The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-07
Twicea
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Widows Experience
: by ESTHER vANDEvEER

y0DD u did not exist. His fathers
- was but short distance from
- Indeed; the rear line marked the
lpoD - both places. On one side Of
- )lne was the playground of the
o1Qo10D children, boys aud girls, in
()u1lng Edward and myself. who lived
= ~ ueighborhood. can remember
- ~ back as when was seven years
- and Edward nine that in playing
~ house he and always played the
IN - husband and wife. There was
3 Uwing on this playground. and Ed
Voeo'o father put up articles for
Uo11 gymnasium. A little house four
- I've feet high was built for us girls
- furnished with toy furniture AT
e1Doo We would leave our dolls there
~ night, first putting them to bed
when l grew taller could not un.
1ofs4and how cou.d have stood up
mat In that little hodse And what
ooe0ed more rema rkahe to me WAS that
Inward could have done SO. for he was
always . large child. And remember
that when he had been away to school
fOr . long while and came back he was
taller than the house
By this time we were growing out OF
e1tldhOOtl into that intermediate period
when. though boys and girls may feel
lose. they are not likely TO express IL.
It b period of transition from child
)oge to real love. The boy mind Is taken
up with athletic sports. while the girl
h1Gea her secret almost from herself
lndeed, 20 nebulous is this period that
= NJ own case IL ~ difficult for me to
BoralD my exact feelings | remember
tAoo faintly and as existing at inter
vq)R They were rather a small portion
- ~ girls existence than the whole
GeM.
Wen was sixteen was awakened
- the true condition by the marked
pgVeerence displayed by another girl
~ NJ Edward From that time my
- besame the principal Instead Of a
0aoe9 Gart In my life. | failed TO con
cooD ~ Jealousy from him. and this
GG(p9ht out his own consciousness Of
Wit was between us. There was no
Dog0naI declaration. no conventional
y1vjng Of the hand. not even the lOy
-. kies. He merely said something
lbOot the other GIRL know not what,
~ u insured me there was no change
D olnr position since the days when
- played husband and wife at keep
y eOuse-no change In the position.
~ Z great change In the condition
{ ~ then been like winter bud but
! ~ POW swollen under a spring sun
~ 70 put forth leaves.
I oneelnes wished that could have
the proposal that
aSlo oeemed 70 regard the o'nel
npsssa6t moment IT, ,,o,. % ,,uoa ~ %
hels nerr'sH' Ed card and | had no
'ecgees for q .,o,m,s, Our love was
'es4es. . . have said. an unfolding OF
- thAA the birth OF a butterfly
- Osay nbFhpt part OF 1t was when
y uAV4 We the first kiss. treasured
~ - 1eu of proposal.
Wlen We were married great changes
nd osvurred. had been left alone In
the WOeld. no II was arranged that we
Gbonlo occupy my house. Our living
r0oD Was on the second hoor. over
Dou6tng the playground where we had
pspooude1 to be husband aud wife
IT. mint dream Of childhood had been
loVo3oped to realization Of almost
pee1ts1 hnppiness. VI there could lie q
peseer1iOn on earth these i've years OF
~ ~. from twenty to twenty-five.
Wog0 oDrh Q condition. Two children
WeoU. oosu to us. q boy and girl
WIN seemed strange 10 me was that.
thoo01 gave them Q bOundless love.
~ U1lrh bore their father. instead
- 0ong diminished. was Increased.
Tsolp ~ must be. like space. Infinite.
d. - shis point there had been an
e1lDGDoD Of happiness. Suddenly
49, Go0e q cheek. Our younger
lAn1 Mrhened and died. ! have de
eeso<u1 U1th some minuteness what !
hove u1ooed to the gradual unfolding
- d 0DUoe. have no heart TO give
0ggo onGu . brief mention Of It's blight
~ Urhln Q few months after the
- 80 q second occurred. and
U111 pq1fher year lost my husband
NhVne ! was In q sort OF col
49, = Qhich did not take enough
= my surroundings to he af-
~ ~ them. After one has met
NJ = HDrious accident or has been
Don by q surgeon the senses
0o<11Coed: then comes the begin
hin. II was so with me.
49, 4IDrame myself my surround
- C1D painful to me. Some per
- Darly situated nurse their
- wing In such surroundings
20 get away from them
\ 01sised me to seek recovery
- 10y new scenes and interest
$50 ~ that are to be found abroad.
] o III advice. ! sailed for Eu-
- 0[eng the place where ] had