The Washington herald., 1917-05-03
OFFERED TO SELL Wife
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

neck. L told him to loosen his grip.
Instead he threw me against the rail-
ing. 1 don't know then what happen
ed, except that / fred, perhaps twice.
And then 1 awakened as from a dream,
and only then did 1 know that Heth
was dead"
As the professor had finished his di-
rect examination. his counsel feeling
sure that they had made out a good
defense of the ''unwritten law" the
prosecutor sprung his surprise. He
brought out the astounding letter and
read it to the jury. 1t follows:
Offers to Sell Wife.
MY Dear-PIeass read this, and when
you have, destroy It, can't speak II for
reasons you can guess but to make my
position clear In q matter over which
have no control, I know II Is my duty
to state my position. 1t all seems all
strange and weird.
II know what happened Sunday after
noon. I was thought to be asleep. but
In reality was never more wide awake.
] came to the door and found out for
myself what have suspicioned for quite
while. Now am going to give you
the surprise of your life and I only hope
that you will be able to appreciate my
position BY supreme effort kept my
self controlled that AFTERNOON and can
keep It now forever.
To make q long matter short, l
love--beyond what can express, and
the conventions of this world cannot
make me do anything to mar her hap
piness. I remember all the years she
has had to stick by me when drink
made demon of me, how her love has
never faltered. Now mine shall not
know that you have the only love
Rachel has ever shown for anyone. l
hope you do, because If she knew, her
happiness would be marred. Now you
can love her with less FEAR. You are
not worrying me, for 1t Is for her hap
piness, not yours, although I like you
very much You are simply q lucky
being.
Now have one favor to ask you to
do for me. 1t will not do for me to
ever touch one drop of drink again.
am supremely myself when. sober, but
quite, the reverse when drinking. II
would mar all our happiness If I did
drink. So this is the favor. I owe
the Roanoke Wine Company SsS-my
other debts being t2.so0. wsnt you
70 pay this bilf-for me when you 60
70 Roanoke on the 2Sth..
Declares He Was Drunk.
Please pay it and tell them to mail
me q receipt, and from this I will know
that you propose to make me one promise
and that is all shall ever ask you, and
that IL, that you will not mistreat,
mean by that, neglect my precious sweet
heart and that you will be very careful
not to cause her to be talked about or
get into any trouble whatsoever
Now you may think me an unpro-
tecting beast Of my own, but I am not
Love from her comes for few. She cares
very little about most people. What
r1sht have I to demand she be my slave
and give Up an in life that might make
her happy. Now don't feel badly about
me. Ny happiness is her happiness, II
you can help to make her happy you
will help to make me happy.
Now we understand each other. do
not blame you in the least You have
taken no advantage of any one You
are square to the bone, and 1 don't
blame her for loving you one bit She
will love me again some day, for am
going to cut you out by fair means as
you, unintentionally, have me.
That's all. Don't worry, but above all
don't let her. worry (signed) &c"
''P. s. l would not ask you to paw the
bill If I had the means. If It stands I
must order more or pay up. 1t will not
J be for me that you pay 1t, but for her
For me to pay It will be only to deny
her"
Ine letter and postscript was found
by Miss Virginia Heth in an envelope
dated May 81, 1916, with a bill from the
Roanoke Wine Company.
As the boomerang fell into the calm OF
the defendants counsel they tried to
hurdle the breach that had been knocked
in their case. On redirect examination
Vawter said:
Il was drunk as a fool when 1 wrote
! it. You know just as much about that
letter as I do. I had been on a pretty
good tear"
He denied there had been any happen
ings on the Sunday mentioned in the
letter.