The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-06-13
A Shadowy Lover.
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highest. So intent within herself was
she that her friends never>got very
near her. Among men the feather
weights i mean. mentally-let her
alone from choice, the heavyweights
because she was not of easy approach.
She was twenty-five before she re-
ceived a single offer of marriage: then.
it came from practical. common
sense man of business. He was tempo
rarily thrown into Intimate association
with her and discerned great deal In
her When he proposed she took time.
before giving him his answer. then
gave it in this wise:
'Some years ago ! received letter
from man who. was dying He told
me that he had loved me without being
known by me. Being afflicted by lin
gering disease. he had never sought
me with a view to declaring his love.
Since it gave a dying man comfort to
tell me of his devotion, he hoped ]
would not blame him for doing so. He
carefully concealed his identity. and
have never discovered it.
81 have since been unable to shake
off a sense of being appropriated.
know this is unwise. but can't help
it. I have analysed my feelings for
you and cannot tell whether or no !
should marry you. am. however.
willing to throw the responsibility on
you and become your wife If you say
the word"
He told her that he fancied marriage
to be practical sentiment. Her feeling
for the dead was sentimental senti-
ment. The first pertained to the high
est of all human institutions. the fam
lily; the latter was simply a canker-
worm feeding on emotion. He would
have her marry him. trusting to the
great unbreakable bond. family affec-
ton, to absorb all other sensations
They were married The wife for
time appeared to be contented and
happy, but after awhile showed that
she was brooding. Her husband no
ticed the change, but did not refer TO
it. He knew that her sentiment" was
with her and that 1t could not be driv-
en- away by open Interference. He did
not consider his wife responsible for
its presence. He knew that it came
from some mental condition the nature
of which he could understand. though
he had not experienced it. He conclud-
ed to wait for it to disappear. Doubt
less the first child would drive 1t away.
as the sun will dissipate a cloud
But children did not come. There
was still this intangible. psychological
freak between the two to keep them in
a measure apart. 1t was never re-
ferred to by either. but both knew of
its existence. 1t was endured by both.
for the wife felt that it was wronging
her husband, and the husband felt that
1t was sapping the happiness of his
wife as well as his own.
One day while searching in a desk Of
his wife for paper he came upon
the note that had been written her
from her dying lover. Its finding
brought about singular act. Taking
note of the handwriting. he wrote a
letter in the same chirography to his
wife purportlng to come from the man
L
that he had Unexpectedly recovered
and had since prospered; that he knew
she was married. but m spirit she be,
longed to him. Did she reciprocate this
feeling? If so. let her defy the world
and he would come to her.
When the wife opened this forged
letter one morning at the breakfast
table. the husband saw her turs- pate.
rnPt evening when he came bacl
FRONT business his wife said to hin
that something had happened. She hat
debated with herself whether sh,
shoulId tell him or not and had decided
that 1T was better that she should not
He replied that he had full confidenc,
in heir judgment. and this was all b,
said bbort the matter.
After this the wife showed plainl,
that lshe was under the influence O
some powerful emotion. Her HUSBAND
mean while wrote her another forged
letter. from the same correspondent
She Was Informed that her lover coult
no longer endure the strain Of separa
ton. He must see her. He begged
her t4 send her husband away for ,
certaih evening. during which b.
would call and they would concoc
modus vivendL He asked for thi
one Interview only. after which, If sh
so wished. he would never see he
agafn.l simultaneously with his send
ing tli:s letter the husband informe,
his wife that he must be away on bust
ness on the evening he had appointed
His wife cutched her fingers spasmod
ically. which he pretended not to see
and lett her.
At 8 o'clock on the evening he wen
home hnd was packing valise pre-
paratoiy to his departure when hi
wife tame to him trembling and
throwing her arms about him, begge,
him toI take her with him.
He ibid accomplished an object, blu
he did bot yet feel sure that it was &C
compli3hed for all time. He told he