Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-10-27

family the means of a continued existence
without any of those distressing feelings
which now peryade your bosom. And
you, my dear, shall be the first to be en-
dowed with this marvellous result of my
inventive genius. Your breast shall be
the one beneath which the first mechan-
ical heart shall beat"
Now, Mrs. Hesslerigg was on this auspi-
sious evening in an unusual state of mind.
In the fret place, her grocer had refused
that very morning to enlarge her account
with him to the extent of a bar Of soap.
Then her bluing was too strong and in
stead of making her clothes look clear and
white 1t dyed them an uncertain and irreg-
ular green. These things had SO vexed
her accomplishing soul that she was real
ly revolving in her mind what means she
had at hand for terminating an existence
SO entirely unsatisfactory.
Perceiving in Mr.. Hesslerigg's sugges-
ton something which might relieve her of
the decidedly unpleasant task of swallow
ing a dose of liquid microbe exterminator,
her only available poison, and yet accom-
plish the same RESULT she acquiesced, ex-
planning, however, the spirit with which
she entered into the scheme. But Mr..
Hesslerigg repealed the idea with great
vehemence.
"That feeling arises from your present
heart, my DEAR" he assured her. My
wonderful continuance will render a recur-
renee of it impossible"
Accordingly the only two silver tea
spoons in the house were disposed of and
Mr.. Hesslerigg purchased a bottle of ether.
The tubs were cleared out of the q the
kitchen table pushed into the middle Of
the room, and after a brief inward prayer
Mrs. Hesslerigg, fully convinced that she
was about to be relieved forever from the
cares of earth and devoutly thankful that
the transition was to be SO easy, absorbed
as much Of the fluid as she could and be-
came oblivious to things around her.
just what Mr.. Hesslerigg did to her
Mrs. Hesslerigg will never know, but
several days afterward she was able to
arise from her bed, perfectly sound and
healthy. The operation, much to her sur
prise, had been successful. She was con-
WINGED, not SO much by anything Mr.. Hes
slerigg told her, as by her own feelings,
that she had been invested with the me-
chanical heart. A lightness and b~uoyancy
| pervaded her being, and there was none
Of the old dependency. Her attitude to-
ward her husband, too, had undergone a
complete change. She was no longer hum
BILE and subservient. Her slavish affection
for him had disappeared with her old
heart, and in the new organ he occupied
no place. She regarded his sluggish, in
dolent habits with aversion rather than
tolerance.
All those feminine characteristics which
had contributed so much to his comfort
had given place to a perfectly masculine
selishness. The idea of any longer earn
ing and cooking three meals a day for
him filled her with a scornful amusement.
The old ties which years of association
had entangled into gordian knots she sew
cred with relentless strokes, cooking only
for herself and allowing Mr.. Hesslerigg to
get along as best he could.
1t was some time before Mr.. Hesslerigg
could realize fully the awfulness of his
mistake. He had expected that the sub
s~titution of his invention for the natural
heart of his wife would enable him to go
on in the old way without any of the tear
full outbursts which had occasionally mar
red his domestic quiet. But the entirely
unlocked for result was overwhelming.
He became restless, watched Mrs. Hessle-
rigg furtively and kept out Of her way Us
much as possible. He hoped 1t would soon
wear away. But his hope was vain. Mat
tiers became worse for him, and soon Mrs.
Hesslerigg, evidently grown tired Of see
ing him around, suggested that he go out
and do something.
"But, my dear, " he ventured, In timid
remonstrance, IT want to perfect my in
vention. Besides, what shall / do? There's
nothing for an inventor to do outside Of
his home"
Mrs. Hesslerigg stood erect, and folding
her arms lowered over her husband. "Hen-
derson Hesslerigg," she said, "if you
think I am going to slop around in the
washtub while you do nothing, you are
mistaken. I have supported this family
long enough, and it's your turn now. I
want you to get right out of here this
found some work"
Completely crushed, Mr.. Hesslerigg,
without venturing a reply, went out into
the street. He did not know how to look
for work, and he wouldn't know how to
do it If he found any. He thought and
pondered, but could not get his mind off
his own misery except to let 1t dwell for a
moment on a bit of rope down in the eel
lar and the peaceful oblivion that lay in one
end of it. He walked around until even
ing, disconsolate and detected, and then,
hoping that his wife had relented, he re-
turned home. But Mrs. Hesslerigg hadn't
softened a bit and was waiting for him.
"Have you got any money!" she de-
manded as soon as he entered the house.
"No, my DEAR" he faltered, "but''-
"Then get right out again., y she said
obdurately, QUITTING him short. II don't
want you loaflng around here"
Once more Mr.. Hesslerigg issued forth,
and a great sob which arose in his throat
and cboked him reminded him again of
the rope. He would-yes, he would put a
period to his unhappy life as abruptly as
possible, His last act would surely reach
the heart which he himself had tempered.
But even that failed. The mechanical
heart beat on a. evenly as ever, and to this
day, In the full enjoyment Of a successful
career, In which washtubs have no part,
Mrs. Hesslerigg continues to be as free
from the sentimentalities of her sex as
though she had been born without that
rgan.-Joseph e. O'Brien in Washington
Post.
oimplicity.