Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was
with a heart trouble great
was taken to break to her as
as possible the news of her
It was her sister Josephine
told her in broken sentences
hints that revealed in half
Her husbands friend Richards
there too near her. It was he
had been in the newspaper
when intelligence of the
disaster was received with
Mallards name leading the
of killed. He had only taken
time to assure himself of its
by a second telegram and had
to forestall any less careful
tender friend in bearing the
She did not hear the story as
women have heard the same
a paralyzed inability to
its significance. She wept at
with sudden wild abandonment
her sisters arms. When the
of grief had spent itself she
away to her room alone. She
There stood facing the open
a comfortable roomy armchair.
this she sank pressed down by
physical exhaustion that
her body and seemed to reach
She could see in the open
before her house the tops of
that were all aquiver with
new spring life. The
breath of rain was in the
In the street below a peddler
crying his wares. The notes
a distant song which some one
singing reached her faintly
countless sparrows were
There were patches of blue
showing here and there
the clouds that had met and
one above the other in the
She sat with her head thrown
upon the cushion of the chair
motionless except when a sob
up into her throat and shook
as a child who has cried
to sleep continues to sob in
She was young with a fair
face whose lines bespoke
and even a certain strength.
now there was a dull stare in
eyes whose gaze was fixed
off yonder on one of those
of blue sky. It was not a
of reflection but rather
There was something coming to
and she was waiting for it
What was it She did not know
was too subtle and elusive to
But she felt it creeping out
the sky reaching toward her
the sounds the scents the
Now her bosom rose and fell
She was beginning to
this thing that was
to possess her and she was
to beat it back with her
powerless as her two white
hands would have been. When
abandoned herself a little
word escaped her slightly
lips. She said it over and
under hte breath free free
The vacant stare and the look
terror that had followed it
from her eyes. They stayed
and bright. Her pulses beat
and the coursing blood warmed
She did not stop to ask if it
or were not a monstrous joy
held her. A clear and exalted
enabled her to dismiss the
as trivial. She knew that she
weep again when she saw the
tender hands folded in death
face that had never looked
with love upon her fixed and
and dead. But she saw beyond
bitter moment a long
of years to come that would
to her absolutely. And she
and spread her arms out to
There would be no one to live
during those coming years she
live for herself. There would
no powerful will bending hers
that blind persistence with
men and women believe they
a right to impose a private
upon a fellowcreature. A kind
or a cruel intention made the
seem no less a crime as she
upon it in that brief moment
And yet she had loved
Often she had not. What did
matter What could love the
mystery count for in the face
this possession of
which she suddenly recognized
Free Body and soul free she
Josephine was kneeling before
closed door with her lips to
keyhold imploring for
Louise open the door I beg
the dooryou will make
ill. What are you doing
Go away. I am not making
ill. No she was drinking in a
elixir of life through that
Her fancy was running riot
those days ahead of her.
days and summer days and all
of days that would be her
She breathed a quick prayer
life might be long. It was
yesterday she had thought
She arose at length and
the door to her sisters
There was a feverish triumph
her eyes and she carried
unwittingly like a goddess of
.......She clasped her sisters waist together they descended the Richards stood waiting for Some one was opening the door with a latchkey. It was
Mallard who entered a little
composedly carrying his
and umbrella. He had been far
the scene of the accident and
not even know there had been
He stood amazed at Josephines
cry at Richards quick motion
screen him from the view of
When the doctors came they
she had died of heart

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was with a heart trouble great was taken to break to her as as possible the news of her It was her sister Josephine told her in broken sentences hints that revealed in half Her husbands friend Richards there too near her. It was he had been in the newspaper when intelligence of the disaster was received with Mallards name leading the of killed. He had only taken time to assure himself of its by a second telegram and had to forestall any less careful tender friend in bearing the She did not hear the story as women have heard the same a paralyzed inability to its significance. She wept at with sudden wild abandonment her sisters arms. When the of grief had spent itself she away to her room alone. She There stood facing the open a comfortable roomy armchair. this she sank pressed down by physical exhaustion that her body and seemed to reach She could see in the open before her house the tops of that were all aquiver with new spring life. The breath of rain was in the In the street below a peddler crying his wares. The notes a distant song which some one singing reached her faintly countless sparrows were There were patches of blue showing here and there the clouds that had met and one above the other in the She sat with her head thrown upon the cushion of the chair motionless except when a sob up into her throat and shook as a child who has cried to sleep continues to sob in She was young with a fair face whose lines bespoke and even a certain strength. now there was a dull stare in eyes whose gaze was fixed off yonder on one of those of blue sky. It was not a of reflection but rather There was something coming to and she was waiting for it What was it She did not know was too subtle and elusive to But she felt it creeping out the sky reaching toward her the sounds the scents the Now her bosom rose and fell She was beginning to this thing that was to possess her and she was to beat it back with her powerless as her two white hands would have been. When abandoned herself a little word escaped her slightly lips. She said it over and under hte breath free free The vacant stare and the look terror that had followed it from her eyes. They stayed and bright. Her pulses beat and the coursing blood warmed She did not stop to ask if it or were not a monstrous joy held her. A clear and exalted enabled her to dismiss the as trivial. She knew that she weep again when she saw the tender hands folded in death face that had never looked with love upon her fixed and and dead. But she saw beyond bitter moment a long of years to come that would to her absolutely. And she and spread her arms out to There would be no one to live during those coming years she live for herself. There would no powerful will bending hers that blind persistence with men and women believe they a right to impose a private upon a fellowcreature. A kind or a cruel intention made the seem no less a crime as she upon it in that brief moment And yet she had loved Often she had not. What did matter What could love the mystery count for in the face this possession of which she suddenly recognized Free Body and soul free she Josephine was kneeling before closed door with her lips to keyhold imploring for Louise open the door I beg the dooryou will make ill. What are you doing Go away. I am not making ill. No she was drinking in a elixir of life through that Her fancy was running riot those days ahead of her. days and summer days and all of days that would be her She breathed a quick prayer life might be long. It was yesterday she had thought She arose at length and the door to her sisters There was a feverish triumph her eyes and she carried unwittingly like a goddess of