The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-04
| Love You
BY Luella Mabelie Sidney
Copyright, l9l2 by Associated Literary


his lips had gone ont. Across his
knees the evening paper lay unread.
while he stared gloomily into the fire.
That morning he Lad received notice
from the firm that he was to take
charge of the branch house in San
Francisco for a year, and that he
would have to start west the next
week.
He had been dismayed. for 1t meant
separation from the girl to whom he
had been devoted for long time.
In the evening, as soon as possible
after a hurried dinner, he had called
upon her. and finding her alone. had
told her of his love. and had asked her
to marry him.
She had refused him. When pressed
for her reason she had said that al
though she liked him, she did not care
for him enough to marry him.
But you must like me little, or
you would never have let me see SO
much OF you in the past year"
The anxious question In his voice
hurt her.
1T Is Just because like you so
much. and respect you so highly, that
don't want to do you the injustice of
marrying you without loving you
Every man has the right to be loved
with the mind. body and spirit of the
woman who marries him. You would
be defrauded of that right"
Il am willing to run the risk"
"You may be now, but later on we
would both feel the lack Of the com
plete love. and you would be restless
and unhappy"
III were here and could have this
time with you might make you love
me-"
That is something beyond our
knowledge"
"Will you let me write to you while
| am away? That will help you to re-
member me. All of your other friends
will be here with you, and one of them
might win you"
She hesitated, then said mo
don't care to correspond with any
man"
Then | am to 90 away and leave
you for a whole year without hearing
from YOU"
1T would be far better to do that
than to raise false hopes
Make me just one promise before
go. If you are free when | get back,
may | have another chance to try and
win YOU"
why yes. you may if you still feel
the sane then"
All the way home he was haunted
by the question. "Ilow can teach her
to love me when there are TO be so
many thousand miles between u.s. A
year is an eternity, and some other
fellow will win her"
There is nothing to do" he thought
hopelessly A man cannot force HIM
self on woman who does not want
him. and even letters are denied to
me-"
The whole world was wrong; the
woman he loved refused him: he must
leave his friends and 90 among strang.
ers for year Even his cigar failed
to bring comfort to him
With sigh he picked up the paper
We'll. | will keep busy. that will help
\ little" he thought. He glanced list.
lessly over the pages. 4 short para
graph at the end of column CAUGHT
his eyes. The words Il Love You" were
the title
The article said that a writer lad
compiled book telling how 10 say II
love you," in every language known
to man. He read il a second time. An
inspiration came 10 him. and he cried,
the very thing
The next morning when Dorothy
Roberts came down 10 breakfast she
found a letter beside her plate. There
was Just one sheet OF paper. and In the
middle was written.
Il love you"
Faithfully yours.
"ELLERTON FULLER"
She studied II with q puzzled frovn.
What an odd thing for him to do"
she thought
She put the letter into her desk. and
in the hurry Of the day forgot L.
| A box Of violets came late tina, AFT.
ernoon. The card on the TOP read.
"Mr Ellerton Fuller"
"Faithfulness
Beins Q true woman. she wa
pleased with the gift. and the pleasure
did not fade until the next mornins.
when she found beside her plate 4 let.
ter In the same fine handwriting. All
It contained was:
"Je t'aime.
Faithfully yours.
"ELLERTON FULLER"
Well Of all the silly crea,ures an.
thought. what absurd thing will he do
next"
/ In the afternoon the ,iolets CANA
with the one word. "fai,h.ulness" on
his card
Day after day 1t was the same Each
morning the letter was a. her Mate
but the words Il love you" ve-s /, q
a;N,ront l,oc,,oc,