
What harm have | done? If | am beau
tifui. is that my fault? If men are
fools can / help 1t? You loved me
Guido loved me--could / prevent 1t? ]
cared nothing for him, and less for
your'
.I know it," I said bitterly. Love
was never part of your nature! Our
lives were but cups of wine for your
false lips to drain; C the flavor
pleased You, but now-now. think you
not the dregs taste somewhat cold?'
She shranG at my glance-her head
dropped. and drawing near a project
Ing stone in the wall, she sat down
upon Ii, pressing one hand to her
heart.
.No heart. no conscience. no mem
oryi'' | cried. 'Great heaven, that
such n thing should live and cab itself
woman, The lowest beast of the
field has more compassion for its
Kind. Listen: before Guido died he
knew me, even as my child, neglected
by you, in her last agony knew her
Father. She being innocent, passed
in peace; but he!--imagine If You can,
the wrenching torture In which he
pei isaeti Knowing all Hc-- HE parted
spirit must curse your
She raised her hands TO her head
and pushed away the light curls from
her brow. There was a starving.
hunted, almost furious look in her
eyes, but she fixed them steadily on
me.
sSee," l went o~n-"here are more
proofs Of the truth OF my story.
These things were buried with me-"
and J threw into her lap as she sat