The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-10

hundred dollars that did not belong TO him and dIsap
peareo leaving her all but destitute The end had coe
ne LETT an envelope addressed to me, containing a
ie''er Tor her deliberately opened the mssive and
Eeso Il In matters that touched him hadn't the least
honor' you He had made a fool OF himself h.
safd-as Il he had need TO tell her that-had been a
oog and brute and had ruined his own life and hers
Haa tried to reform whisky was stronger than he
i ne found that he could master himself he would
return some day II not, be would never come back
ne knew she had suffered. but so had he and the
1a had been dark since the house burned down and
80 14d, and-wen, lot OF other weak nonsense
4" 1t wine to me- was Inro4.-.s -,.s 49,
opportunity I went directly 70 her with his note
Before gave IL 10 her tried 10 soften the shock
II with the gentIest words knew with every drop
Of blood that my pitied her. watched
her face while she read his ignOble cOnfesson-hs
sage Of desertiOl-
with the first sentence her face ran empty OF
color and she finished it shaking like leaf. She
moment staring at the dreadful thing then turned
her eyes upon light Of them that
seemed to search ne; she read II had been
Open shameful book, I stammered out I knew
what She with dignity that royal and swept
TO the door; she opened It and stood moment waiting
and walked out Ike a sentenced 10 be whipped
at the post How she loved that scoundreI!
Weeks passed. I grew as mean and savage as
hungry tiger At last had her piano and pictures
and furniture taken her house carried watch
and jeelry and trinkets 10 her IN person and flung
then down before her and cursed her for her ingra
tude and walked out I could have killed her; the lion
bites until the blood when his love IS refused
man is only animal bound with the chains OF
vention.
After that believe she began to Ike me For
more than year avoided her; in all that time
never once spoke to her. She began sewing for
living, and sometimes her tired face from dis
lance but felt that with womaas intuition she
OWNED secret dishOnor and kept away from her
At last IN sheer starvation OF went 10 her;
poured out my soul before her and iupIored
my wife. Her face flushed at that and she asked me
haE
that her husband would return, that he was a
drunken criminal and unworthy OF her; that would
get her divorce and that with every fiber OF my being
I Ionged into happiness.
90 She faltereG IN her that; for a moment
she seemed 10 hesitate, and my blood bounded with
hope then, fierce and regal under her hesped Up
wrongs. she and transxed with that sharpesJ
Of all weapons wOmans scorn- had done her serv-
fee, she said. but my kindness had polluted with
inexpreSsi5e outrage; with al the love prOfessed
was liar, seducsT, a rob5e-, a villain and had
helped 10 ruin another mans home that might enter
into Il and possess myself Of chiefest treasure
Every bitter term that decent woman might use she
laid upon Her words like q binding shower
OF blows and. utterly defenseless got Up and left
staggering ike drunken man
q thought i all ended there; had had enough. !
left The region honfng her face again
But the trouble went with me- one does not empty
ones heart Of love 50 easily. Though far
apart my spirit seemed always striving TO conquer
hers believe she felt it 50. When something more
than year had elapsed 1 found myself in New Or
leans had gone into patent right scheme and
travelling about the country.
One DAY across Furless II the street The
change in the shocking; ne was as squaid a
sot as ever slept in haystack city lookup did
not recognize at first and accOsted me for dine
obviously that he might buy whisky with il I took
him by the hand and told him who and that for
the sake OF old times I sorry 10 him so. he
began blubber al that and asked about h-s wife
Il deliberately told him that she had procured .
divorce the ground OF desertion and had mar
RED her nd had chi 4-ra- zs=-
lie should knock him down. but as God IS my witness
ne took by the hand and congratulated me and
asked TO treat ny good luck. I thought I asd
fallen pretty low. but this maxwell only his best
IS than beast; al his worst he IS less As
for this creature I simply made Up ny mind that he
had absolutely no right to live
Yes I did treat him; I treated him hundreds Of
tines and the quantity OF liquor human being can
absorb when il IS another you have 10 pay
for il yourself is appalling bought him suit
OF clothes that he might present the outward sebznce
Of a gentleman when with I did not make a COZ
sort OF him. but I supplied him continually with
money he did the rest With the money I gave him
he took his own life surely If the weapon had
been knife Was it murder ny part2
Well. VIII leave that 10 the metaphyscians.
know that despised him and wished him out Of the
world would then return and conquer that woman
You see fool the end
% IN three months time he drank himself into the
grave He never drew sober breath after met him
Through al his dementia the frightfuI close OF
his days waited upon him, and. you may believe me
not, I enjoyed It. Remember this worthless
coward had blotted sun from ny life had stood
IN the door OF my paradise and cast forth. and
hated him. Well, when he and the earth
vas over his head carrying indubtabIe evidence of
his death hurried home Now, there should be one
supreme trial Of her souls strength and mine; we
should grapple leveler ground than before when
mastered Furness that the woods felt that
should conquer or destroy her And what is weak
poverty worn woman before such ruthless love- Il
seems pitifuI 70 me now when I think Of Il
When I reached home I went directly to her I
found her in her little home sewing for bread as be-
fore Evidently she still waiting for that drunken
scoundrel return broke the news 10 her as gently
I could She and stared az me. her eyes wide
dry. I fell before her upon my knees and begged
might be taken into her life that misht care
her, that might I'll the place left vacant BY one
who had proved faithless and unworthy
She got up with all her oIdtime ferv scorn and
repused me; she cared for the dead man in his
grave than for me- said. You have read often in
newspapers Of staying women they love and then
taking their lives? Well. I think know how they
feel know that sprang up and caught her in nv
and would have killed her that was seized
by most consuming pity As Il was I crushed her
against my heart like mailman. For a quarter OF o.,
hour I held her Ike wise. I pleaded and iuplored
begged and demonstrated. protested and promised. =
battle Of opposites the ptting passion against
resentment. Al last she overridden and ol+5o,a
laid head down upon ny breast and cried Ike
a child She had yielded; she would be mine she said
All. Il shameful
Then fell the most bitter phenomenon Of the vbo1s
wretched matter; when she gave up when she came
81 7