The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1907-01-09
PlTIFuL LETTER
Written by Kentucky Girl TO
Her Lover Just Be-
fore Shielding.

Freely forgiving the man who mad
wronged her, and wishing him hap
piness in life, although he was to
marry another woman, Miss LillieMel-
toms farewell letter, which she wrote
lust before committing suicide by
taking carbolic acid, is pitiful indeed
Miss Melton lived at Nortonville, HOP
kins county, and was one of the most
popular girls of that place. 1t is SAID
, that she was to have been married
during the Christmas holidays to the
man who deserted her. She took her
life near the end of the old year.
The following is the letter which
Miss Melton wrote just before ending
her life. unable TO face the future;
Otto: Enclosed you will find d
nickle. which l owe you for paying
on my ticket the Sunday afternoon
went to the Gap. Thank YOU, sin
cerely.
When are you and Berna to be mar
ried? Soon? OF course, l know you
are both very, very happy but only
God knows the terrible anguish and
misery l feel. Oh, why did you not
leave me alone when you went away
from me before? Why, in Gods
name. did you come back to open
afresh the old hurt in my heart?
Are you going to live at Norton
vile? l want you to be happy; have
always wanted that, but l cannot
look forward to a life of long, end
less misery and unhappiness. You
told me it is wrong to take ones
own life, but you do not stop To con-
slider that that same life is more than
can be borne with misery and shame.
If there is a heaven to be gained by
death, there certainly is he'll TO be
missed. You say you believe that
we are all saved; then it seems to me
that instead of wishing me to live
on here in the unhappiness that you
know | am in, you would not mind
my going away to more perfect hap
piness and love. AT best or worst,
death will at least give me perfect
rest. l do not think that there is
any happiness in life now for me, and
sometimes wonder why. What have
| ever done that you should have set
about, in the way you have, to wreck
my life and my happiness? God
knows that you have never asked
anything of me that l have not will
ing and lovingly granted you. am
not sorry for it, either, except that
human nature will have its way, and
grief and misery will fill my heart.
Berna is a dear sweet girl, and she
will. make you happy. She is better
than poor me, but she cannot posi-
bly, love you any more than / do, and
she is not any purer and more VIZ
tuous than | was before you sullied
my honor. / wonder, Otto, that you
could contemplate marriage with any
ztrl after the things that have pass
cd between us, after you have told me
over and over again that you never
meant to marry, that you did not
think you could possibly ever get
ready 10 marry. Sometimes l won
der if you ever told me exactly what
you felt, and meant, at any time.
God knows. Otto it is a terrible thing
70 win woman's heart to deceive
ner from first to last. God forgive
you, as freely as | do, for the things
you have made me suffer. Why are
you coming over here? What have
you to say to me now? l am going
70 give the school but / do not
know lust what ! shall do yet. If
you marry, l shall end the whole bus
mess. but otherwise / have not made
up my mind what | shall do. l do
not ask you to give up your happi-
ness, not for one minute. You told
me was selfish but ! am not that
selfish. Your happiness means more
TO me than my own does; but God
knows a life of misery cannot be en-
dured such as | will feel when you
are married. Oh, God what must |
do? ! feel almost that l will go mad,
mad. | cannot, cannot bear 1t. |
am afraid of myself, for l know that
ought not to be so cowardly as TO
want to die beforeGod wants me to.
am going to be selfish enough to
ask you to give me little time, now
s.--.S ,ss,~Saas<lsus<kMlnanN