The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-15
To My Sweetheart
SOLDIER
Every Girl Should Read
These Wonderful
Letters.
Dearly Beloved:

Dearly Beloved:
So many things happen these
days it is hard to keep up with
them And / take II for granted
that you like to hear what occupies
US, First of all, the ground is
white with snow! My garden lies
in unbroken calm under its puro
covering. The rustic seat under
the live oak tree, where you and
are some day going to sit together,
is piled high as with a downy
counterpart! How amazed we al
ways are at the mystery of the
seasons! We who have been used
TO snow all our lives. yet look upon
the first flakes of the winter with
a feeling almost akin to awe. And
in the spring-how new is nature
TO our waiting hearts! The grow
ing, singing trees! the friendly
grass, the smell of sod, the unfold
ing OF the buds! The miracle
never grows old! Out in the snow
today l took riding my Frederick
and Freda, Justin Edwards SEEM
ed to whisper to me Just what to
say to Freda to win her con-
fldence and give her back a little
of her bruised and shattered faith
in men and women and things.
She's going to need great help
these coming days. She longs to
die, her great Borrowing eyes seem
to plead for a blessed release from
her memories Of the past and from
the reproach, Of the future which
Btares her silently and inexor-
ably in the face. Justin Edwards
gives me many inspired thoughts
these days! His little heart so fill
ed with a heavenly love-and IN
spoiled and unclaimed yet by
earthly prejudices-is molding my
own heart, into sveeter forms of
charity and grace. Mr.. Justin Ed
wards is wise with the wisdom Of
God, and his heart is so tender, so
full of pity for all the suffering
and sin of the world.
The whole village knows about
Freda now-one can't hide thing
like that. Most of the people
knew the beginning Of the story.
Some of them regard her with
divine pity--but others draw their
skirts aside, and say, almost audibly
Dear God, thank thee that l
am not as others are" What a
busy man that Pharisee would be
II he lived in. these days!
This afternoon the Cow-bell
neighbor was ushered in. The
light Of battle was in her eye, and
Diana arranging for the chase,
could not have been more uncom-
promising and forbidding. She had
seen me out riding with Freda.
she said. and it was her duty as
a neighbor to enter q protest
against my affiliating with persons
of notorious character. Very like
ly my motives were pure; she
wouldn't, of course, dare to sug-
gest anything else, but conventions
must be preserved, the sanctity Of
the neighborhood must be re-
garded, II she expected us TO
speak she was mistaken, for We
all stood like craven images.
Our two mothers regarded her
with their sweet, lofty air of de-
tachment. /, with my cOarser fiber,
was too angry to make a suitable
response was afraid l would
say too little. But Nanny, the
ancient protector Of my rights,
the safe keeper Of my morals, the
champion of my every deed. came
TO the rescue. With arms fiercely
Rkimbo she rocked into the room,
square up to the Cow-bell neigh
Dor. l never hope TO see a fiercer
look or hear a more accusing
voice. The denunciations Of Jere-
miah were as airy persiflage COM
pared to the hurricane of words
that rocked and reeled around our
peaceful parlOr. You're Just the
leayings Of Adams dust, you isl
What do you mean by saying my
baby chile "afflliates," She never
done no afliatin', never. She's
never done nothing but just doing's
Of love and kindness. You amt
f1t to tie her shoe, you amt. There's
no danger Of no man running of
with you like they did with Miss
Freda. l bet you had to lasso your
husband, YOU did, and throw him.
and have the parson right handy
or else you'd be an old maid now.
You'd better 90 home and stay
in your own door yard, because
st looks to Nanny as though
there was some affiiliatin' going on
right under your nose"
| think l am safe in saying, be-
loved. in terms Of diplomacy that
relations between the Cow-bell
neighbOr and myself are somewhat
strained
GOOD NIGHT, MY HUSBAND.