Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-31

husband, and therefore, that there was no
self-sacrifice, no self-abnegation in the
thought that must have been caused by
the mental picture of his clasping another
in his arms. OF his bestowing upon an
other the fond caresses of a bridegroom.
Those who knew the woman. however,
assured me that she loved her husband
with an affection that could not be sha-
ken, and that her sole desire in life ap-
peared to be to secure his happiness.
What impressed me as talked to her
husband is the fact that he apparently
sees nothing odd in the whole affair. He
takes is as a matter of fact that his wife
should do exactly as she did.
When saw Mr.. Eismann, and asked
him. when his marriage to Miss Schmidt
would take place, he declined to tell me.
He said that the circumstances of his
wifes death, and the general knowledge
in the community in which he resided
that, the engagement was the direct result
Of his wife's dying wish. had brought
about such publicity of the whole affair
that he did not desire any more. and he
was determined to keep the date Of the
wedding secret If he possibly could.
Then your engagement to Miss Schmidt
Is the direct result of the promise you
made to your dying wife?" asked.
1T certainly is; but 1 must say that al
ways had deep regard for Miss Schmidt
HIlC1 AA1g WAAG was dAANSB anu Was dDlS
to promise my wife before she died that
1 could joyfully contemplate the prospect
Of our wedding"
Would you have asked Miss Schmidt
to marry you had not your wife made
you promise to do so?" I queried.
After minutes hesitation he replied;
II don't know whether 1 would hoe had
the courage to do so. But my wife made
ii so easy for the two of US. She called
us into the room at different times, and
she must have known that we could like
one another pretty well or she would
never have made us promise to marry"
/ asked Mr.. Eismann's sister about the
affair. She said she had known the late
Mrs. Eismann pretty well, but did not re-
gard the arrangement which she had
made for her husbands wedding as any
thing of very extraordinary character.
Like her brother, she seemed to think that
II was the very thing she would expect
her sister-in-law to do. Mr.. Eismann's
sister, however, did not appear to think
that a hasty marriage was the proper
thing.
In order to complete, If it were possible
to do so further, the arrangement she had
made to secure the happiness of her hus-
band and her friend, Mrs Eismann, on
her 'deathbed, bequeathed all her personal
property, such as her jewelry and articles
of fancy clothing, to Miss Schmidt. She
said she desired her to take her place
in every sense of the word.
Mrs. Eismann was inclined to be a very
religious woman. She was an Episcopa-
liam and usually went to church twice
every Sunday. She had been acquainted
with Miss Schmidt for about seven years
When she first tried to exact the promise
from her that she would be the second
Mrs. Eismann she requested her to keep
the matter a secret until she had seen
her husband.
AUnless 1 see that he loves you and
will be happy with you" a friend of Miss
Schmidt told me the woman said to her,
II will not ask my husband to marry you
at all. 1 do not want him to marry any
woman whom he could not love or with
whom he could not be happy. If I knew
for fact that you two loved each other
and would live happily together. 1 would
ask for no more JOY"
1t is a remarkable story. although IT
does not appear to seem so to the living
principals in the drama now. 1t is a re-
markable exhibition of unselfsh love and
devotion on the part of one woman, who
can so cheerfully and with willingness
surrender to another that which she must
have held so dear-her hearth, her home,
her husbands love.