Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-04-12

The Last Failure.
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bordering on fiftyi even his fellow
clerks always referred to him as "Old
Emmett" He was one of life's dere-
licts-worn by hopes deferred, illu-
sions shattered and early ambitions
nipped. a.u 4a.Tt,q r.
1t was natural enough that three
days after his wife fell i'll the head of
the firm should summarily 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 front
steps, numbed with sickeningA appre-
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-t"T Times
were bad-cutting expenses-not
enough work for their own staff, let
alone extra hands s 80
With shiver he turned to face the
five-mile trudge home. Home! He
shivered again as he thought of 1.-THE
stuffy house in the little street; the
slatternly girl who slept out;A. the
peevish woman who lay Ill upstairs,
crying because they could not 90 las
their neighbors did-constantly nag
ging, constantly blaming. "
He still loved her with a dog-like
fidelity; yet he shrank from the shrill
voice and the constant upbraidi4g.
She accused him CT want of proper
pride, of helplessness. Why didn't he
get his uncle to do something for
them-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 a drawer in the
writing table and drew out a long en-
yelope in which, was life insurance
policy for two hundred pounds, He
had taken 1t out at the time Of his
marriage, and had contrived to keep
the premiums paid up. s.
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
forced smile and a brazen lie of a
rise in salary and an important post
In the office. 1850
"And-and SO you see, dear he con-
-cluded with a little choke In his voice.
tvvo oh ho al h %0 do = |, Il
said, after all. You shall go down to
good there and you can get strong and
well again"
Mrs. Emmett's face frightened, and
she slipped an arm round his neck.
S"Oh, James, how lovely! You don't
know how terrible it has been lying
here. I've beenshorrid 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"
IS 'I-I-the sudden change has upset
me, dear. There, I'm all right now
and I'll see you off at the station TOT
morrow. They won't care-I 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 basket of fruit, and saw
her comfortably installed. He watch Il
ed her go with dim eyes and an aching
lump in his throat-she had called
him by pet name long fallen into
disuse-as the train moved off. 81
Then he turned resolutely away. He
was feeling cold and nefvous and he
feared at the last moment hfs COURAGE
might fail him. He enteredHthe sta@s
ton bar and drank a brandy and soda
Then he stopped at a pawnbroker s
shop and got a cheap German revols
yer. i 3
Clutching his parcel, he made his
way home to the little house let him
sefrin and locked the door, THE girl
had gone on a holiday and HE place
was deserted EgW@E 81
Emmett went to the Afa werand pal
led out the life insurance uoiicy. On
the envelop he wrote, in his neat, clerk
ly hand, Fer my wife-privHe," and
propred it up against andxstick bn
the mantlepiece. Then he went slowly
up the narrow stairway to her bed-'
room. p p. =. z. Ese .1s. 80 seeA II
The blinds 9wereid drawn, bRt here
was ample light for his purpose. The
stale, ver1igris covered 6artridaes
jammed in@theS chambers; lbs hands
Were shaking, and he was naturallyR
clumsy and unaccustomed al length.
however, he managed t61fill fdrr chain
bers and snap 0thenbreach to-. 1t Was
a wretchedly made single action thing.
and he. shuddered as the Look action
gave addouble click 5piSe 81
+Lord have nefcy-have m5rcyi" me;
t mssssrsq ~ ana pnled 9he
It fell with a sharp 1p5l Shah 81 Ned and
confused, but with a, Courage few.
would have suspected, he INSPECTED the
chambers Only four were lc4sied. and
in his fumbling the hamlmer%had fal-
len on one of thegempty ones
He turned the cylinder caikfulIyg A.
second mistake, he knew, woi1id break:
his nerve. & d{s1H 5i9EEiHa b
At moments OF extreme tension. HE
most trivial detail frequently assumes
an undeserved Importance. 4Emnett
was by nature and training an ordefly
man. AS he snapped the breech to for
the second time@still kneeling@he no
ticed an envelope tucked away under
the lOoking-gIass stand. 81
& He glanced It, On it$ was the.
stamp of firm Of solicitors The
name was unknown tc nfm=But sdl:-
citOrs' 1e tiers had been painfully ire
qrent or Afreakof curiosity
4 tempted himrto know the worst He
Opened It. and the lines swan befpre
= his eyes -
s. aDear 9sir. he read, EMs beg ITO In.
form you Of the death. Of your unsle,
our esteemed client. which took place
on the 18th sult We should have hc-
dnainted you with the fact befbre
but At has taken us considerable
time TO discover your address, The
late Mr. John Emmett's Will leaves
son sole 'legatee, as you know he -
Emmett got no further, for the shd-
den reyulsion Of feeling was too much
for him--that, and the lack of food.