The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-02-22
g Rude GcoQe y
BY WILLIAM BUCRLEI

7Ezszszszseszszst.szseszszV
stephanie. her little Partisan maid, uttered
some very improper ana shockingly true
| things about English milliners and the con-
tours they are privileged to drape.
Take the Abomfnable thing back 1t
once! cried madame tragically, .tand tell
the animal that am q woman-not . gal
lows. And take the afternoon for myself,
child
Left alone. adame enjoyed q good cry. and
tnen having bathed her limpid eyes, changed
nef dress, and felt better. She cheated 80
minutes or 80 In busting the gaudy little re-
eeption room downstairs. with its crysto-
dainty nick nacks, telling herself that her
husband was hideously unreasonable, and
most tllogfca1ly wishing him back again in
stead OF wasting their holiday by sulking.
she decided, too, when posing his photograph
for the 10th time opposite her own under the
adorably gilt mirror from the Rue de Riyoli.
that he was not at all old, but rather quite
young, which was perfectly true-as far as
the photo went. She compared him with
Skfppington pere ct fills, very much to the
disadvantage OF both gentlemen. She re-
membered that he had remained her lover
through two April years OF married life. q
fact highly creditable to his taste, and it
was this circumstance rendered their fire.
quent making-up SO interesting, for he was
exceedingly original She decided that this
DOMINIC an apron, she went down to the
COOK, and with her own dimpled hands pre-
pared favorite dish of his, planning as she
worked the evenings program. There would
be first of all the reconciliation in a pathetic
tea-go Then they would 60 to the play,
and afterwards to supper at gay French
restaurant, where evefybod would be in the
best possible temper, and the Problems Of
Life, shivering at the door outside, be cheat
ed for few golden ante-meridian hours;
and ever as the laughing minutes flew she
would grow cOyly seductive and Leon appre-
ciative and the waiter from Languedoc con-
fdential as he brought them-well, the Sec
ond bottle Of violet-breathing Chateau La
f1te
Her cooking finished, she hurried to the
piano and tinkled of a morceau of Chopin,
rendered la Franchise Beethoven's Moon
light, which she rapidly changed for the
Sunshine of Mozart, and then, she could
hardly tell why, slipped into ''triumphal
march redolent with memories of the peace
full Breton convent where she had spent
three years of needless girlhood. 1t had
formed, she remembered, the overture to a
fve-act drama illustrating the virtues Of st.
Elizabeth, performance in which she had
taken the title role, but without once open
ing her mouth, as she appeared only in the
last tabIeau when Elizabeth lay dead upon
her bier in the m-vaulted church, and
Frederick II. placed his own diadem upon
her worn brow, naughty Felfcte being cho-
sen for this instead of the convent pet, who
had sustained the sanity part up to that
point owing to her trick Of retaining her
breath and keeping perfectly rigid pose for
an almost indefinite period.
She suddenly ceased playing, and went to |
the mirror holding her breath, 10, So 60 |
seconds minute and half. Bon! it was |
death itself, and her cheek, how pale it |
gerw! She closed one eye and regarded I
herself critically. She was really bewitch- !
ing-so pale, so calm, so utterly remote |
from sordid, sinful, and, it must be con-
fessed a somewhat dingy world. If only one |
could be sure of being like that when one j
really dies! OUT, she was growing fanciful.
Struggling her shoulders she glanced at her /
watch, Icons latest present, and pouted. |
1t was very late, and he had not come back. ,
Was ever a loving little wife, eager to
forgive, treated SO before? Perhaps he |
would never return! Perhaps he had gone
off with some abandoned woman. Impos-
sible as such contingency should be, it
was nevertheless, not altogether improb-
able.
Suddenly thought struck her-so dram
attic, so artistic, that she clapped her hands
and laughed aloud. She would write him
farewell letter, expressing her regret for
what had occurred, and assuring him that he
would never have cause to fly into passion
with his devoted wife again, since she had
taken poison, and had quilted forever a
world his heartlessness had made unbear-
able. Then she would lie on the marriage
couch, hold her breath and hear what he
had to say-she fet he could be eloquent.
Changing her robe for more elaborate
one, gloritied by Medici collar, trimmed
with ostrich tips that had never scurried
across the desert plain. she fastened to the
table before the bay window, and commence
ed to pen the note. 1t took some time to
compose, and, like other chefs d oeuvre,
was never ended for while she was search
ing the word of the situation she heard
step in the hall. 1t was Leon She had let
himself in with the latchkey.
Flying to a cabinet she took small,
half emptied phial of 1audanum from it,
sprinkled a few drops upon the coverlet,
rubbed a little on her lips and threw herself
On the bed.
She heard him coming up the stairs, not
quickly, according to his wont. On the
landing he paused to turn the handle of
the boudoir door for a moment, and then,
laughing harshly. continued his assent,
breathing somewhat heavily as he reached
The top. At last he entered and she shut
her eyes
At first NJ. Deforges noticed nothing I'M
usual, being engaged turning the key in
he lock- then his eyes fell on the open
letter. He approached and read it care
July, and it's tinsel pathos seemed con-
7incing Then, quite mechanically, he
urned to the bed. There lay his wife,
silent nnotionless as carved statue not q
lutter of the blue veined lids SO TRANQUILITY
closed, not tremor of the high bosom on
which he placed his hand with instructive
'everence.
MA femme, he rnuttered brokenly
Thank God the child died.
He bent and kissed her, catching the odor
If the laudanum and signing again. Her
kirts were a trifie disarranged, owing to
he hurry of the pose. He rearranged them
II orderly folds over the little arched feet |
His wife felt a tear trickle on her brow
moment later. In spite Of her will blush
tole across her cheek; but he did not see
or he turned away at the instant, mutter-
ng, Mon Dieu!'' which is no proof that
e believed in God. /:
Knowing from his retreating steps that ,
le was going to the writing table, she open
d an eye and watched him out of the COR
Ter, wondering what he would do, for she
cit sure his artistic instincts would not
llow him to think Of the stomach pump
He had lit match, and standing with his |
Jack to her still, was burning the letter
lowly. Having done this, he sat down and
ook the discarded pen, but presently threw !
aside with little laugh, which made her
hink the joke had gone far enough. At the
anne moment she strove to rise, and turned I
he upper portion of her body slightly but :
uddenly found herself held motionless as :
{ by the hand of the Death she cheated so
yell. She parted her lips to utter cry,
ut no sound came, although her intelli-
ence warned her of what was imminent
ven before he reached towards the drawer
the pistol.
The phial, which slipped from her hand.
scllated q second ON the slope OF the