Putnam patriot., 1910-08-05


 ,v love for Edward Lane began -esn we were both so young that nei- .sar ef us could remember a time -so, if did not exist. His fathers .,,cs was but a short distance from s,rs Indeed. the rear line marked the nnIts of both places. On one side of ,sis line was the playground of the ..vsral children. boys and girls. in -,ralne Edward and myself. who lived :. the neighborhood. l can remember :. far back as when l was seven years <. and Edward nine that in playing saep house he and 1 always played the .srr of husband and wife. There was swing on this playground. and Ed cards father put up articles for q t.,ys' gymnasium. A little house four or five feet high was built for us girls s.a furnished with toy furniture. At tn,es we would leave our dells there sn night. first putting them to bed.
 When 1 grew taller l could not un- dsrs,and how l could have stood up- riTbf Jn that little house. And what seemed more remarkable to me was that Edward could have done so. for he was always d large child. And I remember that when he had been auay to school for a long while and came back he was taller than the house
 Bv 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. It is period of transition frem 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 neriad that in my owD case it is difficult for me to recall my exact feel ines l remember them faintly and as existing at intervals. They were rath- CT small portion Of my girls ex- istenee than tue whole of it.
 Wien l was sixteen l 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 1 failed to con ceal my jealousy from him. and this brought out his own consciousness of what was between us. There was no formal declaration. no conventional giving of the hand. not even the ley- CTS, kiss He merely said something about the other girl. l know not what, but 1t assured me there was no change in our position since the days when We played husband and wife at keep ing honse-no change in the position. but great change in the condition. It bad then been like a winter bud. but 1t was now swollen under a spring sun. ready to put forth leaves.
 sometimes wished that 1 could have experienced the proposal that other girls seemed to regard the next most important moment in their lives to their marriage. Edward and l had DO occasion for a proposal. Our love was rather as l have said. an unfold ing of bud than the birth of butter fy. The only abrupt part of 1t was when be gave me the first kiss. have always treasured that in lieu of proposal.
 When we were married great changes had occurred l 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 had pretended to be husband and wife. The faint dream of childhood had been developed 10 realization of almost perfect happiness. If there could be perfection on earth. these five years of my life. from twenty to twenty-five, were such a condition. Two children We're born to US. boy and giri. What seemed strange to me was that. though l 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 an expansion of happiness. Suddenly there came check. Our youngest child sickened and died. have de- scribed with some minuteness what have likened to the gradual unfolding of q flower. I have DO heart 10 give more than a brief mention of its blight iHs. Within few months after the first death a second occurred. and within another year lost my husband
 Fer time l was in a sort Of col lapse In which l did not take enough interest in my surroundings to be af- feeted by them. After one has met with a serious accident or has been operated upon by surgeon the senses are deadened; then comes the Desln- hing of pain It was so with me When became myself my surround inss were painful to me Some per Sons similarly situated nurse their grief hy living in such surroundings. long. ea to get away from them ffiehus advised me to seek recovery in the many new scenes and interesting ob- lecis that are to be found abroad. took their advice l sailed for Europe. eaying fhe place where l had been $" happy in the hands of an agent for taie. One thing was resolved upon never To return to if.
 II may be considered that my sto- r k one of coincidence. II is more than that II Is an illustration Of the very different conditions that may oe- cur in the life of a single person Mas ters of romance have maintained that there should nof be in song or story but one love. Playwrighfs never bring \ secand on fa ths. xfa..r They nof-