The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-16
A Shadowy Lover.
tOriginal.1


weights Il mean mentaly-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
II came from a 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 q 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 view to declaring his love.
| Since. II 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 sense of being appropriated
know this is unwise, but | can't help
1t. have analyzed 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 fancled marriage
to be practical sentiment. Her feeling
for the dead was sentimental sentl-
ment. The first pertained TO the high.
/ net 90 oil al
lily; the latter was simply a canker-
worm feeding on emotion. He would
have her marry him. trusting to tho
great unbreakable bond. family affec
tion. TO absorb all other sensations.
They were married. The wife for a
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-
ell away by open interference. He did
not consider his wife responsible for
Its presence. He knew that II came
from some mental condition the nature
of which he could understand. though
he had not experienced 1t. He conclud
ed to walt for 1t to disappear. Doubt
less the first child would drive II 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
measure apart. II was never re.
ferred to by either. but both knew of
its existence. II was endured by both
for the wife felt that 1t was wronglng
her husband, and the husband felt that
1t was sapplng 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 hel
from her dying lover. Its finding
brought about singular act Taking
note OF the handwriting. he wrote d
letter In the same chlrography to his
wife purporting TO come from the mar
; who had written the original II stated
that he had unexpectedly recovered
and had since prospered; that he knew
she was married. but In spirit she be
longed TO him. Did she reciprocate this
feelingp If so. let her defy the worlC
| anu lie WOulu come 10 Def
When the wife opened this forged
letter one morning at the breakfast
table. the husband saw her turn pale.
That evening when he came bacl
} from business his wife said to hin
that something had happened. She hat
| debated with herself whether sh,
should tell him or not and had decided
| IN Gh IN oh M M
He replied that he had full confidenc,
In her Judgment, and this was all b,
: said abort the matter.
After this the wife showed plalnl!
that she was under the influence o
: some powerful emotion. Her HUSBAND
4 meanwhile wrote her another forge,
letter from the same correspondent
She was Informed that her lover coul,
no longer endure the strain OF separa
tion. He must see her. He begge,
her to send her husband away for
certain evening. during which b
would call and they would concoc
modus yivendl He asked for thi
one Interview only, after which, II sh
so wished. he would never see he
again. simultaneously with his send
ing this letter the husband lnforme
his wife that he must be away on bus
ness on the evening he had appointed
His wife cutched her fingers spasmod
lcally, which he pretended not to Sc,
and left her.
At o'clock on the evening he wen
home and was packing valise pre-
paratory to his departure when hi
wife came to him trembling anC
- throwing her arms about him, begge
. him to take her with him.
He had accomplished an object, bu
he did not yet feel sure that 1t was az
complshed for all time. He told he
=, that It would be lnconvenient for hlI
i. to take her. but she begged SO har
that he consented They dined togetl
q er aud after dinner took train.
IN The husband kept his own counse
The wife during the journey one ever
n ing announced that she desired his a
IA sstance ON matter that was dl
No tressing her Then she confessed
the letters she had received from hs