The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-04-04
The Last Failure.

would nave put him dOWE as HAL
bordering ca fifty: even his 1elioH
clerks always referred to him as Old
Emmett He was one of life's dere-
icts-worn by hopes deferred. lllu-
sions shattered and early ambitions
nipped.
1t was natural enough that three
days after his wife fell i'll the head OF
the firm should sur1marily dismiss
him with a months salary, and hint
that his work was getting slovenly.
How he got out Of the office he never
quite knew. He remembered nothing
until he found himself on the frcnt
steps, numbed with sickening arpre-
hension for the future.
From his long connection with the
firm, he knew, and was known, at
many offices. He went the round of
these and of many ether strange ones.
At every one he received the same an
,swer, sometimes bluntly, sometimes
with a show of consideration-"Times
were bad-cutting expenses-not
enough work for their own staff, let
alone extra hands,
With a shiver he turned to face the
five-mile trudge home. Home. He
shiyered again as he thought of 1.-THE
istuffy house in the little street; the
slatternly giri who slept out; the
ipeevish woman who lay i'll upstairs,
crying because they could not do as
their neighbors did-constantly nag
ging, constantly blaming:
! He still loved her with dog-like
fidelity; yet he shrank from the shrlli
voice and the constant upbraiding.
She accused him CT want Of proper
pride, of helplessness. Why didn't he
lget his uncle to do something Tor
-ithem-he had money. When he re-
;monstrated that he had only seen his
uncle twice in his life-and that years
'ago-she relapsed into sullen tears.
He was faint with hunger. but there
was something to do first, before
touching the unappetizing meal laid
for him He went to drawer IN the
writing table and drew out long en-
.yelope in which was a life insurance
policy for two hundred pounds. He
had taken it out at the time OF his
marriage, and had contrived to keep
the premiums paid up.
Having read it again he gave a
high of relief; he had been right all
along, but he wished to- make certain.
He replaced the envelope and counted
out the money in his pocket-there
were twelve sovereigns. One he kept
for purposes of his own; the others
he took ustairs to the ailing wife, with
a forced smile and a brazen lie of
rise in salary and an important post
in the Office.
"And-and so you see, dear he con-
.cluded with little choke in his voice,
Eve shall be able to do as the doctor
said, after all. You shall go down to
Ito Margate; they say the air is very
good there and you can get strong and
we'll again
Mrs. Emmett's face frightened, and
she slipped an arm round his neck.
"Oh. James. how lovely. You don't
know how terrible it has been lying
here. I've been horrid at times, James,
but that's all over now, isn't it? Kiss
me, and then go and have your sup
per- Why. you're crying
"I-I-the sudden change has upset
me, dear. There. I'm all right now,
and I'll see you off at the station to-
morrow. They won't care-1 mean,
they'll excuse me being late at the
Office"
{. Emmett stood On the platform and
watched the train glide out of the sta
ton. He had bought his wife a mag
azine and a basket of fruit. and saw
her comfortably installed. He watch
ed her go with dim eyes and an aching
lump in his throat-she had called
him by a pet name long fallen into
disuse-as the train moved off.
Then be turned resclutely away. He
was feeling cold and nervous and he
feared at the last moment his courage
might fail him. He entered the sta
tien bar and drank brandy and soda.
Then he stopped at pawnbroker' S
shop and got . cheap German revol-
yer.
Clutching his parcel, he made his
way home TO the little house, let him.
self in, and locked the door. The girl
had gone on a holiday and the place
was deserted.
Emmett went to the drawer and pEi-
led out the life insurance uolicy. On
the envelop he wrote. IN his neat, clerk
ly hand. For my wife-private,' and
propped it up against candlestick on
the mantlepiece. Then he went slowly
up the narrow stairway to her bed
room.
The blinds were drawn, but there
was ample light for his purpose. The
stale, verdigris-covered cartridges
damned In the chambers: his hands
were shaking, and he was naturally
clumsy and unaccustomed. At length,
however, he managed to fill four cham
bers and snap the breach to. 1t was
q wretchedly made single action thing,
and he shuddered as the lock action
gave a double click.
Lord have mercy-have mercy" he
muttered, d.y-ipped, and pulled the
trigger.
It fell with q sharp snap. Dazed and