Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-08-13

so humb1ed as to permit her to come.
They would not permit me to let her
come to my home. Very well. then. I
thought, there are other ways of &C
complishing the sacrifice that / felt
bound to make. l would take my
dying husband elsewhere, and there
send for the woman whose presence
he craved-
81 did so. 1 removed him to Allan
tic CRY, and then I sent for her, and
she came. 1 brought her myself into
his dying bedchamber and saw them
clasping hands. 1t did not make me
unhappy-that is, any unhappier than
l already was. In fact, 1t rather
cheered me to think that / had done
something which, while it hurt my
pride a little, perhaps, was making
others less miserable.
MIR. Romans died in Atlantic City.
She was with him at the time and
she was very, very unhappy l think
that her presence in his last hours
made it easier for him, but at the
same time 1 know that when he passed
away it was with last look toward
me, and not to her-there was love
and there was gratitude to repay me
for everything in that looki
feel that l had earned the right to
think of that other love which was
awaiting me and which 1 craved so. [
had no false sentiments about the
length of time 1 should wait before
allowing myself to become happy in
the possession of this love. / had
been mourning, you must remember.
and l had been practically a widow
for many, many years. There was no
reason why l should prolong it more.
Entering Into Joy.
MY actual wfdowhood after Mr..
Homans's death lasted for only a
month My marriage to Doctor Par
ker was FASTENED by his belief, which
I shared, that tradition and conven-
ton amount to little when the heart
dictates that one should go against
their tenets; and when he insisted
on an immediate marriage 1 yielded
Besides his vacation was about to
begin, and he wished to spend it, as
he had arranged, in the British Isles.
So we were married on June % by
Rev. George Clarke HOughton in the
Little Church Around the Corner, with
my dearest friend, Mrs. Mabel Barnes,
as matron of honor, and only a few
associates III we
sail soon for England, and to me now
life is one glow of bright sunshine!
Some of my friends and, l am
afraid many who do not know me,
will not see my actions in the same
light that l do. l know that l shall
be criticized for my kindness toward
Mr.. Romans. 1 have been told that
showed a lack of spirit, that 1 acted
of niriff
who have never undergone the agony
of those last days, with the attendant
humiliation entailed by bringing that
other woman into the presence of the
man who should have been satisfied
with my love-if that does not show
spirit and plenty of it 1 am not able
to analyze the sentiment 1 only hope
that never again shall 1 have to so
through such an experience OF self
sacrifice and self-effacementi
MY meeting with Doctor Parker
was, of course, unconventional. My
wooing by him was equally uncon-
ventional. Everything has been un-
conventional, perhaps. Why, then,
have been asked, did 1 so wait on con-
vention as to refuse to obtain a di-
vorce and marry my present husband
when l might have done so months
and months ago? l reply, because it
did not seem right. I am governed
in everything by that sense of right,
and it never fails to make me happy
in the long run.
81 believe that there is great hap
piness in store for me and my hus-
band. l believe so firmly in his fu-
ture. He will never be very rich, per-
haps, because he is above all things
a student, but 1 shall have reason to
be proud of his work. He has done
some admirable literary work and is
now writing a serious volume which
will challenge attention. And, after
all, faith and love will bring the hap
piness which money has never been
known to purchase
Mrs. Parker is still under forty,
possessing more than ordinary beauty
and rare gifts, including a delightful
voice which has brought her many of
fers for opera She is not interested
in a career for herself, though she is
planning one for her daughter, who,
inheriting her mothers vocal gifts
will make her debut this coming fall.
And there is the story of a woman
who had the courage to wait. And
you see the same thing might happen
to any woman or any man. Only
how many would have the courage to
wait until fate opened the door to
happiness?
i'll