The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-02-01
Twice a
Home
A Widows Experience
3y ESTHER VAijDEVE2R

| when we were both so young that nci-
Their of us could remember time
when it did not exist. His fathers
place was but a short distance from
OURS. Indeed, the rear line marked the
limits of both places. On one side Of
this line was the playground Of the
several children, boys and girls, i'll
Guiding Edward and myself, who lived
in the neighbOrhood. l can remember
as far back as when [ was seven ycaIs
Old and Edward nine that in playing
keep house he and ] always played the
part of husband and WIFE There was
swing on this playground, and Ed
| wards father put up articles for a
| boys gymnasium. A little house four
or five feet high. was built for US girls
and furnished with toy furniture. st
times we would leave our dolls there
all night, first putting them to bed.
When | grew taller l could not I'M
derstand how l could have stood up
right in that l.t-,e house. And what
seemed more lema "kab!e to me was that
Edward could have done so. for he was
always Il large child. And l remember
that when he mad been away to school
for a long while and came back he was
taller than the house.
by this time we were growing out OF
childhood into that intermediate period
when though boys and gills may feel
love, they are not Likely TO express Ii.
Ii IS period OF transition from c4lu
love to real love. Inc boy NINA Is taken
up Wiih Htn-etlc sports WINE inc G'I
hIGeS hef secret almost from Ht4 sen
lhGeed' 50 ht'"iNGs Is ms leI.9u Ili"I
III IL! own case IL Is "ill't"!i 'o4 liz, 10
recall my r-1c' teel'1l-'' leHle1lI'tI
'''tH1 la''''-H al" - '--9''ii7 ,'' M
vans "tl "e'e d '-lei d 9'li'',i i'ol l-II'
VI u'E S'I'9 ~ s'1'''9 'ii''' 'ii0 '''''N
VI H.
men ! WIS SIAleeh was """Aei'u
10 the true coidltIoh D| lAe llaIAeu
preference uISl''ayeu ~ announcer gu
lof III! Eo""Iu' RON 'IaI 'iiile NY
rove pecdHe 'ne lllhcii'"' Hls'e"u u "
minor part III Ill! ne l"l'Ou ~ Voii-
ceai my jealousy from hlhl' anu lulS
brought out ms own CONSCIOUSNESS OF
what was between US 1nefe was no
formal declaration, no conventional
giving OF the hand, not even the loN-
ers kiss. lie merely Sald something
| about the other girl. know not what.
but 1t assured me there was no chahGe
III our position since the Gays Wheh
we played husband ana WlIe at Keep
ing house-nO change III the position
but great change III the conuluon.
1t had then been like winter bud, but
1t was now swollen under a spring sun
ready to put forth leaves.
sometimes wished that could nave
experienced the proposal that other
girls seemed to regard the next most
important moment i'll their lives to
their marriage. Edward ana l had no
occasion for proposal. Our love was
rather, as | have said, an unfolding OF
a bud than the birth of butterfly.
The only abrupt part of it was when
he gave me the first kiss, | treasured
that In lieu Of proposal.
W hen we were married great changes
had occurred. mad beeh leIt alone ii
the world, so 1t was arranged tAat we
SHOULD occupy my mouse. our living
room was on the second Hoof' over
looking the playground where we nau
pretended to be husband ana Wlie.
Inc rant cream OF Childhood had been
developed to a realization OF almost
perfect happiness. If there could be a
perfection Oh earth these five years of
my life, from twenty to twenty-five.
were such a condition. Two children
were born to us, a boy and girl.
What seemed strange to me was that.
though | gave them a boundless love,
that which | bore their father, instead
of being diminished. was increased.
Truly love must be. like SPACE. infinite.
CD TO this point there had been an
EXPANSION of happiness. Suddenly
there came check Our Younger
child sickened and died. have de-
scribed with some minuteness what I
have likened to tho gradual unfolding
of a flower. | have no heart to give
more than brief mention of its blight
ing. Within n few months after the
FIRST doath Sacond occurred and