Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-02-10

oil all tneSe Oeople
Can l wrest their happiness away
to gain mine? What shall l do?
Advise me. Sedge is trying again
to conquer his hereditary weakness.
He usually fails.
He says If ever love some one
else he'll stop trying. My little
brother, being far from strong, re-
quires constant care-eXpensive care.
Agnes gave up her career once be-
fore on my account-or on the ac
count of the rest of us together. Can
| interefer a second time? And
there is my mother.
/ love you. If l had only myself
to consider I'd come to you--oh, so
gladly l want to be loved and cared
for, as you could care for me. It's
my right as woman.
When l married Sedge / did not
know. | did not mean to sacrifice
myself. But all these burdens rest
on me now. What can l do? Will
the book bring me enough to make
me independent of him? Have you
enough to clear the way?
Answer when you have thought it
all out. | can say no more than
have said Try to understand. No
one has ever understood. | have
never dared to confide in any one.
Even Agnes, my sister thinks l
adore Sedge, and that he is god
among men! She does not see him
come home, ever, as / sometimes see
him. You remember that step on the
stairs in "Her Sacrifice" The al
tar fires that were lighted when
married Sedge were sacrifice fires.
But l did not know. And when l
learned l kept the secret well. Only
Sedge knows. l have not hidden
from him the fact that he failed me
that he made me turn from him.
At first / tried to help him. He has
no will. Perhaps it is not his fault.
But l cannot love him. l pity him.
But ! could not love him. l tried.
scorning him. | tried encouraging
him. l reasoned with him and wept.
Nothing was any use. And even
tually he repelled me. He still hopes
to win back my love. 1t is useless.
He never had it. You have won my
heart, because you are strong and big
and clean and dominant and yet gen.
tie. Do you want me, now that you
know the truth about my deception,
about the obstacles between us? Can
l come to you? G.
She sealed the note and despatch
ed it. And then she phoned for her
horse and changed into a riding -hab-
it, and went to ride in the park. She
felt it imperative to do something
fsomething that would tire her-that
would relieve he monotony of endless
thinking.
She went through the park at
canter, crossed and rode out the drive
and on out the extension. 1t was
very cold out. The wind whipped
the bolod, to her cheeks-stung her
eyes until the tears came.
Near the Abbey she turned and
came back at good gallop. The
groom logged along behind he impa-
tiently, and the few pedestrians turn
ed to watch her pass. She was at
home on a horse.
1t was tea-time when she return
ed, and Merrol was three, waiting
for her. 1t seemed to her as she ad-
vanced that he had aged. She drew
off her gauntlet and offered him her
hand. He took it, looking into her
eyes compassionately wonderingly,
adoringly-and she was in his arms
again, trembling, frightened, thrill
ing, her lips crushed hard under his.
Then he released her as abruptly
as he had seized her. and she moved
to the fire and made a pretense of
warming her hands before the blaze.
He dropped almost listlessly into the
chair that she had come to associate
with him.
II am cad" he said. "For l have
come into another mans house, and
have made love to his wife. Before
i did not know. But just now | did
know, and it made no difference
There was time when l was not so
lacking in honor. The longing for
you is stronger now-stronger than
honor--stronger than my will or my
reason"
Her eyes fired as they rested on
him.
"You cannot let the wildcat 60"
she said gravely. "Do you remem-
ber'? warned you"
He nodded.
"You had my note?" she asked
81 came directly had received it.,
have been waiting for you long
time