The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-07-20

A Woman Passes Two Existences
In One House
By EDITH v. ROSS
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association
By EDITH v. ROSS
1910, by American Press
Association.
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| Ny love for Edward Lane began
when we were both SO young that mel
| ther of us could remember time
when it did not exist His fathers
| place was but a short distance from
ours. Indeed, the rear line marked the
| limits of both places. On one side of
this line was the playground of the
several children, boys and girls, in
Guiding Edward and myself. who lived
4 in the neighborhood. | can remember
as far back as when was seven years
old and Edward nine that in playing
keep house he and | always played the
/ part of husband and wife. There was
a swing on this playground, and Ed
wards father put up articles for a
4 boys gymnasium A little house four
or FIVE feet high was built for us girls
and furnished with toy furniture. At
times we would leave our dolls there
all night, first putting them to bed.
When | grew taller could not I'M
derstand how l could have stood up
right in that little house. And what
seemed more remarkable to me was
H that Edward could have done so, for
he was always large child. And
remember that when he had been
away to school for a long while and
came back he was taller than the
4 house.
BY this time we were growing out
Of childhood into that intermediate
period when, though boys and girls
may feel love, they are not likely to
express it. 1t is a period of transition
from child love to real love. The boy
mind is taken up with athletic sports,
while the girl hides her secret almost
from herself Indeed, so nebulous is
this period that in my own case it is
difficult for me to recall my exact feel
ings. l remember them family and as
existing at intervals They were rath-
er a small portion of my girls ex-
istence than the whole of it.
When | was sixteen | was awakened
to the true condition by the marked
!; preference displayed by another girl
for my Edward From that time my
: love became the principal instead of a
minor part in my life. ! failed to con-
ceal my jealousy from him, and this
J brought out his own consciousness of
what was between us. There was no
: formal declaration, no conventional
giving of the hand, not even the low
ers' kiss He merely said something
about the other girl, know not what,
but it assured me there was no change
in our position since the days when
we played husband and wife at keep
ing house-no change in the position,
but a great change in the condition.
: 1t had then been like winter bud,
, but it was now swollen under a spring
sun, ready to put forth leaves.
/ sometimes wished that / could
have experienced the proposal that
T other girls seemed to regard the next
most important moment in their lives
to their marriage. Edward and / had
no occasion for proposal. Our love
was rather. as ! have said, an unfold
? ing of bud than the birth of butter
!. fly. The only abrupt part of it was
when he gave me the first kiss.
: have always treasured that in lieu OF
a proposal.
When we were married great changes
had occurred / was left alone in the
! world. So it was arranged that we
!. should occupy my house. Our living
!, room was on the second floor, over
: looking the playground where we ha6
pretended to be husband and wife
The faint dream of childhood had beer
developed to a realization of almos
perfect happiness. II there could be 6
perfection on earth, these five year:
Of my life. from twenty to twenty-five
were such a condition. Two children
were born to US, boy and a girl
What seemed strange to me was that
though I gave them boundless love
that which bore their father. instead
Of being diminished, was increased
Truly love must be, like space, infinite
Up to this point there had been al
expansion Of happiness. Suddenly
there came a check. Our younges
child sickened and died. have de
scribed with some minuteness what
have likened to the gradual unfolding
Of a flower have no heart to Civ,
more than brief mention Of its blight
ing. Within a few months after tn
first death second occurred, ant
.-il within another year lost my husband
For a time was in sort Of col
VI lapse, In which did not take enougl
interest In my surroundings to be al
FL fected by them. After one has me
with a serious accident or has bee
operated upon by surgeon the sense
, are deadened; then comes the begin
, ming OF pain. Tt was so with me
When became myself my surround
ings were painful to me. Some pei
ID sons similarly situated nurse their grie
by living in such surroundings. / long
al ed to get away from them. Friend
re advised me to seek recovery in tn
It many new scenes and interesting OF
Ar jects that are to be found abroad.
Il. took their advice ! sailed for Europe
IN leaving the place where had been s