Woodruff County news., 1909-02-25
A Tragedy of the Commonplace
By Richard King

 tivate the virtues; one has otherwise no raison d'etre. While to be sympa- thetic to me to whom she is so in debt"
 "Debt!" he cried, interrupting her suddenly with all the holy horror of one who personally is never out of it. Debt"
 Of course, you must never say any thing cried Mrs. de Rutsen quickly as if in a momentary weakness she had betrayed a confidence. You must promise me that"
 You surprise me-" he moaned, now thoroughly disheartened. You sur prise me dreadfully."
 'Letitia is full of surprises" she said as parting shot.
 That evening as she was going to bed she looked in Letitia's room, as was her custom.
 There is something I don't like about MT. Meredith" she said inno- gently as they were sitting over the fire.
 Don't you?" was all Letitia could reply for her blushes, and she tried to look as unconscious as her friend, though for different reasons.
 "Of course, I don't believe all the horrible things people say about him." Mrs. de Rutsen explained, but I'm afraid he's a very immoral man.
 Then she told her several accusa- tions which she was able to rake up against him out of his past.
 "Of course, we must not believe everything we hear," she explained as she kissed her.
 No" answered Letitia almost under her breath.
 You are quite happy, aren't you?" cried Mrs. de Rutsen as she saw Leti- tia's white face. T believe you have been crying"
 "Oh, no, I haven't" cried Letitia, wiping her eyes.
 You don't know how I love you" continued Mrs. de Rutsen, kissing her, Tor how I love to have you with me-"
 Thank you," cried Letitia, throwing her arms around her friends neck and sobbing as if her heart would break.
 The end, of course, is apparent. A few more conversations between them both and Letitia wrote letter which settled the matter as far as she was concerned. As for MT. Meredith, after what Mrs. de Rustin had told him, her definite refusal relieved him more than he could say. They never saw each other again.
 It all happened years ago, and since then Letitia has become more infatu- ated than ever. Perhaps" she some times thought to herself to allay the loneliness of heart, ''I should not have been happy with him. Perhaps I am better as l am."
 As for Mrs. de Rutsen, she thinks Letitia an extremely lucky woman.
 To friend who once wondered why Letitia had never married she said:
 Years ago a man once asked her. did everything in my power to bring them together, but she refused him. You see she is so happy with me- And l find her so useful"
 AS for Letitia, she has become much older-old with all the tragedy not of getting older, but of still remaining young. Her life stretches out before her, dreary, monOtonous, common place, without any sun whatever, or for that matter, without much shade. Possibly it is not so utterly ordinary as it appears to outsiders, but there are, no roses for her to gather by the way. Her life is filled with dull, un- interesting duties, and her genius for self-sacrifice goes on unabated. If she is not very happy, we'll after all, who is? She believes she is working her way heavenward, which in its way is something, after all. In any case the irony of her fate may not be so terri ble as it seems. Poor Letitia!