Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-12-01


which he had felt for Olga, was absent
There was no illusion, no pain, no ro-
nance in David affection for her 1t
was quiet well balanced, wholesome.
She knew she was the passionless choice
of his calm, wise moments.
Nora came in, muddy letter in her
hand.
''The fool of a postman, to save cool
ing his feet, put this under the mat in
stead of ringing the bell. It's sorry
looking letter it is now," and Nora
dried it ON her apron before putting it
in Anne's outstretched hand.
1t was from Donald. Her eyes bright
ened as she took it quickly and drew the
rustling pages from the envelope. She
read:
DEAREST ANNE-It's very quiet where l sit
tonight writing to you. The short twilight
has disappeared into dark blue night, the
southern cross is in the sky, and the few other
stars are bigger and brighter than the many
at home. How far away you are from me!
Somehow never felt so alone In the wilder.
ness as i do tonight. A longing to see you eats
at my heart. There Is no voice in the world
as sweet as yours. love your eyes, the way
your lips look when you laugh. Oh, Anne,
Anne, If could see you now!
These fancies are wild, you will think may
be. Oh, but do love you SO! niger some
where in the darkness outside is play ing pas
sionate tune on a tin flute, and the savage
notes go through me, racking me with mis-
cradle sort Of happiness they are so like the
ache feel to see you, to touch you'll
I've worked very faithfully. The men I'm
thrown with, Armitage and Morgan, are bully
good fellows and, like me, are hoping and toll
ing for prosperity under another sky as the
reward. / like them both immensely, and
think they like me pretty well.
wish you could see your two books. You'd
hardly know them, they are so thumbed.
almost know them by heart. There's bright
future for you, Anne, dear. oh, hope You'll
have all your dreams realized, every one! But
there's bitterness in the thought for me- l see
more and more how much aspire to in loving
you, how mad the dream that maybe But
can't go ON. Nothing can alter the fact that
do love you, and though you go quite out CT
my life and marry and are happy without one
thought of me, must still love you. Nothing
can alter that.
oh, wonder will you ever love me2 Will
ever be able TO go to you and ask you thatf
Will i daref What you've been to me! Only
today as stood watching the negroes among
the coffee shrubs / thought Of the night in the
mines when we sat with our hands clasped in
the blackness and ! talked to you Of my
wretched self as I'd never spoken to any living
being and the night when Joe died and tried
to tell you all that was in my heart. Do you
remember 1t as do? | kissed your hair that
night You didn't know it, Afterward, when
you laid your cheek against my arm, your
beautiful face so white, and whispered I'm
remember, Donald, thought my heart would
burst with pain and Joy. Oh, how wish
could have my life to live over again and be at
this moment the man God had meant me TO
be, not full Of bitter memories, still half afraid
after fighting the habits Of yearsl II away
back in the past when was little chap
could have known that one day I'd meet you,
love you, need you SO, how little all that was
miserable would have seemed-only time Of
darkness TO be lived through somehow with
happiness awaiting me ut the endi
These are thoughts which haunt me all the
time, though I've little enough time to think
There's 50 much to do I've grown very prac-