Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-09-20
MRS. JELIFFE



Bert Preston and Florence Holt met
when he was twenty-three and she was
eighteen Had not Bert gone west to
\ seek his fortune they would undoubt.
| edly have made a match. As IL was.
neither knew of the predispositlon of
/ the other. In time Bert fell under the
( influence of a widow. a Mrs. geliife.
| considerably older than he, aud mar
! ried her. Marriage is said to be a lot
terry. but 1t is rather matter of com
I mon sense. There was certainly no
common sense in the Preston-Jeliffe
union. Mrs. Jeliffe was a shrew. and
/ there was no knowledge to be derived
/ from any one as to the taking or OF
\ her first husband: not that any sus-
1 picion attached TO his widow. but there
was a mystery concerning his death.
She led Preston 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 a 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 deep sympathy
| for him. She had not married and
there seemed to be no one whom she
wished TO ,iarry. Then when II was
too late she and Preston learned that
| they should have been pllghted to 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 II
at any time he learned of his wife's
death Florence would marry him. They
| correspondent daily and, with the ex-
ception OF being together. We're as hap
by as possible. Then a paper came
TO Preston from southern city with
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 long period of in
quIry as TO the late Mrs. Preston
Jeliffe and a 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 III
his western home he took with him the
woman he should have taken ia the
first place. They made each other
| very happy, and several children
sprang up about them. Their neigh
bors all said that II marriage is u fail
ure there was one exception TO the
rule-the case of the Preston family.
One evening when Preston was sit
ting on the front porch. with his chill
dren climbing over him. Mrs. Preston
| sitting by sewing, there was "A click at
the gate. Mrs. Preston looked up 10
see "A strange woman coming IA. while
| Preston was paralyzed with the sight
OF the late Mrs. JeIiffe Preston.
BERTHE" said the intruder. i've
come back. Aren't you glad to see
| met"
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 IL not our own. but TO stand by
each other" Then. turning to the in
| truder, she continued: This man may
be your husband In the sight OF an
| imperfect law, but he is mine In the
| sight Of a perfect God. Co."
| 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 in
| the town, intending TO get rid of her
| rival, not by legal process. but by per
secution. She would have failed TO
make any great impression had it not
been for the man. Florence overawed
her by a 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 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 a 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 Jeiiffe was last night arrested.
| at the instigation of her husband. An
| thony Jeltffe, on a charge of bigamy. II
| is charged that Mrs Jeliffe deserted her
| husband and married Mr.. Adelbert Pres
/ ton OF this city. Her husband (Jeliffel by
| threat Of exposure induced her to return
to him. and in order to conceal herself