The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-01
A TALE OF JEALOUSY.


Kitchen window and trailsd over an ada
cent lilac bush. He was just coming back to
the house to get the deed, which he had for
gotten, for half hour ago he had started
totown to sell the 40 aore pasture to a oity
gentleman who was willing to pay for It
twice what 1t was worth. Only when he
had reached Bainbridge's Mill had he hap
pened to feel In his pocket and discover
that he had come away without this neces-
sary document.
Perhaps his Observation-Disclosures was ex-
cusable. The thoughts that had been oc-
cupying him were moro absorbing than
pleasant His young wife seemed much
depressed that morning. He was old, and
he was we'll to do, and he had succeeded in
marrying Jane Pike, the bslle of the oom-
munity, carrying her of in the teeth of
many rivals more gifted with personal
charms than himself, chief of which young
gentry was Walter McShane, to whom it
was the common report that Jane had been
engaged, but from whom she had parted
In lovers quarrel. 1t had not failed to
reach Enos ears that his wife had accepted
him out OF spite to the other. For few
weeks their welded life had been happy.
and McShane, 1t was said, had left tho
country Rumors now had it that the re-
jected suitor had returned, whereat Jane
appeared to grow gloomy and Enos dis
turbed.
IL his meditations were unpleasant as he
drove away down the dusty road, they
were decidedly moro go whom, as he reach
ed the kitchen window, he heard the voice
of his wife and the hated accents of Walter
McShane. He gasped for breath, and the
blood rushed from his face and seemed to
food his agitated heart, SO that he clutched
at his breast Parting the leaves q little,
he looked through the window and saw
the two standing, Walter in the doorway
leaning against the jamb, looking at her
with eyes whose meaning could not be
mistaken, and Jane fumbling her dust
cloth in her fingers and gazing at the floor
her face crimson. This was what he heard
"You know loved you, and, by George,
love you YETI
"Oh, Walter, don't talk sol It's wick
ed"
"Why did you marry that old skinfiintp
You married him for money, that's why"
Il thought you didn't love me any
more.''
would 1t have made any difference II
you had thought I did love your"
"I-I don't know"
"Just tell me one thing and I'll not
cross your path or bother you any more
Do you love me now? I amt going to
marry anybody, but l want to know
that"
No answer. Increased confusion, and
still redder bushes. "Just tell me now
do you, JaneP"
ha cd 60 - H.
perate resolution and said eyes, I do,
and never did and never will love any
body else."
He advanced step toward her, but she
put up her hand to ward him off,
go away. now, Walter. Don't do what
will make US more miserable than We al
ways must be anyhow all our hvsA"
He grosnsd
"We may have TO be unhappy" she
continued, "but ws don't have to do
wrong"
With lovers insistence he piled her
again, "Jane, II you was free, would you
marry me nowf''
She replied promptly, IF / was free,
I'd marry you In minute"
She stopped to caress the dog that came
up to them.
Enos Brown reeled like drunken man.
Rage, chagrin and the horror of an awful
secret to be borne through life well nigh
stiled him. He slipped softly to the wood
shed and took down his rife. He was in
that state of unreasoning anger where
men cannot SOC or weigh consequences or
admit extenuations. Back he crept to the
window. He saw her still bending over
the dog, patting his head. Walter stood
over her, devouring her shapely form with
his eager eyes. The flame of madness in
Enos' bosom burst into vcritable confla-
grafton. He pointed the rifle barrel at his
rival. His hand trembled, but he covered
his mark as best hc could and pulled the
trigger.
After the explosion there was momeh
Of silence Enos listened, having drawn
back once more under cover of the foliage
Then came confused outcry, mans
curse, dogs yelping and woman's
scream. Then the voice Of Jane:
"Oh, he Is killed, he is killed Oh, my
poor darling He Is killed!'
Enos Brown hastily threw the gun away
and dashed at breakneck speed through
the back yard, leaped the fence climbed
into his wagon and lashed his horse into
gallop. Curses of hate shared his heart
with tremors of fear. Arriving in the vii
fuSc uC Oict nio tOdhi anu Iuh ONCT W Juo
depot. The train luckily was just whis-
tling for the station. He boarded it and
won't away.
Six years later trembling old man,
broken with alcoholic debauch, came into
the town with a company Of harvesters.
His face was disguised by long growth
of whiskers, and his bent form looked but
little like the straight and military ap-
pearance that the Enos Brown of other
days had presented. Getting into the place
about evening, the harvesters decided to re-
main over night at the village inn Bright
and early next morning they would push
to the farm where their work lay.
After supper the decrepit old man sidled
up to tho landlord, and after much round
about conversation observed:
~ used to know feller in the war that
said he was from these parts. Les see, his
name was Smith or Jones, or-what was
1t nowS Some plain name or Mother"
"Oh, ye moan Brown-Enos Brownf'
"Yes; / guess that was It. Is he livin
horo yate,t