The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-04-23

what he said of you except you con-
firm it by your own act
oh. James, We're we not happy? be-
lieved in you and felt that you believed
/ in me- When we stood heart to heart
under the elm tree twas it only last
night9 and you Swore that if it lay in
/ the power of earthly man to make me
/ happy should taste every sweet that
a woman's heart naturally craved, |
thought my heaven had already come
/ and that now it only remained for me
! to create yours. Yet | trust in you
/ vet. James. and if you bid me to con
tinue that trust will do so with all
my heart and never ask YOU to solve
this or any later mysteries for me.
4 do not cuntide With a half heart. give
you all or give you nothing, fact
which will either insure my happiness
or my ruin. do not know which,
am as am. DO you think my fathers
words would satisfy me or that
would or could believe them when they
accused YOU of base and dishonest
act? James, you should have waited
and not left Inc to the misery of hear
inc such an accusation, an accusation
of theft and theft of money, from one
could not cou;ladict-t that is, if you
knew what he was going to say. But
perhaps you did not. Much as have
always revered and loved my father
find myself hoping that he has said
other words to me than those you eX-
pected him to- That in his wish to see
me Philemon's wife he has resorted to
an unworthy subterfuge to separate us
and that there is no truth in the story
he told me last night or at least not the
truth he would impress upon me.
If his account of the interview be-
tween YOU is a correct one. and You
have nothing to add to it in way of eX
planation. then the return of this letter
will be token enough that my father
mas been lust in his accusations and
that the bond between us must be bro
ken. But if. oh. James. if you are the
true man | consider you and all that |
have heard is fabrication or mistake,
then come to me at once. DO not de-
iay, but come at once, and the sight OF
your face at the gate will be enough 10
establish your innocence in my eyes if
not in those of less intuition than your
AGATHA
The letter that followed this was
very short:
DEAR JAMES The package Of letters
has been recel. ]. God heTD me 10
bear this shock 10 ali my hopes and the
death of ali my gillish beliefs. | am
mot aMe.'y Only those who have some
thing left to hold to in life can be an
sIS.
My father. tells me he has received q
r:selct too. II contained 5000 il tel
s. 70 notes James, James, was not
MY love enough that YOU should want
my fathers money too?
llAve begged my father, sind he has
Promised me to keep the cause OF this
rupture secret. No enc shall know
era;n eitlc" OF rs that James label has
/ Any ..aw 10 lis nature.
f I4n nozt letter was dated some
IL n.4aths later Ii was to Philemon:
y EAR IiI.LEMc% The gloves are TOT
Y sialII besides. never wear gloves.
{! !3atn their restraint and do not fee
e there is any good reason for hiding IN.
| hands in This little country town. wher
: everybody knows ne. Why not Civ
l them to Hattie Weller: She likes sue
l. things. while l have had my Till of fiji
1T cry. \ girl whose one duty is to car
v fer g dying father has not room let
e for vanities.
/. DEAR PHILEMON You will have m
;. hand, though | have told you that III
=. heart does not 90 With it. 1t is hard
=. understand such persistence. but if 20
- are satisfied to take a woman OF III
=, :, strength against her Will then Go
have mercy upon you, for will |
your wife.
- But do not ask me to go to Suthe
=. iandtown. ] shall live here. And {
~ not expect to keep up your intimat
W with the labels. There is no tie of a
fection remaining between James III
e? nlyself, but if am TO shed that ha
n light over your home, which is all
at can promise and all that you can hon
at to receive, then keep me from all i
w tiuence but your own. That this
a tune may grow sweet ana dear TO me
to my earnest prayer today, for you d
ed worthy of true wife. AGATHA.
ed
us DEAR JonS-I am going to be ma
no ried My father eNacts it, and the
as is no good reason why | shall not 81
es him this final satisfaction. At least
ell do not think there is, but if you or 20
m brother differs from me
elk Say goodby TO James from me.
on pray that his life may be peaceful.
ny know that it will be honest.
ok AGATHA
ed
no DEAR PHILEMoN-My father is wor:
no He fears that if we wait till Tuesd
no he will not be able to see us marie
ar Decide then, what our duty is. | q
,s- ready to abide by your pleasure.
wv AGATHA
tic The following is from John label
no his brother James, and is dated o
&C. day after the above:
DEAR JAMEs-When you read this
will be far away, never to look in yo