The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-30

dii iIiy uIe. First, L SAID gOOQDyo 10
the spring house with it's great masses
Where we had our playhouse; then the
Beehive cute little house in the
orchard, and of course, all the neigh
bors that have mended my dresses
from little tot up, to save me
thrashing I really deserved"
Gillette had been more or less of
rover up to the time he became fore
man in his uncle's shirt mandatory
in Cortland. N. Y. He had led a some
what gay life but was given to under
stand upon his arrival in Cortland that
he must conduct himself so that his
wealthy relatives might at least recog-
nize him. He soon became interested
In church work, made many friends
and apparently conducted himself with
propriety.
A Farmers Daughter.
Grace Brown was a farmers daugh-
ter from South Otselic who worked In
the same factory with Gillette. AL
though he did not pay her unusual at
tention her companions were not long
in recognizing that she was somewhat
of favorite with the young foreman.
He began to call on her at the home of
her married sister, who lived IN the
city, and soon won her trust and affec-
tion. The girls confidence in Gillette
and his promise of marriage eventual
ly led to her undoing and in the sum-
ner of 1906 she went home to prepare
for her wedding which she felt could
not long be postponed. 1t was during
her stay at her home in South Otselic
that she wrote him the remarkable
series of letters which were found
among GilIette's effects after his ar
rest.
In these outpourings of her soul she
breathed the poignancy of her sorrow,
and her sweetness of girlish youth,
faith and self-sacrifice were ever ap-
parent In her misery she pleaded
with her lover to come to her. saying
that she had been brave but was be-
ginning to feel discouraged. In spite
of her suffering she thought first or all
of him, and how she might lessen any
burden that he was destined to bear
"I am as lonesome for you as-oh.
as I thought I'd be. / don't believe
you've even missed me-" she wrote
soon after her arrival home. Il did not
think all the home folks would be so
glad to see me. They ate me up, and
if you ever have thought l was spoiled,
dear. I don't know what you will think
of me when 1 get back. You or any
one else won't be able to do anything
with me-"
A few days later she wrote: Il have
done nothing but cry since l got mere
If you were only here I would not feel
so bad 1 do try to be brave, dear,
DuC now can l. WIl6n every SOOo
wrong? I can't help thinking you will
never come for me, but then 1 say you
can't be so mean as that, and besides
you told me you would come and you
have never disappointed me when you
said you would not.
Chester there isn't girl in the
world as miserable as I am tonight, %
she wrote in her next letter, "and you
have made me feel SO. Chester, I dom.
mean that, dear; you have always been
awfully good to me and I know you
will always be. You just won't be a
coward. 1 know. You must write more
often. please, and. dear, when you read
my letters, If you think am unrea-
sonable, please do not mind it, but do
think am about crazy with grief and
that 1 don't know just what to do"
She Loses Faith.
In her next letter she told of receiv-
ing letter from a girl friend ''This
girl wrote me-" she said, that you
seemed to be having an awfulIy good
time, and she guessed that my coming
home had done you good as you had not
seemed so cheerful in weeks. =
should have known Chester, that you
did not care for me. But somehow ]
have trusted you more than anyone
else. Perhaps you don't think or you
can't help making me grieve, but
wish things were different. You may
bly, wish SO more than I. 1 have been
very brave since I came home but to-
night I am very discouraged. Chester
if I could only die. I know how you
feel about this affair and 1 wish for
your sake you need not be troubled
If die 1 hope you can then be happy -
The GOODNESS of Gillette's replies to
the girls fervent pleadings caused her
| to say in her next letter:
"I was glad to hear from you and
-olI 7 ,eI,t IL
rather have my letters affectionate
| but yours was so business-like that
| have come to the conclusion that you
wish mine to be that way. 1 may tel
| you though, that L am not g business
woman and so presume that these let
| ters will not satisfy you any more thar
| the others did. think, pardon me, thai
| 1 understand my position and that il
| is rather unnecessary for you to be sc
| frightfully frank in making me see it
| I can see my position as keenly as any.
| one 1 think. You say you were sur
prised, but you thought I would be
| discouraged. / don't see why / should
not be discouraged. What words have
| had from you since 1 came home tt
! encourage me?
| Then further along in the same let.
ter the girls spirit of self-sacrifice as
| serted itself and she wrote:
| Chester 1 don't suppose you will
| ever know how 1 regret being all thi:
| trouble TO you KNOW you nate 1nt
and 1 can't blame You one bit. o.
course, it's worse for me than for you
but the world and you, too, may thinl
| 1 am the one to blame. but somehow
| can't, just simply can't, think that
! am, Chester.
| my little sister came up just min
ute ago with her hands full of daisie.
and asked me if I didn't want my for
tune told I told her I guessed it wa!
pretty well told now"
Plans were arranged by letter for :
| meeting at DeRuyter and Gillette Sc
cured leave of absence from the fac
| tory He arrived at DeRuyter on th
| evening of July and registered at
hotel as Charles George. The next da.
| Grace Brown left South Otselic osten
| sibIy for Cortland but changed cars fo
| Utica at DeRuyter where she was join
| ed by Gillette. On the journey to Utic;
| gillette did not share the seat will
| ..I2ill,z,, hut chatted with other girls o.