The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-03

even think that it is because sU...,.....c
you are quick-tempsred 1 SHOULD no.
like them to think that John
i can't tell how patient and gentle you
nave been with me. but you know and
: want you to show them this letter and I
tell them. l want them to know that II T.
not your fault. That II was just becaue
oood-by. John. my dear husband. |
shall say that again when death comes
to me. I shall SAY II over and over again
AZ srow week and ths promised land
John. and good-by.
He put the letter back into his peck
ct He knew that soon he would draw
1t out to read again. though he could
repeat every word. He could tell
without looking the appearance Of
every line and Of the tear blot thai
seemed to underscore the your" In
the signature.
His loving wife," she had said, and
she had wanted every one to know
how kind and loving he had been.
She had been glad that he had
kissed her good-by and he thanked
Heaven for the little touch Of senti.
ment that had made him tell her that
she looked as she had when they wsre
children together.
He could not remember whom he
had kissed her before. 1t must have
been weeks, II not months. and on his
way to town he had wondered why
he had spoken. It had sounded fool.
ish then. but now he knew It had
been done to make her passing easter
and he was glad he had said It.
He had been good-humored that
morning. The breakfast had been bet
ter than usual because he had scold-
ed about the coffee the night before.
She had cooked the things he liked
as silent peace-offering and the kiss
had been her reward.
He had been chary Of his caresses
all through their married life. but he
had been quick to complain, and more
than once she had cried that he would
drive her insane and he had laughed
at her.
He had told her he was more likely
to be driven crazy. He had thought
at the time 1t was q clever retort.
but now the cruelty Of It came to
him and his frame shook in q silent
sob.
And worst Of all, she meant all she
said in the note. She had written It
to reassure him as the dog crawls to
kiss the hand Of its cruel master IN
mute forgiveness.
All Corning knew his hasty temper
and she knew what they would think.
In the pangs Of that last farewell she
had thought Of him. had saved him
from the comment Of his neighbors.
In the first shock Of finding her he
had offered the letter in explanation.
and II had had its effect.
The first ugly. silent suspicion had
changed to a ready sympathy that had
cut the soul Of the man to the quick.
Had she written in q spirit Of sar-
casm or had she denounced him he
could have fought back. He would
have declared that II was but the evi.
dence Of insanity. the raving of a dis
ordered mind. but he knew that she
meant what she had written, that she
had made herself believe that she was
in the wrong and that he had been
all that was patient and tender.
He knew that she had cherished
that chance parting speech to carry
with her in the world beyond. He
knew that in her great love she had
made worthy he who was unworthy,
and the sense Of his own failure was
the more acute.
She had remembered only the kind
~ things-and there had been 20 lit.
tie to remember, 80 much to forget.
He sat until the lamp grew dim,
fighting in vain with its feeble flame
against the bright glow Of the sun.
Long before the fire INTENDED, had
gone out and the winter stole through
the cracked easement. but he did not
feel the cold. He was cramped from
long sitting. but he was not conscious
Of his discomfort.
Slowly he rose to seek tho room
that had been theirs. to throw him
self upon the bed and seek the sleep
Of utter exhaustion, and a. he slipped
the letter into his pocket for the hun
dredth time he knew that this was his
punishment.
He would face his work tomorrow
and the next day and all the days to
come. The world would SORROW with
the man who had been 30 good to his
wife and every word would bring q
fresh sting. for he was unworthy OF
their sympathy.
Reproach he could have stood; com.
plant he could have endured, but the
tender. loving forgiveness would al.
ways be his burden because he knew
himself unworthy and hypocrite.