The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-05-19
= The =
Confessions
of a Wife
ALICE TELLS MORE
THAN SHE INTENDS

THAN SHE INTENDS
This morning my little nurse
handed me another manuscript. II
was beautiful poem that | could
see was born in her heart and its
sad experiences.
/ wish | could show II to Pat!
He would certainly ask her tc
write something that he might
publish.
She called her little allegory-
ANY Woman"
Once upon a time there was
born into the world of stern real
ity a woman child, whose fate had
been decreed by a malignant fairy.
'She shall go through the
world seeking Love" was the SEN
tence, and 1t shall come to pass
that when at last she shall find
1t. with the blessing will come
the awful knowledge that what
to other women might be a crown
of glory is to her only an agoniz-
ing wound to be covered from the
unsympathizing world.
Not knowing of the terrible
curse with which her life was
bliglfted, the child grew to girl
hood. She was a solitary bit of
lass, out of whose pale little
face the brown eyes looked
dreamily. trustfully, into the flu
ture.
The sensitive mouth curled up
at the corners with happiness for
the world seemed full of love.
She saw it in the green tracery
of the trees overhead she inh aled
its fragrance from the flowers
she pinned upon her breast; she
heard it in the song of the bird
calling its mate; she felt it In the
kiss of the balmy summer breeze.
Il shall only have to put out
my hand to grasp it," she muir
Injured. 1T is here all about me,
the whole earth hears its melody,
and my life unison with its song"
She thought much of this great
blessing that was coming to her,
and in her innocent daily prayers
was always petition for the
grace and beauty that would
make her worthy of Love.
And there came a day when
she beheld him, and trustingly,
with the smiling faith of child,
she hadhi m in her heart. For a
| while she held him close, brayely
bringing to her quivering lips a
smile to- cover the pain of the
many hurts he gave her, until
one morning she awoke to find
that which she had been clasp
ing so tightly was not Love, but
Illusion, who had dressed him.
self up in Loves radiant gar
ments.
That day all her girlhood
slipped from her and left her a
woman-a woman who still had
the feminine longing for Love
but with a synical disbelief in his
existence.
For time she tried to make
Friendship take the place of Love
and although the companionship
was very sweet, yet there was al
ways something lacking.
Once and again Lust came
knocking at her heart under the
guise of Love, but her eyes had
been opened and she was not de-
eeived. Vainly she searched. Her
mouth grew stern in its longing; !;
her eyes became saddened and
wistful, as at times the thou ght
came to her that she might never
find him.
At last when Faith, Trust and
Hope were dead, she turned away
from her weary quest and said.
Il will look no more. Love Is not.
He never was, only to the dream
ers did he ever come. A creature
born of the brain in answer to
the hearts longings. l will not
give my whole life to seeking
what Is not"
Then she set about trying to
make others see that which they
called Love was but lust or fancy
clothed in the soft draperies of
imagination. Each day she tore
off the beautiful trappings and
exposed to the blind worshippers
the weary face of safety.
But 1t came to pass that just as
she was sure that Love was not
had never been, would never be,
she found him.
From a little rift in the clouds
OF doubt he came down and
touched her fast whitening hair
with his lips. He made whole the
bleeding heart that had torn it.
self upon the ragged edges Of lost
illusions; his kisses obliterated
the scars that cynicism and lack
of trust had scared into her soul.
Quickly she clasped him in her
arms. Thirstily she reached for
the cup of supreme Joy, forgetting
for the moment that she might