The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-11-04

VAN bAA[ENS
WIDOW NOT
V|ND|CT|VE

WI sAhuSu + fsttn H0kC
cause of waning interest after a dis
graceful affair.
At the time she was alone in the
house with his mother About mid
night the telephone bell rang The
younger woman answered and then
gave the receiver to the mother
The telegraph operator read the
news, which the el-ier Mrs. Van Baa-
len repeated slowly and accurately
after him, twice, to make sure
Then her reason left her with a
shock. and the wife, dazed with her
own grief, was obliged to care for the
other until some one else could be
called in
Since then the mother has not re-
covered and it is feared that she is
permanently deranged-
Mrs. Van Baalen returned yesterday
to San Francisco from Minnesota and
is at her apartment, where friends
are with her.
1t is difficult to convey an adequate
impression of her with mere descrip-
tive words.
There can be no doubt of her love.
of her suffering, of her grief, yet her
bravery, her self-control and her abb
sis brings ones sympathy as nothing
else might
HAPPY HOME LIFE
You see," she said, Il can't under
stand it very we'll yet. / loved my
husband so and he loved me-yes,
know he did. He could never have
made me SO happy IL he did not.
I'VE were together constantly. He
was at home for his meals, he was
never out all night He was so good
to me. If there was ever a question
of one of us having a thing and one
going without, he always made me
have it, | know all about his business.
There were rumors, of course, of
that sort of thing by the sudden
biting of her lip, the momentary drop
Ing of the head. there was no doubt
of the anguish of the thought-'but
when l would ask him about them he
would say, Don't listen to such things.
Some one is trying to poison your
mind against me. Don't you know
that 1 love you, that 1 have loved you
always, and that there is no one but
you in my hearth
"And@-with pitiful. questioning
eyes and outstretched hands-'what
could l do but believe him? What
would any woman do when the man
she loved and trusted spoke to her in
that way?"
Mrs Van Baalen went on to tell of
the telephone messages which she had
from Leah Alexander; nasty little
things, things to make me unhappy,
she would tell me- she declared.
Hang up the receiver at once when
that woman calls you. Don't listen
to what she tells you, Van Baalen
would say to his wife.
TT is lie to say that / never in
tended to come back here" said Mrs.
Van Baalen this morning. IF / had
not intended to do SO l would have
taken all my things with me, but they
are all here. l was not we'll and he
sent me east for little visit with my
people and his.
NO PLANS For DIVORCE
1T is lie to say that my husband
and / talked of divorce Why" and
a sad smile made 1t seem the more
pathetic. I'VE were happy. We had
been married 10 years and of course
we had our ups and downs. You
know how young folks are when they
are first married. particularly. But
we never had a serious disagreement
in our lives. His interests were my
interests.
IF he had ever said he wanted to
be divorced he might have had It. 1
would never have harmed him. That
was the sort of love my love was.
would have sacrificed myself and my
own affections for his sake. You see,
loved him so; that explains it all
And he was so good to me-"
And now, despite the disclosures
as to her husbands relations with
Leah Alexander. she still loves him.
"Of course. / don't think woman
ever understands those things very
well. because her nature Is different
from a mans. But I know that my
husband loved me. truly and best OF
all, just as he said
They say there is something or
the beast in every man. and it must
have been to that that she appealed
She made the advances to him from
the first, and / suppose she attracted
him in that way.
IF sh chad been young and in
nocent girl that he led astray, I sup
pose in fact know. would feel diff
ferentIy to him, but and her face
grew stern for the moment, this I
know is not true
There Is little that she says. though.
of Leah Alexander. There is little OF
bitterness.
sShe said she loved him and SO she
shot him. she said wonderingly. If
she loved him how could she hurt him
so? | am not vindictive, though.
NAV have to say things against her
later but I will not now-not until
l have to- She Will be punished; 1t is
not for me to add to It..
Her bravery is wonderful She has
made no plans for the future. All of
her energies are employed just now In
tending off the nervous collapse she
fears, and which seems imminent.