The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-11-25
HOW HE PASSED
THEM
GoriginaLl

nut IL JUGS. II you nou plenty OF
money Ia love you as l did when |
married you. But now. shaving as l
do
1T isn't so much that, Molly; it's
seeing other women enjoying the splen-
dor Of wealth."
''No matter what's the cause, my
minds made up"
Tom Beverly made no reply. He
knew that "a willful woman must
have her own way" One day few
months after this Interview he came
home TO find her gone. She left note
saying that she had no fault TO find
with him except that his poverty made
life burden 20 them both. He wrote
her that he regretted her inability To
take comfort with him I'm n homely
way; that he was not dog in a
manger," and If she found an oppor-
tunity to marry a fortune he would
not stand in her way.
Mrs Beverly was an attractive WON
an and soon found just such an op-
portunity as her husband had referred
to. She wrote Beverly asking II he
would stand by his word and help her
get divorce. Beverly. who had vain
ly hoped his course would bring her
back TO him. was much disappointed,
but he kept HIS promise and sigued
paper confcssing to a number OF sins.
any one Of which would turn any wife
against him. Mrs. Beverly got her d.
vorce and became Mrs Willard. She
had married Beverly for love; Willard
she married for money.
The first time Beverly saw his for
mer wife after their separation he WIS
trudglng along on foot from business.
She was riding with her second hus-
band in a glittering equipage with
both coachman and footman. The
sight gave the deserted man a shock.
His philosophy was all gone out OF
him. Still he was too generous 20
grudge the couple their wealth. But |
he was human enough to wish TO sur /
pass them in their own Injuries. lie I
then and there made a resolve that he /
would one day drive by the couple in a /
more Respondent carriage and horses /
than they possessed
Beverly was still a young man. He /
had been laying the foundation for his /
business, drawing a niggardly sum To-
living expenses. often making nothlns. !
and when he made anything above ex- /
penses leaving 1t in his business for /
capital. II was this that had tire I
out his wife. The first year after sic /
left him he made a fine unexpect, I |
profit This put him on his feet. AMI. |
following his resolve. he expanded his |
business and made money rapidly. In
five years he was a rich man, and in
five years more he was more than a
millionaire.
Meanwhile Willard, who was n dar-
ing speculator. was getting on the l
wrong side OF the cotton market, and
his fortune was melting away. Bev-
erly had been too poor TO move In the /
same set with him and his wife and
consequently had not kept track Of
them. by the time Beverly had accu-
INFLATED sufficient means TO live as
they did Willard had lost everything
and retired with his wife to a dingy
cottage I'm the suburbs. Consequently
Beverly did not even hear OF their al
tered circumstances.
One day Beverly was trying a new
pair of horses he had purchased. They
were high steppers, their harness was
gold mounted. and on the rear seat ~
the sparkling drag behind them sat
two liveried lackeys with folded arms
Beverly came upon the last carriage Of
funeral procession. lie was obligel
10 check his FESTIVE horses for awhile;
but. coming 20 a point where the road
widened, he pushed on beside the
train. Passing the mourners' carriage,
woman In widows weeds sat look
Ing out Of the half drawn curtail.
Beverly glanced aside and In the mel
ancholy face saw for only a moment
the features OF his former wife.
For ten years he had struggled to be
able to pass her and the man who had
supplanted him with a finer equpage
than theirs. Alas for human triumphs!
When they come they wlther. The
woman he had desired TO excel was
riding In a common cab, her husband
In a hearse.
Beverly drove on TO the city, where
he learned all the late happenings 10
bis rival and the woman who could not
wait for fortune to come by slow
process, IL indeed It would ever come.
When the widow returned TO her shah
by home she found note there ad-
dressed In q well known hand.
She opened II, and out huttered
check. II was for a thousand dollars
and was signed Thomas Beverly
The note read:
For ten years / have struggled 20 pos
sess the means TO Guido you and the man
who took my place. This was TO be my
revenge. Death and misfortune have de-
priyed me OF II. I wish for no revenge
but II you can ind It In your heart to use
the check inclose you will give me COM
fort
The next day the check was return
ed, with note:
would gladly give you comfort, Tom.
and / am not too proud to accept your
kind offer II is simply crushing sense
of my unworthiness and your superiority.
Providence gave me the means 10 be hap
by, but threw happiness away. can
not atone for my fault | can o.iy bear
merited punishment and work my way