The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-08-07
NEARLY A DIVORCE.

solicitor, advancing with professional
efYusivonoss which suggested that the lat
est bill Of costs which Mr.. Soldeno had
settled had been we'll nourlshed ono and
of goodly proportions. This was indeed
the case, for Mr.. So!dene was an amateur
vocalist and u composer of songs which
were sufficiently good to need the prntec-
ton Of legal process against certain pirat-
iral publishers, But the lawyers Office
smile Immediately gave way to look Of
genuine alarm as he caught sight of the
haggard face of his client. "Why, my
dear Mr.. Soldcne, you look ill' no OK
claimed.
II am i'll, Baresford," assented Mr.. Sol
done dropping into chair and speaking
In dry, hard voice,
"You want u doctor moro than solic-
itor at present. continued Beresford, for
his client sat huddlcd up in tho identical
posture in which ho had sunk into tina
chair, an uneasy attitude of listless dejec-
tiOn.
Ono it's my soul that's ILL., You're the
physician | want. And evou you can do
no good. It's past healing"
Mr.. Soldeno was speaking quietly and
slowly, with long pauses between Zach
sentence. He was obviously in state Of
absolute despair. He wanted tho energy
to proceed with his communication to tho
solicitor until Mr.. Beresford soothing!y
encouraged him and drew him out of him
self by means of few leading questions.
Mr.. Beresford did not In bis sympathetic
oatechism, alight upon tho cause Of his
clients visit but aroused Mr. Soldene to
,,f lD;
he was putting the gentleman he had come
to consult by delaying his statement
"No; care nothing about any of those
matters" said Mr., Soldene, pulling him
self together with an effort and setting his
features in stern look of angered deter
mination. II want you to flo divorce
petition against my wife. The sooner the
better" he added, working himself into
fury as ho proceeded,
The solicitor dissembled any feelings tho
request may have occasioncd and inquired
in u matter Of fact tone as no took up u
quill and spread u sheet of foolscap In
front of him, for particulars of tho nature
of the case and the character of tho proofs.
Tho proofs are unfortunately over.
whelming. Would to God they were less
clear! When l retired last night, l was
the most confding fool alive. She is u
slight, childish looking thing, my wiro,
with dancing yellow hair ard laughing
blue eyrs. Who was the consulnnato ass
who first called the eyes tho window of the
soul? Pah! The blinds Of tho soul would
BIO nearer tho mark. Whenever l locked
into them, could SEQ nothing but devoted
Innocence and happy purity. What do |
now find! That those appearances clouked
ard hid from the sight a mind fostering
with deception and corrupt with SYSTEM
attic inddelity."
The solicitor frowncd and preserved his
glance of patient sympathy with difficulty.
This WAS not the language of business
communication at all, But it might re
lieve his clients feelings little to give
vent to them in this way, ho thought.
Don't distress yourself, Mr.. Soldcne,"
he said. Just give mo an outline of tho
facts in your own way, and we II SEQ what
is to be done"
Yes went to bed, us l said, trusting !
implicitly in my WHO'S fidelity. mag |
ined that she was spotless. l arose in tho
with tho conviction of her guilt |
lying ut my heart like ico"
"a confession or something of that |
sort?"
eyes; q confession, but an Involuntary
ono, and ono of which she is even now all !
Shn kissed me with the usual
frank, devilish smile Us | left this
hoped l would pc brighter, for
sooth, when | returned, and obviously did
not for one moment imagine that | had
discovered her ugly secret"
"And how did you discover it,"
II woke up in the middle of the night
with II strange forehodng Of impending
'alamity, am a man subject to present.
ments They rarely nislead me. A cold
sweat came over me, and listened with
such intensity that | could almost have
heard u fly walking on the ceiling. There
was not sound. l was on the point
If waking Gortru-my wife, when She
moved uneasily in her sleep and began to
ak. Twas spellbound could not move.
could not speak. l could do nothing
out lie there in torture and listen to my
wife revealing her pertidy in the uncon-
ciousnoss of her slumbcr. Ernest slu
aid-my name is Alexander, you knew.
4 lexalder Charles Soldcne--'Ernest YOU |
will love me always Then shp threw her
rm on my shoulder and raved on Tell
no, Ernest, dear, that you will think none
he worse of me for what am doing, For
owe of you would sink to any depths, or
would rise to any heights. Oh, Ernest, !
axe me in your arms and tell mo you will
owe me everF There were more of these
orriblo mutterings, oil spoken with
athos almost a fierccness, which | had
ever known her to possess in hor whole
allure. l had never been ablo to plumb
no depths of her emotions. Such passions
'ere not for her lawful spouse"
what did you do2''
II got up and dressed, went down stairs
nd dozed for the rest Of tho night on the
fla. She met Inc in the lnornlng with u
no assumption Of concern for my health,
IT told her that had been indisposed
I'D was out of sorts. have not said o
ord to her about her treachery. In the
ght Of the knowledge l gained by her
violations have pondered over various
atters and can now see the cunning
hich used to regard as girlish willful-
,ss. l can now soc how have been
licked at every turn, cajoled and twisted
und the little finger of this designing
oman.'
Have you any idea who this Ernest
ay bep'
mo; 1t is a mystery I have been
"v--.a.A.. -. = .......--4s-
rough tho list Of our mutual aoquAintr ,
ices 80 far as my memory would enable {
o, but I cannot recall an Ernest who {
ould DO E..ely to TT these circumstances c
dead the ,,nlv Ernaet T can think of ia I