Year: 1871

through me she had become mistress of my home and sharer of all I possessed-she had truly a childlike love for me. For half year. each succeeding day brought me more happiness than the last. y Wben I went to the city for day. my wife could scarcely rest; when I returned, she came out to meet me mile from home; and once when had been belated, she never closed her eyes the whole night long When I occasionally prevailed upon her to pay visit to the countess, who loved her tender y, she always returned the same day-it seemed impossible for her to remain more than half day away from home and me. Her love for me even went so far that she gave up dancing rather than rest her hand in the clasp of another. In a word, my wife was an innocent child, who had no other thought than me. +E-aI sza4 t

 I know not what demon one day whis- apered to me. sWhat # this De only assuned?' Thus man, in the midst of the great happi- ness, to often experiences an insane desire to look~for pain. .xfaH5

 My wife had little work table, the draw CT of which she kept invariably locked. I had often noticed that she had never left it open; never, by any chance, had forgotten to take out the key. This thought began to trouble me; what had she to conceal from me? I was certainly beside myself. I believed in her innocent countenance, her clear eyes, her kisses and embraces no more What if these were but parts of the decption?

 One day the countess visited us. She came to take my wife home with her, over- whelming her with persuasions to go and stay the whole day with her. Our estates lay not far distant from one another, and l gave my wife promise to follow her soon. ..s

 Scarcely had the carriage left my court yard, when I collected together all the keys I could find, and with them sought to open the closed drawer. At length l found one. drew out the drawer, for one who for the a theft l was thief. opening lock to steal from a weak woman her secrets.

 My hands trembled as I came in contact with the different things in the drawer, but l carefully avoided creating any disorder that might betray my presence Suddenly my breast seemed as if crushed by iron bands; I felt on the point of sufiocating! Under roll of lace lay parcel of papers quick as thought my heart whispered they were letters: at the first glance one would known them to be-looe letters.

 The package was bound together by a rose colored ribbon, embroidered with sil. yer. As touched the ribbon I thought Is this right? Is it not unworthy of an honorable man thus to steal the secrets of his wife-secrets which belong to her maidenhood alone? Is she answerable to me for her thoughts and feelings before she became my wife? Should I be jealous of the time when she scarcely knew of my existence? But what if these letters date since had right to watch over all her thoughts-to be jealous even of her dreams since she has been my wife?

 I united the ribbon. No one was there; no mirror near to point out on my cheek the mouting flush of shame. I opened one letter after an other, and read them through to the end.

 Oh, that was terrible!

 Shall tell you what was in those letters? The most despicable treachery ever prac- tised against man. My best friend had written them; but in what tone! With what persuasive and passionate eloquence did he speak therein! How he planned and counseHed the course wife might take to deceive her husband! And all these letters were dated since our marriage while had been so happy! I find no words to picture what experienced on reading them. It was a feeling like the work of deadly poison. I drank the poi Son to the last drop. I read every one of those letters through by itself. Then l laid them in order. bound them together, covered them with the lace, and locked the drawer. as s.=

 I was certain that my wife, if did not go for her, would hasten home before eve- ming. And so it was. How quickly she sprang from the carriage and ran toward me; how she embraced me. how she kissed me! How happy she was to be with me again!

 allowed her to see nothing of the revo- lution which had taken place within me- We talked together, supped together, and retired as usual to our rooms, which. were side by side. did not close my eyelids; quarter past midnight struck, stood in her chamber! Like little angel in the midst of snowy clouds, lay her lovely fair head in peaceful slumber upon the dazzling white pillows What monstrous lie of nature, to lend to sin features so innocent! was as determined, as infexible, as a monomaniac iD his fixed idea. The raging poison of jealousy had eaten into my soul. Softly laid my hands upon her throat, and suddenly pressed them together. That moment she opened her large, dark blue eyes, saw me with amaze, then closed them slowly. She was dead She died without having time to utter word in her own de- fense, peaceful as dream. As I murder ed her she felt no anger toward me. Only single drop of blood, pressed out of her mouth, fell on the back of my hand: where. you know but too we'll. x *,a

 She had no relations to enquire into the cause of her death, and purposely delay ed sending out to my friends invitations to her funeral until it was too late for them to reach my place in time. No one .npon my estates had any suspicion of the truth. Besides, I was master there; who had any | right to question me? 5s

 When all was over, and was returning to my home, my conscience was not bur- dened in the least. She had deserved her fate. ! thought of her no more.

 On reaching my home I found the count ess, my wife's only female friend, just arri- ying. Like others, she had come after the hour appointed for the funeral. She was painfully agitated. Whether from sorrow or sympathy know not. but the words of consolation with which she essayed to ad- dress me were SO confused that l could