The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-12


be better so; and then, when / am for
gotten by the world (it will not be long
to waltz. you may so back to him, with
no breath of scandal to assail your fair
name.
L have failed you in all else, I know.
but l shall not in this! Farewell, dear
wife and when you look upon my dead
face 1 trust you will forgive the past
for the sake of the atonement I have
made. and the love you once bore me.
Your repentant
PHILIP.
.P ST shall inclose your letter with
this. so no one but you will know my
reason for killing myself. and as my
body will probably not be discovered
before you return, you can doubtless
readily explain your absence in some
way without subjecting yourself to
criticism or gossip. Ny last anxious
wish. dear Florence, is to shield you
from any possible censure for the aw-
full step / am about to take.
PHILIP"
Philip Watson folded the two letters
together, placed them in an envelope
and addressed it to Florence Fairchild
chow strange it seemed to write that
name), general pOstoffice. Chicago. H.
Then unlocking a drawer in his desk,
he took therefrom a heavy pearl-han-
died revolver, which he carefully exam
for use, and then placed it alongside
the letter
There, I guess everything is ready:
all I've got to do now is to step out and
mail this letter. and then-this will end
it, he grimly remarked. toying with
the weapon.
At that moment he heard the front
door open, and a well known footstep
sounded in the hall. Dropping the re-
vOlver, he turned and faced his wife,
who stepped quickly into the ROOM
Z You here2'' she gasped, as she
caught sight of her husbands pale face
and staring eyes.
yes. and YOU II thought you had
gone With-with-''
mo; 1 thought 1 could do it, but +
1 couldn't. A sudden revulsion of feel
ing came over me when I reached the
station where he was waiting for me.
/ saw the enOrmity. the Wickedness Of
the step L was about to take and told
him so. and said he must never see me
again AS soon as | had convinced him
that I meant it. and that our foolish
dream was over, hurried back, think
ing l would be in time to destroy my
letter. and then 1 would go on and live
out my life here, even if it were an I'M
happy one. But, of course, if you have
read my letter you viii not want me
longer as your wife. You thought little
enough of me before, and now
Florence" he broke in, with a chok
ing voice, whatever you have done it
is [ that drove you to it. 1t is all my
fault that you were led to break your
marriage VOWS"
Surely. Philip, you do not think so
badly of me as that?" she exclaimed, in
tones Of mingled reprOach and sadness
Il have not been untrue to my vows.
Oh, no; l could not bring myself to
/ that step while living under the roof to
| which you brought me a bride | have
I not allowed him to even kiss my hand.
1t would have been time enough for
that if-if 1 had gone with him; but L
listened TO his words of love. Philip:
in my heart ] have sinned against you,
/. and am no longer fit to live, even with
4 the husband who despises me. L see
/ you have a weapon ready. Take it and
kill me, if you will. L shall be willing
and even glad to die, if you will be
| happier without me. Come, Philip.
/ am readyp'
Don't, Florencer' he pleaded;
/ please don't talk like that l cannot
bear to hear you accuse yourself, when
my conscience tells me that / alone am
to blame for all our past unhappiness.
l have made you suffer, cruelty and
unjustly, but for the past hour l have
been through the tOrments of hell to
pay for it.
L have read your letter. Perhaps
you would like to read my reply. /
was about to go out and mail it when
you came inland this weapon was
meant for myself not for you"
He gave her chair. and then, tear
ing open the envelope, he handed her
til 0"+e he had inst written
As she read it the hot tears gathered
in her eyes and began to roll slowly
>,s.H he1 cheeAs, and when she had
finished she dropped the letter, and
with convulsive Sob stretched forth
her hands toward her husband and at
tempted to rise; but the room swan
around her, and she would have faller
to the floor had he not sprung forward
and gathered her quickly to his breast
For a time she lay in his arms like
one dead, while he chafed her hands
and called her endearingly by name.
then the color gradually came creeping
back to her cheeks and lips. and az
she looked up into the eyes that were
tenderly bending over her, she whis,
pered:
Tn so sorry l.
I'm mott" replied her husband. cut
ting off the rest. of her confession will
a lover-like kiss. 1T has taught me
how worthless life would be without
you; and now that I've got you safe
under the shelter of my wing once
more I'm going to do my best to keel
you there w S. c..