Show A QUEEH CASE f Many yean bare passed 0 since TO I were sitting together one May morning 1 In a trclllsed arbor that ovcrlookt Men d tone and Its western boy My friend r Y an a hnad = ono inn of 40 years or en t ° 11 bed ecnIo painter who larked fame I t I lIt I believe only Income lie Inked ho do 1q Biro oe fame and llio spur l t If poverty IN l cmuo ho could bo content with iirt for I arEtanku h la fJ II JII I If jnu hijclMfaid I I will tell Ie LJ you queer story about myself I do not swear you to crane HIUCO love ff langlilnt the vow of confidants 114 well i I 13 of ovir but II you ore uu niter HOI HO-I you must agree to keep toy story to I yourself till thu actors have left the scene lienidea I do not minposo you 1 will ever yearn desperately to impart the reorct tootheis I I tbl i laughingly i held l out my hand in nlgn t I of agreement and ho proceeded with his y j tale You mnst know ho began that d i from my early childhood my mother brother stood to mo in place of lurcnts j i I Well to do lemur d ho tram mainly en 1 I grosculill Bcicutiflo pursuit Grave of 1 atvcro and dignified demeanor he had t t long cultivated tho taUnt of silence As r I grew up ho I indulged too in my deelro t of freedom and my love 1 cf art Ho ix dlO + I e 1 pressed himself as natlslkd I with my choice of profcMsion supplied mo amply Cl 1 I with requisite funds < l approved my diligence t dili-gence shook hits l head at most when I fol iF k mould tint show him I many new studies There was only one subject which could I y 11 I horse to break down his icservc und I H f j that was woniau teen then ho seldom h 11 I 1 ventured beyond witty epigrams Tho s1 t I canto of this conOruird misogyny I may 1 ° M I I bo right in uiilBtiliiB to some youthful k V lovodi apiiolntmcnt but I have nothing 3I but conjecture to bw > upon I was pager it 01 I I to pleura this crabbed I anstern t crK of 1tsrt i i mine whom I knew to bovvnrin hearted 1 i st 1II 1 II at the con Fo uuosteutatlemsly helpful it was ho to all whom ho discovered to bo t In need of assistance but my eagerness I I Iodine to the commission of an error I j J q was constantly on the I lookout for ii tY grams that should I bo new to him and i l W io nl h t occasionally managed to fashion one Atl ° j wbloh I con hi puidnconsun impromptu wt I readily M izcd opportnulticH to gem i JII from epigram to declamation In n stool I Jf I overdid my part And ye t my uncle t I r seemed to quietly raiilo at my willies ggj t J t rend often cOIIgrntulnted mo oumy reo I i I j l volt from petticoat government Ii Well lean honestly say that for f apt long my art was my solo mistrcw but fi 11 j when I was reaching lIlY thirtictli year 1 I Don Cupid spread his wiles and captuml 1 I t j d me I was making studies of Pic mly i i I Dcouery and visiting at a pleasiut chateau 11 1 cha-teau Jly hostesiT daughter one day in t 1 OIFol h st od ol1 i I a formed mo that the dear amain I mistress 1 f f and friend of her school days an Eng I I Hah lady oho added was to arrive in fld t J I tho course of the week My fate nor F f 11 fate I murmured nt her ndv cut It wan tt I t Idi R cao of lovo at first Fight and more I I over thin coup do foudro seas not one L f Bided I committed another error much yY1 I graver than tho first I told her of my ypf I iii i unclos idiosyncrasy and though she ric r thti 1 was inexperienced she wan but n year I j I or two younger than I and had not h l lacked could not bavo lacked unaccepted SI k j unaccept-ed lovcm I won her reluctant couient 1 li I ton axn narrinRi llio case won simplified 0 11 I sim-plified siuco oho had none hut ilistant IJtl relatives could readily resign her post cared not for society And t > o wo spent Ft n happy winter in the London in which tt I my uncle and I lIed but not together t41t11 i hidden I nnnuepee ted In limo spring it 1 r f was my custom to go to Italy and of R course my cry this time cone Italhin v T potimus first person plural But with the I spring camo tho unexpected lt fJO h X v y I pected death of iJ uncle One morning I J Ii I rang at his door uud coon rtupi Ii < d by ii i tho tiJings that he had been found but r an nour o else a gores o eau in illS utti j 1 I g-ores s cue r had Lee 11 sent at onco tot t m F I 4I r studio but I was not there that just 1I como ill time to forestall further In + qumes at tho homes of various artists i with whom it might bo supposed I that 1 had staid tho night Dared I crowd t the threshold of tho death chamber and t 1 1 looked sorrowfully on that truest friend l whoo voice I should hear no more I 1 t i t realized the criminality of my want of confidence my tileuoo my secrecy Aye but repentance was useless tho past is 1 k j irreHable An hour later 1 oallled out k Into time streets for n littlo while mud 4 r 1 sent u telegram to Margaret informing 3 tI her in guarded terms of what had hip + I prated and of my necessary absences till i 1 should lave oxocnt11 time 100t duo rites To tho funeral succeeded tho open lug end reading of the will matter which had but little occupied my caret care-t less thoughts Could I believe my ears t Yet there was no po ° stbln doubt Ills dear nephew was hiM solo legatee on I condition that ho should marry in the s fjwco of two years during which timo 1 tho customary charitable iub rriptlous and my quarterly subvention were to bo paid Otherwise tho property wart to I pass 1 In certain proportions to these char i j trim Dud Ins dear nephew was to look to his art for a livelihood I sough i privacy with what hastol could and r I tried to think it all over Why this total i to-tal change in my triclos views Hud he repented of his wonted fear and hatred ha-tred of women Had exaggerated r t echoes of his kcntlmcuts displeased him as masters are wont to bo displcasee 1 with too apt disciples On tho other baud suro that I was a couflrnml 1 cell a bate did ho wish by an unaceeptal i impossible condition to drivo mo from amateurism to strenuous achicvemen t h In my art Well facts wcro facts and + hypotheses were only hypotheses 1 walked hastily homeward to Margaret thinking the while how I should brook the news Greeted with an anxious itt it-t 7 qniry as to my paleness I stainmcrei cut the tidings in coherent fashion I j She too grew tale and a sag silence followed I conld not lead the meaning I I ef her face for her eyes were averted f I waited for her to speak toot in vahl At last she wall ed away to tho window I and turned her back to me Gently 1 9 raised her hand to kiss but ale drew it awavas though tho vvuo rtnng and frontal mo with Hashing eyes cud quivering quiv-ering lips fco this is what you havo brought I 6 m I no to she cried trembling with pas Pion and anger I trusted you and thin t II I I + ha limo reward of my confidence And reproach followed reproacli 1 i am not tare that shin did not even I I charge me with knowing my unclos in h teutons from the Bret though how such t 1m wlMge and deco Meru IOl1oI lo evlla my IIclu 11111 the Prreul Uoa inn were qniteVjond my comprchen sloll Bet then it w no pion end nol logic that dictated hrword However I looked upon myself as a justly or algnrd culprit and towed my head to ho storm hoping against hope for a rn vninll i in her feelings for tears and mple ring hands lint when si ho had made on cad ehe stood color nelf pus cod seornfol made a last effort Ivan I-van el lexiuent fcr mj heart was full of hide and pity and hue I declared myclf rend to forecofertuno I should work nt mj art ill I w uu nice ess fho honld le my nurse my comforter Cut oho only tossed her head and sneered Lore in u cottage I know whit that mean My Jove then turned to bitter limos for then t knew that when women neer at icmouccthcy ornate their stry vcnimilliioM they l1I1111n their hearts She mirked the change and eiiuted to ho door Not n word air Oa Let mo rca yon no more Go year way and I will online My friend will rrolect tan from yon I found myelf in the street crushed axed stupid wlthect IllctingcmotionH Vas thin the sine I had hnenl I en denrlythl tho Margaret for whom 1 I was leady if needs be to embrace line I rly Poverty The men slue is poor has no friends on friendship let no utma mmt when fortune is adverse I And the t lose that Sestccger 1 that eleath I twos t-wos evidently umblo to fore rm I lily Margarets lovo I nearly FIO had maw or 10 would not boon rrproudl me abaueloned iitlhevcry tlrsttrial I I nhooL myself together t promised my elf In forget her Sho was not worthy of remembrance she seas merely IlIIlll1 cntuixss n bad womin A year went by devoid incident occupied with litful cicrtiem Unhappy lily too often atxcntmluded th it ii Ito I-to oat Inuntcd Jet made goal mini csn in my art llcsirtcs time and work thero were two other rcnjedien for loon uaduess I kept telling myself But I onnd that ubcuro did but nggravato the malady That which is nlnt nt grow ague and that which is vague has tho charm of mystei Abscneo iileilircil l laigarct ibspnco pndencd bur once more to mo I began to sick excuses for her tnnduct liccamo nnvlous to pardon to convert Uarao intei pity and from pity Ptms to leer The solo other rein OIly was scorn doubtless tho strongest ciue dy eif all I see rneil her truly but uteimittently Too often my scorn sought means for abdication And thus it camoabemt that I began t t in my weak ices to yearn for news from her But how could I forgive her At last I do ermii ed to heir vows of her if not from her I should least commit myself t by such a course of action blio had do claiM her iiitciitiou of going to her friends But rime had noon in London In Luglaud Our privney forbade tho ultlvation of oxquaintancui Irince In n Margarets impil friend and this friends brother had indeed visited us not long before I would viito to Pi rarity inquiring as calmly as naturally ns possible Mmc 11 would possibly bo prejudiced against mo and re turn nor Imwer ldow cs no-r I Ilelennlncd to write and u week later I received iv reply a mere line ft single phrase Too late What was the meaning of such n mis siro DidMmo B wish to express her blame how could rime blnmo mo or to sgulfy coldly tint chin would not enter into communication with me I would l go myself to Picardy request an interview inter-view Lear aud see how tho case stood The second Cloy foe < lmo in Picot dy Mme B received mo strangely It teemed to mo as though sho feared to eome Evidently she knew something which ho 1 seas reluctant to reenl At length I drew fre m her some tllmmer ing phrases which eut tho blood count Ing madly through my WillS She had just n ccjerd uew ebad 1I0woher son Uaston iiy wlCelIt a small fishing village together What did she mean 9 I faltered I know that thisGastou was u handsome somewhat like his sister I remembered thoughtless lael very 11llIch I no doubt in moral Uaston Iiy wife I was not conceited but I could hardly believe that I was at least ten years older than this stripling and my wife not much less Mature women were prone to idolize tho image of youth women were fickle C incism mastered me I remembered my unelos leou Men cancel judge what it to that catches u womans eye and causes that which she calls n heart to flutter And yet how could l it bo She had treat d the fellow merely as the brother I of his sUtcr playfully indifferently I Dut she had been a grass widow for a vearuud no doubt felt her loneliness Some such reasonings if I catcall them reasonings occupied mo as I strode backward and forward under tho watchful watch-ful nlarilcd eyes of Mine 3 The name of the village I demanded roughly Vonld I abstain from violence vio-lence she I qucstioneel I was an Boo llshmau and a gentleman I rejoined andEUchuwlfo was unworthy that I fthonld take the law into UlJ own hands in her behalf And thereat I broke down and Mbbnl Patience patience I murmured Mme B vainly striving to appease to comfort mo in my distress Next day I reached I tho lovely fishing fish-ing Milage horrible in its flaunting beauty and made inquiries at tho solo inn Yes tho lady 1 and gentleman I do scribed had staid n week there but hid left yesterday nail gone to another village 20 miles down the coast A pretty couple tho landlady garrulously asured me tho gentleman rather too young perhaps but they seemeil to dote on each other Not afraid to make other foils envious I cut the good woinai short in her How of admiring eletails flu IK down a coin and tmpat hently w nit f d for a horse tei bu yoked Yes monsieur et madame seem staying 1 WD told nt tho Grand Cert They were making little excursion for tho day but would return in thu evening I have a horror of tniifa and was glad tho lovebirds were not ou their perch I said I could not wait fem them but with tho landlords land-lords crmi5oll l I would write and leave t note fcr them I was shown to their room Ye F doubt was impossible I signified to them in Trench on n chauco sheet of paper that I seas return lug straightway to London determine to sue fern divorce left tho missive open for the curious eyes of tho landlord land-lord refused refit shments hurries away dc perute > distraught Not long noel was seated In the omen of my uuclos lawyer telling him n tale to which ho listened with tho duo jirofoteloual air of nil admirarl Ide ilMUnd IIIP that 1 xhiiiilii 1 lx trill tnll few month railed my attention tho fact that a fresh marriage would bo pos slble within the timo limit assigned by the will and allowable by its loose wording and advised me to be looking about meanwhile and making n choice Tho law pursued its course citations wcro issued tho caso was entered for trial I could not if I would descrlbo lIlY state ef mind during this period Vw doubt possible IV ero not thin facts clear Yet I could not remember in my misery n single symptom of alii nation on tho port eif this despicable woman To have abandoned mo in my mlsfor I tune to hate seized such an oppcrtu I nltyl Tho case was utterly inexplicable I except ou the uiouud of natural depravity deprav-ity Mx mouths later and the day of tho trial como at length My wlfo did not appear nor did tho lad who had brought her to he r shameful position The proceedings pro-ceedings w ero littlo more than formal and in true that an hour I was u freeman free-man A few diys after the trial received litter from my unclos lawyer rcminel lag Jim of tho limited timo left fbi the fulfillment of the conditions of Iho willie will-ie pcctliiK my nurrlago Had 1 any ideas in that direction ho inquired If not ho would take the liberty of asking permission to introduce mo to a laely of w hose chirms and virtues ho hud the highest opinion Tho suggestion was inexpressibly repugnant to mo but having gouo tlnougll no much for this purpose 1 felt aslnmed to tell my old friend I would 0110 farther I went blue accordingly and alter a 1 few preliminaries began to question him aleiut tho lady Ho an were d 1110 in a nervous and hesitating manner ty no means uuial with him Thin fact is ho said tint tho lady has u curious history but emu which when you unelcrhtand I nm sure you will ngiei eonvevs no reflection upou her Sho has been divorced 1Phat1 I exclaimed You surely do not rcrionsly imagine that after my experience I would marry a divorced woman womenHear Hear the story and tee tho Icily before be-fore J tu locide replied the lawyer The case is n most extraordinary one The Indy desired for reasons most lion erablo to heiself to have Tier nmTiagn I annulled leer this purpose sho elev ised an elaborato fccheine for Imposing on thu conrtII gieifsly inegularaud improirer I proceeding I am bcuud to say but tho emus lady w as not solicitor She had two IlIlhllllle friends who became her I cceimplices n brother and shot r There was n strong likeness between I ho two It was arranged hat I the sister hould assume limo brothers clothes and Inracter and polo as her friends lover The wife actually went to rondo with ho supposed lover having first token tips to insure that her husband should l become apprised of tho facts Tho bus band fell iota the trap traced tho guilty ilir a designing pair of damsels ob mined his evidence commenced suit and eventual obtilmd his divorce Bin wlfo was freed her honor mwdl H Stop I I cried tunnel not less ty the iccital than by tho old mans manner man-ner What is i the meaning of It nil la It ricwlblo1 Ileforo I could ny more the lawyer hid opened one of tho doom and I saw my lost wife advancing half smiles half tears You dear BtnpidHirrynhocrud Could you really believe BO badly of lee IM not to we through n plot which tens nil for your own goal In n momtnt sho sent in my arms and I taw blame 11 the guilty coro Fpoiidcnt smiling upon us in lima back pound were remarried a few dayTime day-Time governors of tho charity which thus lost its inteiett under my unelos will threatened litigation and talked of collusion Hut they had m eidcnco logo upon The pre rnisoof n handsouio annual subscription speedily quieted them and I and my wife wcro left to begin our second Fpell oC married life in raneeLondon Truth |