New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-24
|uGSesffon.

BY HAROLD BEGBIE.

~ ianrg = humanity / am Z connoisseur in |
rhine z5--auy. rosuery and hypocrisy, and
I--face rhIs story with the emphatic pronounce
nent TIA, ] am persuaded Of the genuineness
ii Mrs. Fulhams delusion-'
With that he pushed his chair q little back |
from the fire, set his pipe N ms lap, ana win
- fae- resting upon the fender told the
following extraordinary story:
Eliza Eu-han was sentenced to a long term
II Imprisonment on charge Of forgery Her
maiden name was Chambers and she was the
6aueh-y~ Of Canadian rancher- At the age
a eighteen she married man named Fulham,
Who came from the States, and after some i've
wears ~ ..f- III Canada she went with him TO
I-ns.arE. where they settled down 10 humble,
lumCruE existence in The suburbs OF London
Their were uo children OF the marriage
The man. Thomas Fulham, was several years
older than has wife and her very counterpart.
f-ln q VIII h was huge. black. stern. and q
man IF iron Determination His fun, dark eyes
were expressive Of the most profound melan-
c1ely, and the character Of his mouth was Sc
we're. and AT times even cruel He was FIRE
qgenIly thrown into nts Of gloomy depression,
which lasted several days. He was glum, tact
lu-r. .-erlve- His wife. the time Of her
lHarr5l go and for several years after knew
ngthiu- If ms au1ene6eHts. He came suddenly
into her sur7eN hat lonely life-a striking look
Ing I---- 81 Iia5iliFeel-I physique great
Eun-er. bold rider. d lover OF soIitude-and
50 Ta- erful the Ell hantnlenJ he cast
over the EnIS mind that Tor many months,
thinking he did not care FOR her. she suffered
severely both in mind and body. Her love for
HIM was of the blind and unreasoninE order
q sly $ love for hero OF romance; the sort Of
love mat Is common enough in young and un-
sophisticated communities, however rare il
may be in modern Europe. She loved blindly,
and when one day he rode UP to her fathers
ranch tied his horse UP 10 the rails entered
tn house. and without preface OF any kind
tod her mat she must marry him, the gliI was
Wild with happiness.
Her father appeared content with FuIhams
a-5IrslnCe that he had private means, and no
bar raised their engagement. They
were married. and al her fathers death. five
years later, they left the country.
-H.Tv Enc
land But I must tell You first that, soon after
The marriage, although she continued TO adore
her husband, Eliza Fulham was distressed hoy
his deepening melancholy and 10y the uniting
shadow that UNerhUng his thoughts. She real
lied that she WAS married 10 a confirmed hTpo-
choncrlac, and after vain attempts TO dlspeI
the nlists Of his melancholy she settled down
10 a gray colored life, content If she avoided
giving him offence, and enchanted II he ever
bestowed upon her any mark Of tenderness or
affection. Such life, You may well mag
i-a had a ruTnbing effect upon her inteIli-
c-uce. The Vigor OF the strongest mind would
C-aay and atrouhy in an atmosphere Of this
kind and as the poor girl was Of a weak and
clireinE nature her environment was peculiarly
adapted 10 the destruction OF her sanity.
one day. size told met some eight years
after her marriage-Thomas Fulham returned
10 has villa after a visit 10 London, came INTO
The kitchen where she was helping a little maid
Of al work 10 prepare the evening meal, and
taking ner hand, led her without a word into the
sitting room. Here he laid both hands upon
her shoulder and for several moments looked
deeply into heT eyes. Then he drew her nearer
10 L-lL- KISSED hef gently between Inc eyes, ana
spoke as follows:
ny dear Mary" said he, 1t has been dawn
ing upon slowly for several days that I
have not shown you the kindness and the at
1eIilon which your great affection deserves
and which my love for you is most ready 10
display I have had thoughts to worry me-
business 10 occupy my mind. and conscientious
difficulties IN the matter Of religion But by
he mercy Of Heaven I have now shaken these
troubles from my brain, and from this time
forth We viii be all the world to each other"
she was 50 enraptured by this confession that
she did not concern herself TO tell him he had
addressed her 10y wrong name. She threw
herself upon his breast told him that he had
always been good TO her, and professed the most
complete and consuming alteration for her one
friend II The world.
lie seemed pleased by her artless love
.ond-ed her with quiet affection, and studied
her cCuuteuance with lingering interest. You
are not looking at all WE'LL ne said presently.
You stay TOO much indoors 1 must take you
about"
she said she was perfectly content with her
lie
You deceive yourself he answered You
are not well You have grown much thinner
and ] notice that IL order TO obscure this effect
upon your face you have taken TO wearing your
nan IN a different fashion
HAe laughed. and said that he quite mis-
taken.
Do rcc distress me by contradictions he
answered, little inpatientIy. Il remember
perfectly well that you always wore your hair
Parted "a the centre, and caught away from
-le broWs. which gave your face a more open
GIG simple expression. / hope you VIII return
70 hat fashion ] liked it. and il suited you"
To hUuCr MIN she said that she would dress
l-et hair III future like Madonna At that
IL ShudGeraE
Like Tho Madonna he said almost under