The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-03-12
"A Maudiin
...IcratVf."
torlginaL1

her wanted her for his wife. Why he
wanted her he could not explain even
ia. himself. 1t was not because she
was intellectual, dlgnifed or free from
pettlness. About the only reason he
could have expressed In words was
that she he'd musical voice. She
couldn't sing note, Dut one who
heard her low pitched tones would pro-
nounce them melodlous. But Falkner
didn't consider this good and sufli-
cient reason for choosing wife.
Falkner was q methodical man and
never went about anything of impor-
tance without thinking out how 1t had
better be done THAT girl can never
be won by nonsense" he said. "She
must first OF all respect the man she
marries and love him for his moral
and intellectual worth" Acting upon
this, he Logan his courtship by intro
ducing, when with her, topics In which
she was most Interested. He found
that her taste for books ran in much
the same lines as his own, and this
made them companionable. AT times
| they differed on the matter of favorlte
authors or philosophical or psycholog-
| ical questions, but Falkner never yield
ed for the sake of pleasing. The CON
sequence was that there was often
spirited sparring between them that
added zest to their intimacy.
] His invitations to her were In ac-
cordance with his estimate OF what
pleased her. If he invited her TO the
theater, the play must be of the hig'-'
er grade, If to the opera the music was
usually by either Beethoven or Wag-
ner. But more than to the theater or
opera he took her to lectures.
Though Falkner was a good talker,
he was a better writer. AS an ANA
teur he had done some very good lit
erary work. His forte was the essay
on one occasion when absent he wrote
Miss Burke a series of letters which
when he returned she told him were
well worthy of publication. He sug-
gested that she keep them, and some
day they might find their way into
print.
When Falkner had thus done what
he could to commend himself to the
lady he desired he went to see her
one evening braced for proposal. He
told her that his friendship with her
had been so delightful that he feared
to risk 1t by mentioning the word love;
that If that word would spoil the
other, friendship, he desired that she
would consider It unspoken. She seemed
moved by this delicate way of putting
II, and he was encouraged, but she
asked for time, and when he received
his answer 1t was that she wished the
friendship to be continued. He nat
urally inferred that this meant she de-
sired the love left out. He was great
ly disappointed.
He resolved that IL should be exact
~ as she desired-a case of friendship
His attentions were continued. lie
gave her books, took her to amuse'
ments. After this had continued fol
some time he said to her one day he
had often heard that n word of love
spoils a lifetime of friendship, but In
their case they had proved the state
, inent false. She made no reply TO this
and he construed her silence to mean
, assent.
RI When Miss Parke was about to go tC
the country for the summer Falknel
} called to say goodby. On the corner
Just before reaching her house boy
put bunch OF violets under his nose
Their perfume was delicious, and II oc
Cured To Falkner to take them Will
him as parting gift Miss Parke''
| I.,l,t "A h. n M
she thanked him with a kindly smile
They conversed for half an hour, dur
Ing which she wore the flowers.
In his heart Falkner did not give vi
hope of ultimate success In winning
the girl he wanted, but during thi
summer he fell III and during his I'll
ness showed a weakness which he sup
} posed would ruin all. He wrote Mis-
! Parke how miserable he was and ended
the letter with these words; 81 lie her
thinking OF you as | saw you last, will
The violets In your corsage. have sen
= out for some that may inhale thei
, perfume the better to bring you bacl
/, to me- ! wish, dear heart, that yol
Were really here TO place cool bap'
6 on my throbbing temples"
!. The next morning he felt much bel
), ter aud asked II his letter had bee
e mailed, intending If ii had not to de
4 stroy e. lt had gone on its way, am
he groaned. The next day he wa
worse aud was tempted to write agail
"maudlin,' as he expressed 1t, but re
sisted. Os the morning of the thir
day who should be ushered into hi
. room by his iundlady but Miss Parke.
h A few days nursing brought the II
s valid to co9yalescence, during whic
interval there came about a betrotha
The lady hal changed her mind, bu
womanlikc, could not or would nt
give n reason.
D. One day later on Falkner asked bl
e wife where the letters he had ono
d written her were-those she'had con
y mended so highly. A friend-an editC
had expressed desire TO see then
Mrs. Falllner could not remember thel
/, for some time, and when she did a,
mitted that she had burned them. The
l. another day nesting I'm her treaslil