Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-02-10
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: HER SACRIFICES s
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SYNOPSIS


SYNOPSIS
Attracted by the good looks and
wealth of Sedgewick Morris NJ well
90 = desire to be in n position to help
ser mother and sister, Geraldine
Rhodes marries Morris only to find
ser life most unhappy owing to her
husbands uncOnquerable craving for
drink. "Gerry" as she is called fol-
short, writes a book based upon he,
own life and experiences, calling il
"Her Sacrifice" She submits 1t to L
publisher without giving her name
but later allows them to know it is
ser own work. Mr.. MerrOl, the pub
Usher, is very friendly and attentive
20 Geraldine, not knowing that she is
Mrs. Morris, and she struggles be-
'ween her desire { r true friendship
and her duty to her worthless husband
She sees MerrOl occasionally but
determines each time that it must be
the last. Her husband once more
asks forgiveness and swears that he
will keep straight. He is called to
Washington on business.
"But no one can help falling in
love-" she protested. Suppose, in
spite of my own resistance, / should
tall in love with another man."
"I'd go to the dogs" he said; "the
quickest way l could find. I'd go
straight to hell! Is there anybody
else?"
He stopped to stare at her search
ingly, a little impressed by her SER
tousness.
She felt compelled to evade.
81 was simply wondering. Who
could there be? Don't be foolish"
He sighed and smiled.
Nobody, of course. But the idea
scared me. Pm off, now. I'm still
walking down." he ended proudly.
"Good!" cried Gerry, nodding.
He waved to her, she nodded in re-
ply, and he was gone. When the door
closed behind him she drew out her
letter and opened it with trembling
fingers.
Dearest: (she read, with lips that
moved soundlessly, her heart beating
wildly.)
How can | sleep after what has oc-
Cured? / can't, that's simple. There's
no use trying. | couldn't bear to try.
I want to write to you if | can't talk
TO you, and maybe by the time this
reaches you, you'll want to listen to
20 me. I'll not be there, but you can
read these lines and close your eyes
and imagine me here writing them;
and you can be sure Pm thinking of
you, no matter what time it is, for
I'm always doing that.
| think you know l didn't mean to
frighten you or take you by surprise.
And the last thing on earth i could
intend would be to hurt you. Be
cause | love you, and loving you,
your welfare and happiness count
more with me than anything else on
earth. l was taken unawares, dear
est, by the force that is stronger than
I, and / was swept away, out of my
course, blinded, confused, compelled
to obey in spite of myself. So l
caught you in my arms, as close as |
could get you, and | kissed you. Sure
Iy that isn't objectionable. 1t was
only my way of saying 81 love you,
and / want you, and mean to have
you. Will you be my wife, dearest ?"
That is what my kisses meant. l
have not the gift of expressing my
self glibly; | am most ineXplicably
and stupidity silent.
The day you came into my office |
fell in love with you. Before you
came into my office fell in love with
you | fell in love with you through
your book. / found you underneath.
| ferreted out your personality. 1t
helped me to know you when our
paths crossed.
All my life | have been saving up
my love for you. Some men while
away the time of mating for one
woman by indulging lesser loves.
never did. bade myself deprive you
of nothing. 1t was very hard, some
times, to wait, for | was often lonely
and discouraged, and there were OPP
portunities to amuse myself. But |
never did. Because never quite
gave up hope. To-day Pm glad, be-
cause my lips can carry no taint OF
other lips to yours.
wish | could say these things to