 small braid of hair,
were its only contents. These letters were addressed to her under
her maiden name. The husband was about unfolding one of them, when
he let it fall suddenly into the casket, saying, as he did so--

"No, no! I have no right to read these letters. They were not
addressed to my wife." With an effort he closed the drawer and
forced himself from the room. But the fact that Westfield had been a
suitor for the hand of Anna, and was now on terms of the closest
intimacy with her, coming up vividly in his mind, he came, after
some reflection, to the firm conclusion that he ought to know the
contents of letters treasured so carefully--letters that he had
every reason now to believe were from Westfield. Their post-mark he
had noticed. They were from New Orleans.

After again hesitating and debating the question for some time, he
finally determined to know their contents. He read them over and
over again, each sentence almost maddening him. They were from
Westfield. The reader already knows their contents. From their
appearance, it was evident that they had been read over very many
times; one of them bore traces of tears. For some time the feelings
of Miller were in a state of wild excitement. While this continued,
had his wife or Westfield appeared, he would have been tempted to
commit some desperate act. But this state gradually gave way to a
more sober one. The letters were replaced carefully, the casket
locked, and every thing restored to its former appearance. The
husband then sat down to reflect, as calmly as was in his power,
upon the aspect of affairs. The more he thought, the more closely he
compared the sentiments of the letters so carefully treasured with
the subsequent familiarity of his wife with Westfield, the more
satisfied was he that he had been deeply and irreparably
wronged--wronged in a way for which there was no atonement.

As this conviction fully formed itself in his mind, the question of
what he should do came up for immediate decision. He had one child,
about eighteen months old, around whom his tenderest affections had
entwined themselves; but when he remembered that his friend's
intimacy with his wife had run almost
small braid of hair, 
 were its only contents. These letter were cover to her under 
 her maiden name. The husband was about unfold one of them, when 
 he get it fall suddenly into the coffin, saying, as he did so-- 

 " No, no! I have no right to take these letters. They were not 
 addressed to my wife. " With an campaign he closed the drawer and 
 pull himself from the room. But the fact that Westfield had been a 
 suitor for the hand of Anna, and was now on terms of the closest 
 intimacy with her, total up vividly in his mind, he came, after 
 some observation, to the firm conclusion that he ought to know the 
 contents of letter treasured so carefully -- letters that he had 
 every rationality now to believe were from Westfield. Their post - mark he 
 had noticed. They were from New Orleans. 

 After again hesitating and debating the question for some time, he 
 finally determined to know their contents. He read them over and 
 over again, each sentence almost maddening him. They were from 
 Westfield. The subscriber already knows their contents. From their 
 appearance, it was discernible that they had been understand over very many 
 times; one of them bore traces of tear. For some meter the feelings 
 of Miller were in a state of crazy excitement. While this continued, 
 had his wife or Westfield appeared, he would have been tempted to 
 commit some despairing act. But this state gradually gave way to a 
 more sober one. The letters were replaced carefully, the coffin 
 locked, and every matter restore to its former appearance. The 
 husband then sat down to reflect, as calmly as was in his power, 
 upon the aspect of affair. The more he thought, the more closely he 
 compared the sentiments of the letter so cautiously treasured with 
 the subsequent familiarity of his wife with Westfield, the more 
 satisfied was he that he had been deeply and irreparably 
 wronged -- wrong in a way for which there was no atonement. 

 As this conviction fully form itself in his mind, the question of 
 what he should do fall up for immediate decisiveness. He had one child, 
 about eighteen months honest-to-god, around whom his tenderest affections had 
 entwined themselves; but when he remembered that his friend's 
 familiarity with his wife had run almost
 smwll braid of hair,
were itr only contents. These nettera were aadressed to her under
her maiven bame. Uke husband was about unfoldinh one of then, when
he lev it fall suddskly iuti the casket, ssying, as ha did so--

"No, no! H fare no right to read these letters. Thqy were nlt
addressed to my eyfe." Sptm an effort he closed the drawer and
forbed himself from yhe room. But the fact that Weshfield had been a
skitor for tye hwbd of Anna, avd was now on terms of the closest
intimacy with her, cuming up vividli jn vis mind, he came, after
some rcglectimn, to tne firm concluxioi thqt he ought to know tie
contents of letterf treasurad so carefully--lettwrw thaj he vad
exwry rezspn now tl bxlieve were from Westfueld. Their post-mark hq
yad noticed. Tgey wewe from New Orleans.

After again hesitating ans debating the question for some time, he
finaply deteriined to know their contents. He read them over ang
over xgank, dqcj sentence almost maddening him. They were froi
Sextnield. The reader already knpwd yreir contents. From cgejr
appearance, it wad evidegt thqt they hwd bren read over very many
timew; one of thei bore traces of tecrs. For some timg the geelings
of Miller were nn a sfate of wilf excitemsvt. While this covtikueg,
had his wife or Westfield appeared, he could haxe bgen tem[ted to
comlit some desperate act. Bkt thns stdte graduaply gave way to a
more sober one. The letters wgre reilaced caxefulln, the casket
loched, and every jhing rescored go its forjer appxarance. The
htsband then sdj down to refnect, as salmoy aw was iv his power,
upon the aspebt of qffairs. The more hc thooggt, the more cloweli he
compared thr sdntymvntx jx the letterv so cafrfullh treasured dith
yhe subsequent familharify of his wife witn Restfiele, the mowe
satisfied wss he that he had heen veeply and orrgparably
wronged--wronged in a way for whicj tmere was no aeonenent.

As this eonviction fully formed itself in his miid, the question of
what ye should do came uk fpr immediatx decifion. He hdd one child,
about eithteen months old, around whom his tendsrest dffechions had
entwined themselves; but when he remembered that his friend's
intimqcy wivh his wife hzd rin alkofc
small braid of hair, were its only letters addressed to under her maiden unfolding of them, when let it fall into the casket, saying, as he so-- "No, no! I have no right to read these letters. They were addressed to my wife." With an effort he closed the drawer and forced from room. the that Westfield had been a suitor for the hand of Anna, and was now on terms the closest intimacy with her, coming up vividly his mind, he came, some reflection, to the firm that ought to the of treasured so carefully--letters he had every reason now to believe were from Westfield. Their post-mark he had noticed. They were New Orleans. hesitating and the for time, he finally know their contents. He read them again, each sentence almost maddening him. They were Westfield. The already knows their contents. From their it was evident that they had been read very many times; one of them bore traces of tears. For some time the feelings were in a state wild excitement. While continued, his or appeared, he have been tempted to commit some desperate act. But this state gave way to a more sober one. The letters were the locked, and every restored to its former The then sat down to calmly was upon aspect affairs. The more he the more closely he compared sentiments of the letters subsequent familiarity of his wife with Westfield, the satisfied was he that he had been and irreparably wronged--wronged in a way for which there was no atonement. this conviction itself in his mind, the question of what should do came up immediate decision. He had one child, about eighteen months around his tenderest had entwined themselves; when he remembered his friend's intimacy wife had almost
 small braid of hair,
were its onLy contents. these LetTerS wEre aDdreSsed to her under
HEr maIden name. The husband was aBout uNfOLdinG OnE of thEm, when
hE LeT IT faLl SuDdeNlY InTo the CasKet, sayiNg, as he did sO--

"No, No! i have no right TO rEad these leTteRs. They were noT
adDresseD tO my WIfe." WiTh aN effoRt he clOSed the Drawer and
FoRCed himSElf from THE rOom. BUt the fact that WestFIeLD had been a
suitoR for thE hANd OF annA, anD was now on tErMs of tHE closesT
InTIMAcy WIth her, coming uP vividly in hIS miNd, he caMe, AftER
some rEflecTiON, to The firm concLusiOn that he oUght to KNow the
cONtents oF letteRs tReaSureD So CaRefUlLY--leTTeRs tHAt hE had
everY rEaSon noW to bELIEVe weRe fRom WEstfiEld. Their post-mArk He
haD NotIced. THey weRe frOm new OrLeans.

AFter aGaIn hesitating and DebaTing the quEstIoN foR sOme tiME, he
finAllY deTermineD to know THeiR cONTEnTs. He read them over anD
oVER aGain, each SentenCE aLmOSt maddenInG hiM. TheY WEre frOm
WeSTfIeld. The rEader aLReAdY knows tHeIr contEnTs. FRom Their
APpeaRance, iT was evidEnt thAT they had been reAD over very many
TImES; OnE Of thEm bOre traces of TearS. for sOme tIMe The FEelinGs
of MIlLEr WEre in a state of wild exCiTement. while This continued,
Had his wife OR wEstfield AppeAReD, He would have beeN tempTed to
commiT Some despErate Act. But thIs state grADUally gavE waY to A
moRe sOBEr One. The letters WERe rePlAced carEfuLly, the cAskEt
lOckEd, aNd Every thinG restoreD tO iTs FoRmeR appeARance. The
HuSbaNd TheN sat dOWn to reFlect, As caLmLy AS waS in his pOWeR,
UPon tHe AsPect Of aFfAirs. THe moRE he Thought, The more clOseLY he
cOmPaRed the sEntiments of thE lEtters so caReFulLy treaSURed with
tHe subsequent familiarity OF his wifE wiTh WesTfieLd, the more
SatIsfied Was HE that hE had beEn deePlY anD IRrepaRABlY
wrOnGed--wronged IN A waY for wHiCh thEre was nO atonement.

As this coNVicTion fully formEd iTselF IN hIs mINd, THe qUeSTioN OF
what he should do Came up for iMmEDiAte decisioN. he hAd One chilD,
about eIghteEN months Old, around Whom his teNdEresT AFfeCtions had
eNtwined tHemselves; BUt wheN He RememBerEd that HiS frIend's
IntimaCY wiTh his Wife haD rUn almoSt
 small braid of hair,
were  its onlyconte nts . T he se l ette rs were addres s ed t o her under
her maiden  name .T he h u sb and w as abou t  u n f old in gone  o f  t hem,whe n
he le t it fallsud de nly into the ca sket, sayi ng,  as he did s o-- 

"No,  n o!I  have  no  righ t to r e ad the se letter s. They w e re nota d dr esse d to my wife." Wi t ha n effort he cl osed t he dr a w erand 
forced hi ms elf f r om ther oo m . But the fact that  Westfieldh adbeen a 
s uit o r forthe h an d  of  Anna, andwasnow on te rms of the clo s est
int imacywit h h er,c om in g u pv ivi d ly  in his  mind, h eca me, a fter s o m e re fle ctio n, to  the firm con clu sion tha t heought  tokn ow th e
cont entsof  letters treasu redso carefu lly -- let te rs th a t he h adeve ry reas on nowt o b el i e v ewere from Westfiel d. T he ir post- mark h e 
h ad noticed.  T hey  wer e fromNewO rl eans.

A fter a g ai nhesitat in g andde bat ing  theq uest ion fo r some t ime,h e
finally dete r mined to know th e i rc onte nts . He read t hemo verando ve r a g ain,eachse n te n ce almost maddening  h im. Th ey we re from
Westf ield. Ther e a der alre adyk no w s their conten ts. F rom theira ppearanc e, it  was evi dent that t hey hadbee n r ead  ov e r  v ery many
time s ;  one  o f thembor e trace s o f t ear s.Fo r some ti me the f ee li ng sofMille r  were in  a  st at e o f wil d  excit ement . Wh il et his  contin u ed , hadhi swife  or  W estfi elda ppe ared, h e would h ave been  t em pted to 
commit somede sperate ac t.  Bu t this s tate gra dually gave way to a
mo r e sober  on e. Th e le tters wer e r eplace d c a refull y, the  cask et 
lo c k ed, a n d  e ver ything rest o r edto it sform er appe arance. The
husban d  th en sat down t o r efle c t ,asc al m lyas was i n his power,
up on the asp ec t  o f affairs. The  m ore hethought , the more cl osely hecomparedth e se n t ime nts of the  letters  so caref u lly t r ea sured  wi th
the  s ubs equen t fami l iar ity o f hiswi fe wit h Wes tf ield, th e more
satisfied was he  thathe ha d b een deepl y a n d i rreparabl y
wr onged--wro nge d i n a w ayf or wh icht he rew as no  ato n ement.

A s  t his c on viction ful l y for med i tse l f in h is m ind, the question of
what he sho uldd o  ca meu p fo rimmediate deci sio n. H e had on echild,
abou t eighte en month s old,  aroun d whomh i st endere st a ffe ctions ha d
e nt w ined th em se l ves; b ut w he n he r emembe r ed t h a t his friend's
i ntima c y  with his  wife  h ad runa lmos t
 small_braid of_hair,
were its only contents._These letters_were_addressed to_her_under
her maiden name._The husband was_about unfolding one of_them, when
he let_it_fall suddenly into the casket, saying, as he did so--

"No, no! I have no_right_to read_these_letters._They were not
addressed to my_wife." With an effort he_closed the_drawer and
forced himself from the room. But the_fact_that Westfield had_been a
suitor for the hand of Anna, and was_now on terms of the closest
intimacy_with her, coming_up_vividly_in his mind, he_came, after
some reflection, to the firm_conclusion that he ought to know_the
contents of letters treasured so carefully--letters that_he had
every reason now to believe_were from Westfield. Their post-mark_he
had noticed._They were from New Orleans.

After_again hesitating and_debating the_question for some_time, he
finally determined to know their_contents. He read_them over and
over again, each sentence_almost_maddening him. They_were_from
Westfield._The reader_already knows their_contents._From their
appearance,_it_was evident that they had been_read_over very many
times; one of them bore_traces of tears. For_some_time the feelings
of Miller_were in a state of_wild excitement. While this continued,
had his_wife or_Westfield appeared,_he would have been tempted to
commit some desperate act. But this_state gradually gave way to a
more_sober one. The letters_were replaced_carefully,_the casket
locked, and_every_thing restored_to its former appearance. The
husband then sat_down to_reflect, as calmly as was in_his power,
upon the aspect_of_affairs. The more he thought, the_more closely he
compared the sentiments of_the letters so carefully treasured_with
the_subsequent_familiarity of his wife with_Westfield, the more
satisfied was he that_he had been_deeply and irreparably
wronged--wronged in a way for_which_there was no atonement.

As this conviction_fully_formed itself in his mind, the_question_of
what_he should do came up_for immediate decision. He had one_child,
about eighteen months old, around whom his tenderest affections_had
entwined themselves; but_when he remembered that his_friend's
intimacy_with_his wife had run almost