Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-23
DAILY SHORT STORY
M RS. JELIFFE.

seek his fortune they would unuOuDt-
edly have made q match. As 1t was.
neither knew of the predispositiOn of
the other. In time Bert fell under the
influence Of a widow, Mrs. Jeliffe.
considerably older than he, and mar
ried her. Marriage is said 10 be lot
terry, but il is rather matter of com
mon sense. There was certainly no
common sense in the PrestOn-J eliffe
union Mrs. Jeliffe was a shrew, and
there was no knowledge TO be derived
from any one as 10 the taking off of
her first husband; not that any sus-
picion attached TO his widow, but there
was a mystery concerning his death.
She led Preston a miserable life for a
few years. then to his great relief sud
denly disappeared.
1t was five years after Preston went
west and two years after his marriage
that he made Il visit to his old home in
the east Florence Holt had heard OF
his matrimonial venture and. since
there had always been place for him
in her own heart. felt a deep sympathy
for him. She had not married and
there seemed TO be no one whom she
wished To marry. Then when ii was
too late she and Preston learned that
they should have been plighted 10 each
other before he went west. He and
Florence would have been happy to-
gether.
When Preston went back west he
carried with him the assurance that if
at any time he learned of his wife's
death Florence would marry him They
lniI
ception Of being together, We're as hap
by as possible. Then paper came
10 Preston from Il southern city with
a marked death notice-that of Mrs.
Anthony Jeliffe. That same evening
found Preston on the train bound east.
He wrote the newspaper containing
the notice for information, but could
get none. After a long period of i'll
curry as To the late Mrs. Preston
Jeliffe and Il failure to learn why the
notice had not read Preston instead of
Jeliffe. Bert and Florence concluded to
consider the woman dead and marry.
When this time Preston returned 10
his western home he took with him the
woman he should have taken in the
first place. They made each other
'
sprang up about them. Their neigh
bors all said that if marriage is II fail
ure there was one exception TO the
rule. the case of the Preston family.
one evening when Preston was ST
ting on the front porch, with his chill
drcn climbing over him, Mrs. Preston
sitting 10y sewing there was click at
the gate Mrs Preston looked up 10
see Il strange woman coming in, while
Preston was paralyzed with the sight
of the late Mrs. Jeliffe Preston.
'Bertie." said the intruder, I've
come back. Aren't you glad TO see
me-
When Florence glanced at her hus
band. or rather, the man she had sup
posed was her husband, she knew by
the despair on his face that the dead
Wife had come to life. Mrs. Jeliffe,
as she must be called to distinguish
her, came up to the porch, took a seat
and famed herself
Bert" said Florence, there is moth
ing for us to do, for the children'S
sake If not our own, but to stand 10y
each other" Then, turning to the in
trudfr, she continued: This man may
be your husband III the sight of an
imperfect law, but he is mine in the
sight of a perfect God. Go"
There was something so Impressive
in the speaking of the words that Mrs.
Jeliffe was for the moment vanquished.
She arose and departed, but before go
ing out the gate she turned and fired
one shot. Wen see about that
Mrs. Jeliffe settled herself down III
the town, intending to get rd Of her
rival, not by legal process. but by per
sccution. She would have failed to
make any great impression lad it not
been for the man. Florence overawed
her by superiority in every respect
1t was the terrible effect the intruder
had upon Preston that destroyed the
family happiness. The woman had
only TO remain in the place where the
Preston family lived to make a wreck
OF Preston. Such situations at times
induce murder. and Florence watched
Preston night and day that under the
terrible temptation he should not make
the matter n thousand times worse by
crime. but the strain was too great
even for woman Of superior
strength. and Florence at last broke
down.
one morning while at breakfast
Preston took up his newspaper, and
his eye lit on the following:
Matilda Jelife was last night arrested.
IT the iustigaJion Of her husband An
thony JeIife. on charge OF biEamy. It
is charged that Mrs. JeIifIe deserted her
husband and married Mr.. Adelbert Pres
ton Of this city Her husband tJeliffe) by
threat Of exposure induced her 10 return
TO him. and in order to conceal herself
she sent n printed notice Of her death to
Mr.. Preston Recently the Jeliffe couple
agreed that Mrs JeliGe should return 70
Mr. Preston, presumably to levy black
mail II any was obtained, JeIiffe zct
none Of II. hence the split between the
Jelines. When rogues fail out honest
men get their dues
Florence. who was pouring out cof-
fee WAS asfnnishnsi 70 see hnr hr,r