Roslyn Morrow- The Story of an Hour

Real Ending:
Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine's piercing cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.
When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.

Alternate Ending:
Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine's piercing cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.

Mrs. Mallard fainted at the sight of her presumed dead husband. Richard and Mr. Mallard quickly took her upstairs to her room. Josephine watched over her as she laid lifeless on the bed. Hours had passed when suddenly Mrs. Mallard leaped out of the bed and continued rejoicing in the fact that her husband was a dead. Josephine quickly grabbed her hand and sat her down.

"You don't remember anything do you?"

"What are you talking about, this is no time to sit and be sad my sister. We must celebrate!"

"You fainted when he walked through the door."

"Who walked through the door?"


"Brently, your husband."

"I will not hear anymore of your foolishness Louise. We must get started on the plans for his funeral at once. I'm thinking we have bright colors nothing dark, for this is a celebration and not a time of mourning."

"Listen to me closely, it was a mistake Brently was no where near the train when the accident happened he is alive and downstairs waiting for you to wake up."

"I don't believe it. What am I going to do now? I am still stuck with him. This can't be."

"It is and I'm sorry to be the one to tell you."

"I can not live like this any longer, I experienced pure happiness for but a moment then it was taken away from me."

"I'm sorry, but Richards and Brently are waiting for us downstairs, we must go see them."

"Okay, you go on ahead and I will be down shortly, I need to straighten myself up."

"Okay."

Josephine left the room and headed down the stairs.

Mrs. Mallard reached over into her bureau and mixed something into her cup of water. She drank it quickly and then laid back down.

"I shall be free once again but this time my pure happiness will not be taken from me."

Moments later Josephine came into the room to find the dead body of Mrs. Mallard. The one thing that she noticed was the peaceful smile that she had on her lifeless face.