Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-12-20

ond on 20 the stage. They portray
rather romance than real life and do
not give all that real life needs. They
are OF the same order as the people Of
\ India, who believe that the wife should
/ die on the funeral pyre OF her husband
| may be weaker than some women
or | may he stronger. Possibly may
| have less depth OF feeling, though that
/ ! Will not admit. ! saw only In nursing
my grief dreadful life before me.
recognized the Principle that no two
absorbing ideas can occupy the brain
at one time. | did all that | could to
interest myself IN what was about me
True, ! did not AT first succeed and
when | did only partially So | dread.
ed the word forget. and yet | realized
that TO avoid suffering | must tempo
rarily forget. | forced myself to feel
that after IA time | would he reunited
with my loved ones ana that mean.
while | must, except occasionally. put
them out OF my mind.
made my home abroad. Three
years after my bereavement | married
again. | did SO partly because was
lonely, partly because | wished for a
man TO rely upon, as is natural TO any
woman, partly because the man | mar
red assured me that could give him
M interest I'm life and, lastly, because
I became attached TO him. He was an
American, like myself. and. being
wealthy, gave himself up to study.
He lived abroad that he might write
books which required his presence
among the subjects OF which he wrote.
For five years after our marriage we
continued our residence abroad Dur.
ing this period children were born to
us. There was tacit mutual agree
ment between us that should not talk
about the world in which | had lived
| saw that he would rather leave that
to me, considering himself as having no
part in II, and had no desire to make
him a part OF It. He was absorbed In
his literary work, and II ever told
him even where / had lived he soon
forgot 1t.
Then he was called TO America on
matter OF some property that need
ed his attention. 1t was agreed be
tween us that he should leave me and
our children in Lucerne, where we
were then living. He expected to be
absent not more than two months, but
soon after his arrival in America he
was induced TO write for a publisher
a a Iva In,
America. He suggested my coming
home with the children, but left me
10 consult my own feelings I'm the mat
ter
l had never intended TO return TO the
United States, dreadlng lest It should
reawaken me TO my lost world But
with husband and children that
world had receded further and further
from me till the consciousness OF II
had grown very dim. ] wrote my tfls.
band that | would go back to the
western hemisphere and remain there.
l was tired OF moving about from one
place TO another, and the children were
coming TO that age when they should
have steady instruction at school Our
boys preferred to bring up In Amer
ica. therefore suggested to my hus-
band that he buy place in which we
might settle He replied that he agreed
31th Lne And would carry out my sug-
OsRtfoss Later he wrote me that he
mad bought place In the suburbs OF
the city wherein It would he necessary
for him to do his work.
We arrived after dark was de
lighted at our reunion, as were the
father and the children. did not ask
where our home was TO be. | intend
ed TO be satisfied with II, pleased with
it, wherever It was. We took train
and In less than an hour alighted al
station, where a carriage was wait
Ing for us. 1t was very dark when we
reached our home, and / saw nothing
Of it till stood III the hall. Then j
caught at banister to prevent my
falling
l was In the house ! had left more
than ten years before with blighted
heart.
My dearl" exclaimed my husband
starting toward me.
But Ia a twinkling had recovered
myself And what had enabled me TO
do so? The sudden appearance Of an
object. All. il"Sc objects that come to
US. How much more valuable often
times than realization. | must at least
for the present spare my good man
the inexpressible pain Of knowing
what he had brought upon me.
Nothing" replied "A little glddi.
ness at having been so long rolling at
sea"
Nothing you don't ike, is there"
be asked anxiously.
"On the contrary. ! am very well
pleased. Let us see the rest OF it."
He took me into every room In the
house, a house that had been sold
twice since had parted with It and
both times With the furniture includ-
ed. Not for the world would I have
betrayed that these rooms, closets, cor.
ners, with every bed, table, bureau,
had been familiar to me from child.
hood. But whom Il was over I passed
the night alone IN room opening into
one occupied by the children.
No tongue or pen can describe what
that night was to me.
When morning came I found that II
l could endure the first shock | could
endure more. deferred from day to
day telling what had happened. NV