The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-28
Three Teleprams.


however clever and evenly balanced, who
has not at some time in MS life made
consummate fool Of himselfr'
Spoken with the wisdom OF Solomon,
Fairbanksi That really sounds os If It
had story back of it. Let's have It,
old man. said Wilson.
Four men were sitting in their coy
apartments, Shaking, while the cold De
cember rain dashed in sheets against the
windows. There had been silence for
some minutes as they watched the flick
ering flames in the open CRATE, the only
light in the room
This season Of the year reminds me
Of the time when I was the biggest fool
that ever walked Gods earth" said Fair
banks. Boys you don't know, perhaps,
but I'm a married man"
All looked up in surprise and interest.
and Fairbanks continued: Il was a
stranger and you took me in, and it IS
no more than right that you should know
my story. I had a wife whom l adored
and who. I believe, was equally fond of
me. My best friend and college chum-
well, we viii call him Jones-was a fire.
quent visitor at our home. He was like
one Of the family, and came and went
as he pleased, and I fully trusted him.
spiteful little widow sowed the seeds
Of jealousy in my heart by frequent re-
marks about my wife and-Jones. 1t
never occurred to me for a moment that
there was anything wrong between them,
but the seed was sown, and it unexpect-
edly sprang into life.
Having bought heavily on wheat, It
suddenly took a tumble and I had to
hustle to get the money for my margin.
1t kept going down and ruin stared me
in ba
with the news in glazing headlines that
I would probably be wiped out before
night. tried TO borrow at the bank but
failed, and came home about I O'Clock in
the afternoon, a desperate man, leaving
it to its fate. The excitement Of the
preceding days had told upon me, and
was nearly crazy.
Entering the house, found It desert
ed, and there was evidence Of hasty de-
parture. My wife's trunk and satchel
were gone, and not a word to tell me
why. It was the maids day out, and
so no information could be obtained from
that quarter. Suddenly my eyes caught
the story of my ruin, staring at me from
the paper on the table. The seed of jeal-
Ousy sprang into life and Immediately
bore fruit, and in that 1 read the cause
of flight, and felt that my wife had a
companion in my friend-Jones.
when that idea entered my head my
fury knew no bounds.
"Ruined-deserted-d isgraced by the
two whom I loved most; what use to
five longer? I resolved on suicide to end
my misery, but first I would rain curses
down upon the two who were faithless.
'I wrote my wife a letter-it was the
raving of a crazy man-calling her and
her paramour everything that was vile
and accursed. Not knowing where to
reach her, I felt sure that in time she
would communicate with her father; so
I addressed it in his care, damned my hat
on my head, and mailed it at the nearest
corner.
Returning to the house, I seized my
pistol and with it pointed to my brain.
was about to pull the trigger when the
door-bell rang. I paused; again and again
st rang, and put down the pistol and
went to the door.
ut was the boy from the office, who
had a telegram for me. and was sent to
my home, hoping to find me there.
Have met with accident; come at
once to Bellevue hospital-Jones,' it read.
Putting the pistol in my pocket 1 went
to the hospital. determined e finish him
then and there If he were guilty! I
found him, and his story was this:
He went up to his home about II
o'clock to get some important papers he
had forgotten, and on his way read an
account of my disastrous wheat deal. He
stopped at my home to see my wife and
tell her not TO worry; that he would help
me out. That's how the paper happened
to be on the table. He found her IN
great distress over a telegram just re-
ceived from her father:
Your mother very III. May not re-
cover. Come at once
"She hurriedly packed her'trunk and de-
parted, having barely time to catch the
train. The maid being out, and having
no time to write me, she left him to
bring me the news. Jones, wishing TO
reach me with financial aid before the
bank closed. jumped on my wheel and
began the trip downtown. It was cold.
the ground partly frozen and rough and
he was thrown from the wheel and dash
ed against the curbstone, breaking his
collar-bone Being unconscious, he was
taken to the hospital, and sent the tele
gram to me as soon as he was sufficient
ly recovered to do so.
well, boys. I didn't care a rap about
the wheat, but my JOY at finding my
wife was faithful knew no bounds.
would have Rugged Jones in my excite
ment had 1t not been for the fracture.
He urged me to hurry to the bank and
get the money to protect myself-which
did
That night I started for Hillsboro TO
Join my wife. When 1 reached her faith
er's house I impatiently rang the bell and
he came to the door. His face was pale.
and a CLEAN of awful anger shot from his
eyes as he looked at me.
do- 70
foot on my premises again I'll have you
arrestedr Then he slammed the door In
my face.
Up to that moment I had forgotten
all about the fearful letter written in n
frenzy, which had reached her in the
morning mail. What could I do? I knew
it was useless 10 try 70 seek her now;
so I turned and went back to the station.
7 met the village undertaken coming IN
the gate as I went out. and I knew her
mother was dead.
What blow for woman 10 receive
at such a time! No wonder her father
was angry, Hoping 10 obtain FORGIVE
ness, I came home and wrote At length
telling her how much I loved her and
what a brute I was, but nearly crazed
by my financial troubles, I might have
saved the time in writing the letter, for
the next mail brought it back, unopen-
ed. Again and again I wrote, with the
same result. She stayed with her faith
er, and / have never seen or heard from
her since. That is three years ago, and
God only knows how ] have suPeffered
and reQented in the meantime.
I came OUT even on the wheat deal
paid Jones the money Re loaned me. and
gave up the cursed business I came
here. hoping by new surroundings 70 for
get the past. I cannot believe that I