Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-02-05
about it, nor did I tell them of the OK.
iStence of the letter

istence of the letter.
When the days work was ended ]
hesitated long before opening this let
ter, in spite of my past eagerness re-.
garding it. 1t seemed to me as If a
pretty little fancy-built romance
would fly away, as my aircastles had a
way of doing The letter was written
in her own hand and inclosed was a
translation. AS / read / was glad the
other boys knew nothing of it, and
determined then and there that they
never should. The letter was as fol-
lows:
my Friends, the Reporters: To
show you that appreciate your great
kindness to me while an inmate of the
hospital, l will try to tell you of the
unhappy event which you have been
puzzling over for weeks.
"Strange and unreasonable as it
may seem to you, am glad that l at
tempted to drown myself, AID OIL so
glad that the merciful God allowed me
to be rescued before died. This may
seem wild to you, but l mean what l
say.
SIT was five years ago that Olof
eNvenson began making love 90 me.
was child of thirteen years then, and
he boy of nineteen. We loved each
other ardently for two years. Then
my mother conceived violent dislike
for Olof, and as my father was complete
ly under her control he soon forbade
Olof to come to the house.
"Our love was too deep to be thwart-
ed, and while | was at school Oloi
found frequent opportunities of visit
ing me. We would have married then
only we were too poor.
zone night my lover came to me and
said Ellen, if / were lost at sea,
would you be faithful to me?'
81 saw that he was downcast ant
heavy hearted and had something or
his mind.
81 said: Why, Olof, what do yor
mean?'
81 mean he said and tears filled
his eyes, that am going to Amer.
lea.
"Oh Olof,' l cried, and wept bitter
tears.
"Then he told me of his plans ant
how, when he became rich, he woulC
send for me. We both promised to b,
SO true to each other, and we became
almost happy in thinking of the goot
times in store for us in far away Amer
lea.
81 bore up bravely, for + knew how
hard it would be for poor Olof away of
so far from friends and working so hare
for me.
"His letters came as regularly a.
working mems letters usually come
After awhile his writing seemed un
certain, as though his hand was weak
and l could hardly read his letters
Then | knew that he was sick bu
would not tell me.
81 felt that must go to my lover
The ocean is wide, but a trustful hear
can span it and fly like freed sparrow
to its mate. ] sold some of my clothe
and borrowed some money from m
brother. Then, when | was all ready
told my parents. They were angr
and sorely perplexed, but was boun
to go and they could not keep me-
"On the morning of my departure m
brother brought me letter written j
strange hand. 1t told me that Olo
was dead and in the letter was a loc
of hair had given him when he left
A friend of Olof's had written the lei
ter. 1t said that my lovers dying re
quest had been to send the hair to m
and tell me that he loved me to tn
last
Grief is hard to bear, but bore mine
as bravely as | could, and in a month
started to America to go to my lover
grave, and then go on to live with
brother in Utah.
'In your country directions are easy
and l arrived safely in the town wher
he died. On the evening of my arriv,
bought bouquet of flowers an