The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-17
THE SECOND WIFE.

tipping over her basket Of Berlin woods in
her CONSERVATION, greatly to the delight
Of tho kitten.
Al his agein cried Miss Phemy. 1.-Two
and fifty, if hos q day"
Paul Tharpe's sisters were struck dumb
with amazoinent when, after Is years of
| widowerlsood, he arrived at Thorpe home
stead with his bride, aud they were pre-
sented to a blue eyed, tiniid looking child
Of II. The Misses Thorpe presided frigid-
" at the tea table. In vain did the little
bride endeavor to make conversation and
establish some sort Of a social footing.
Paul, " she whispered when at last she
had her husband 60 herself, I am afraid Of
themi Idon't think they like mci''
Nonsense, my dear, = said Mr.. Thorpe,
stroking down the golden curls of his
ehildIke wife. You'll all get along SPLEEN
| didly together when you're a little better
acquainted.
s.Euphemia, /" said Miss Clarissa as she
sat before tho glass rolling her seanty hair
upin paper, what do you think of Mrs
Paul Thorpe?n
II hate her."
Paul Thorpe had not been married quite
q year to his little wife whom Miss Iu-
phemia anne to him one day.
stCan / speak to you alone. Panl?'
HOf course you can, Phemy; but what
Is all the mystery aboutf'' he answered
gayly.
THAT is for youto judge, " Miss Thorpe
answered primly, when you have read
the letter"
WHAT letter? Who wrote itf''
sOne of your wife's admirers probably.
I found it in the pocket of the white dress
she sent to tho wash this morning"
I~nvoiuntarily Paul Thorpe glanced at
the letter, whose signature had been torn
sway-a letter written in a bold, mascu-
line ohirography:
MY OWN DARLING MAEIAN-Your letter of
yesterday convinced me more and more that
your love is still mine, even though
"Stopl" he cried aloud between his
firmly set teeth. WHO dares to call my
wife his darling9 Who dares''-
r~Euphemia.' Z he said huskily, 81 thank
you for opening my eyes. I was a mao
fool for thinking that a child Of II could
ever care for me-"
He turned away, with a face like ashes
"Pau1l' his sister called after him.
aPaul!''
But tho door had already closed behind
his retreating footsteps.
Paul Thorpe returned no more. A brief,
cold letter to his wife announced that
business of Importance would necessitate
q few years residence in Europe.
"But why didn't he come himseif?"
walled Maria, wringing her little white
hands. Have I offended him? Have /
done wrong in any unconscious way?'
Miss Euphelnia made no reply. The
letter she herself had received by the am
mail contained these words:
/ can never see her again. While she lives I
am an exile from my home. l leave her to
your care. Be kind to her, for perhaps she is
the creature of untoward circumstances. /
will remit all necessary funds regularly.
Yours truly, p T.
Miss Phemy sat staring at the fire with
the letter in her hand. She had parted
man and wife. She had made them both
wretched, for in her heart she believed
that Marian loved Paul Thorpe.
II dare not tell the truth nov" she
thought. II dare n 0 confess that I tore
the signature from the letter, and that it
was written by that brother of hers in Hi
nois that she never speaks Of because he
forged a check once and had to flee the
state.
But even the callous heart of Miss
Phemy reproached her for her craft when
she saw tho roses fading away from poor
Marian's cheeks, the elasticity deserving
her light, graceful figure as day by day
crept by and no word or message came
from the absent husband.
But one day Miss Clarissa came homo
from district visiting pale, languid and
heavy eyed, and within q day or two the
disease declared itself NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Of the most virulent type.
Servants fed the house, ~neighbors dis
covered that they needed change of air,
friends and acquaintance ~contented thcm-
selves by sending cards of inquiry through
the mails, and even a professional nurse
could not be obtained.
ssI'm SURF I don't know what we are to
do, 2 said DR.. Kenward when it was dis
covered that Miss Euphemia, too, was
stricken down by the baleful disease.
81 will take care of them, doctor, " said
Marian. 81 have had the disease and
don't fear it. They arc my husbands sis
tiers. It is all / can do for him now"
And through long days and nights of
anguish and delirium she remained con-
slant to her charge until tho balance turn
ed and they recovered.
you would both Of you have been in
your graves under six feet Of earth If it
hadn't been for this girl, !" said blunt DR..
Kenward. under God, you W your
lives to her."
Miss Clarissa silently leaned forward TO
kiss Marian's bianched c-ountenancc. Eu-
phemia only drew a sort of short, quick
sob and asked for her writing desk.
II would not try to write just YET
said Marian gently.
"Only one letter. / mustF' said Miss
Phemy, and Marian let her have her way
DEAR B~RoyHER-I have deceived you about
Marian, though | swear before Heaven 5 tri-
bunal / didn't know at the time how much
mischief | was working. She is as pure and
good as an angel. and through doing good to
them that despitefully used her she has
wrought out her own salvation. / inclose the
signature | myself tore off that fatal letter
which has astranged you both-the signature
of Marian's own brother, Guy Russell. Do not
reproach me. have suffered enough already
for my crime. Yours repentantly,
EuPHEMIA THORPE.
Directed to the caro- Of his lawyer, the
letter reached Paul Thorpe at Boston,
whittier he had Just arrived from London,
and three days afterward he stood upon
his " threshold. Marian herself CHANGED
to open the door to him.
paul Oh, PAUL. Ny husbandip she
cried out wildly.
my Marianl" was all that be answered
Neither Of them ever spoke q word OF re-
proach to Miss Phemy.
ut is enough that we are happy once