El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-01-02
FAILED TO KEEP HIS PROMISE.
a Domestic Tragedy In Which the Hus-
band Was the Heavy Villain.

| a Domestic Tragedy In Which the Hus-
band Was the Heavy Villain.
Harry" said Mrs. Hartleigh, the
other morning, with a serious look
upon her face; ''are you sure that you
love me the same as you did before
marriage?"
why, you little simpleton," eX-
claimed Mr.. Hartleigh, gently pinchins
his better halls bewitohing little chin !;
what a question! OF course 1 do
And you will keep all promises you
| make to me %
"Religiously."
and whatever l ask of you, you will
do?"
Yes; that is to say, darling, every
| thing in reason"
'Ah, Harry, in our courtship days
| you ne$F thought of reason"
"No, probably not" said Harry with
a smile that bore on the border OF
| cynicism. NO, dear, of course not
Then why do you now? Alas! ]
fear that you do not care so much for
your Mamie you used to do
Nonsense, darling! meant any
thing that tits possible for me to do
And you are sure, Harry, that am
never out of your mind? That you
pet?''
You are never out of my mind an in
slant while 1 am away, and when 1 am
asleep you are always with me in my
Dreams"
and. Harry dear, can l trust you?"
Always. darling. and with anything.
Of whom do think or care except your
sweet self?"
But then, men are SO changeful.'
Some men, darling; but not your
loving husband. You will ever find me
the same, always true to you, always
keeping you in my thoughts, always
bent upon pleasing you, always ready
to respond to your behests!"
Are you sure, Harry?'
Sure"
Il have a great fvor to ask of you,
Harry"
"Oh, that's it; we'll, it is granted be-
fore it is asked"
Harry, my love. be careful how you
promise -ecklesslv. 1t is no common
thing l am going to ask of you
1T makes no difference what it is.
darling, you have my promise
You may think me foolish. Harry,
but this is such an awful thing to ask
of you
awful? Why, what in the world
can it be? You arouse my curiosity.
Come, dear. out with it
We'll. dear, You are sure you won't
think me unreasonable"
Not Bit
Nor exacting?" <ss'
mix"
Don't trifle. Harry; this is serious
matter"
Serious? You don't mean that you
have been cooking something's"
What an idea. No"
''Or that your mother is coming to
live with us?''
Harry, you know better than that"
Then, for heavens sake, tell me |
what it is"
II will. But don't start, and don't |
refuse me. Here is a letter, dear, that !
want you to mail. 1t is important. |
Now, you won't forget it. will you?"
You silly little goose, And it is
only this? Why didn't you tell me at |
once? OF course I will do it. I'll put it |
in the box at the corner as go by
And you will not forget to do it?''
Forget? Impossible"
80 Harry, you don't know what load |
you have taken off my mind. Here it
is. now be sure"
They embrace and kiss, and Mr.. Hart
leigh goes off with the letter in his
hand, so as to be sure not to forget to i
mail it. and his little wife goes singing
about the house happy in the assur-
ance that she has husband whom she
can trust.
In the evening, Mr.. Hartleigh, after
the customary greeting, discovers
dust on her husbands coat. Proceed
ing to dust it off with her hand. she
percei, ess that there is something in his
breast pocket. What have you there?"
she asks.
Nothing, that 1 know Of" Harry re-
plies. But mechanically he thrusts his
hand into the pocket and draws some
thing thence with the eXclama ton:
by Jove,"
1t is that letter which he promised to
mail.
His little wife bursts into tears. 30
Harry" she cries; mother told the
truth. The men are all alike. My dream
Of happiness is over. My husband has
proved false. Oh, why was I ever
born?''
Mrs. Hartleigh did not go home to
her mother. but in few days she APP
Deared on the street in a new seal sacque
and n perfect love of a bonnet-Boston
Transcript.