The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-21
HIS WIPES UNDERSTUDY
BY WALTER BROWNE. Copyright, 1905. by Daily Story Puo-
 fishing Col

iSHiH8 \o.I
 John Morton's wife was the popular prima donna of a high-class light op- era theater. Her stage name was well, 1t was and is well known. Sne was the pet of the public, courteo, fiattered and feted as few others or the theatrical Armament ever nave been. Yet she was miserable wo- man.
 Wealth, fame and admiration had been so freely lavished upon her that she was in a position to enjoy to the full that most cherished gratifcation or her sex, the jealous envy of all other professional women.
 She had youth, beauty and diamonds galore. Flowers were flung at her nightly, and the daily newspapers toid of her triumphs in howery language.
 Thousands of her photographs adorn- ed the store windows and hus> repro auctions of her sweet, smiling lace made bright the bill posting stations. In spite of this she was wretched-so miserable that she had fully determined to end her life.
 Not whisper of scandal had ever assailed her stainless reputation. She had married a man whom she truly loyed-a man or little or no ability. a colorless creature, but, by her Influence she had procured him the position Of stage manager in the company in whlcn she was the star.
 By her own efforts and talents she had built up a luxurious home. which she illuminated with the radiance of her matronly dignity and the everlast- ing light of her gentle womanly love. Yet she had decided to kill herself, to die because another woman had usurp- ed the place in her worthless husband affection, which rightly belonged to her. .:.s-.
 It was not that she was swayed by the vulgar passion called jealousy. it was rather that her loyal Nheart was wounded. Broken by the knowledge that the man to whom she had been true as steel deliberately sacrificed her love for the blandishments of friv- olous little chorus girl
 The glorious creature was so constr tuted th-t she never for moment thought to revenge herself by staying the wretch whom she had raised to at fuence or his impudent accomplice. She | thought only of self sacrifice. She would die and leave him to his guilty | conscience; leave her to the remorse of having wrecked a happy home. There was one thing she could do however She could brand her riVa with the authorship of the tragedy l She resolved to die in the chorus giri pretty apartments. Those rooms, tht l constant haunt of her husband, main | tained on the money the wronged wlfs l earned. The baby-face girl had tri- umphed over her life. Hers should be the triumph of death. By dying in hei | rivals home she would bring upon th' | shameless iirl who had robbed her ol | her husbands love such an unsav'i ; scandal as would blight her reputation | forever. '-.-
 She plainly told her faithless hus hand of her resolve to commit suicide but he only laughed in her face Al | she left the house on her errand ol death the brute flung heartless JeS after her lie could not believe Il possible woman would sacrihce e. l career like hers, merely for the lof'
 Perhaps ,it was strange that such { thing should be done for such mar | as he.
 When. few minutes later, however l he found his revolver was missing iron his bureau drawer. he gave Ions whistle, then hurried out 10 the near | est district messenger once
 Meantime me wife went to the hom' of hr rival and q strange scene wa | enacted between those two women one pleaded, the other sneered. Heart breaking pathos Was met by senseles l slmpering and gigsIes. The heart the noble woman bled, while the eye | Of bdDy-fdCeu uoll uoiASNN "'Nh NN light and exdltatlon that star whoh everybody cnvied should be pleading ner feet for the love of man. On man, AS if the world was not full 0 them,
 What did she care for the wretche' womans insignificant husband. excop that. as stage manager. he could ad vance her, as he had done, step by step since he first discovered her pretty tac' in inc back row of the chorus!
 But when the prima donna drew pistol from her pocket and coolly tol' the chorus girl her intention. the brain less beauty promptly tainted away
 It would have been easy for tn wroneed woman to have avenged her self then. but, while she did not fea 10 die she would not, could not. hay the stain of another's blood upon he soul.
 She was about to press the revolve to her own heart when a messenge how was ushered in, and on the not in his hand addressed 10 her rival she recognized her husbands hand
 writing.
 } and read:
 | Good luck at last, dear. Chance O
 your lifetime. Remember, my pet, l was who made you my wite's under