The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-27
The Globes Daily Short Story

| for your forgiveness, but / shall tell you
the truth
Yes, dear" sad Philomene, "all Of
it, please
1T met Helen Burnett at a reception
given by artist friend in London. Her
| wonderful beauty of face and form
caught me- and before 1 knew 1t ] was,
| as | thought desperately in love with
| her. She was an aetress-not so great en-
| the stage as she was off it-as L discov-
| cred to my sorrow. l thought l knew
| something of the ways of women, but
! she made a plaything of me. We left
London together and went to Paris
You married her?"
"Well-no, not-you see, she had nus
band living somewhere and she had not
yet secured"
A low moan from Philomene caused a
spasm of pain to cross The Mans face.
He hesitated and then went on.
"But I intended to marry her just as
soon as l could do so. Then, one day.
some kind friend-I never knew who, but
I have blessed him often since-told her
that | had reached the end of my for
tune; that I was practically beggar
When she came to me and asked me If
the report was true the mist cleared
from my eyes, and l saw her as she
really was. Her tone, her manner, were
such that I could not fail to see ner
true nature, and from that moment
hated her. To get rid of her was my
only thought, and SO I did not deny
the rumor, but allowed her to think that
it was true. Later, when she found out
that she had been duped, she was furious
at the loss of her prey, and she swore
that she would some day get even with
me. Fearful of what she might do L
sent a friend to her with instructions
to buy from her my letters. She sold
them to him for an enormous price; but
it seems that she kept a few of them,
There were so many, and they were all
SO nearly alike that I did not miss these
that she retained. She has sent them 20
you-and-well-and that is ALL
| Philomene looked at The Mans bag
gard face and sweet pity stole over
her own. Then she slipped quietly around
behind him and put her arms around his
neck and pressed her face close to his
cheek
Dearest" she said II had thought
in the way all women love to think, that
| was the one woman. We all like to
| think that, you know, and it is often
| great blow to us to find that there
| have been others. But it was foolish
of me to think you any less human than
| other men-and women" she added aft
! er a little pause. Il know that it was
| only d UlSQ lllldtudLlOIl liIdl CdIliCu yOu
| off your feet-and 1 know that now it
is all a thing of the past; of that I'm
sure; and I'm only woman, possibly
not so wise; but I love you and l for
give you, as 1 know you would forgive
me, were you in my place and 1 in
yours
MY darlingr' cried The Man, and he
| turned and took her in his arms.
Would you. dear?" whispered Phil
| emene.
How could 1 help it?'' said The Man,
pressing his lips against her soft cheek.
Anything? Are you sure; are You
very, very sure?" and her sweet gray
| eyes looked searchingly into his own.
| 81 am very sure" The Man said, sim
| ply
| "Then sit down in this chair; I have
something to tell you," said Philomene.
| The Man obeyed. wonderingly. Philo-
meme stood behind him, where he could
not see her, and said, very slowly and
| hesitatingly:
Dearest, l have a confession to make
| to you, but you must not ask me to
| go into details. Let it suffice for you