The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-01-07
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"A MERCILEss REHlININE
THING~

THIN4
When Pat stopped reading the
letter from John Sterling to the
woman who loved him so devotedly
but for whom he left no stronger
emotion than respect, Tim reach
ed forward and said. Let me see
the envelope that letter came in.
please"
Pardon me, commissioner, !
would rather not" said Pat as he
folded up the letter and put II In
his pocket.
do you believe that any woman
could keep on loving a man for
years as this letter seems to in
innate this woman loved John
Sterling and not realize until he
told her that all the love between
them had been on her side?"
asked Alice.
II think so." said Eliene. "She
might have thought that the man
was not demonstrative and you
can readily see how sincerely be
admired her. I am not sure that
he did not really have very
great deal OF affection for her"
What do you think was the
reason she sent the letter to the
newspaper" asked Dick.
Il think" said, that she had
Ian idea of hurting someone
lsome woman that John Sterling
loved. She expected that you
would publish the letter, Pat, and
she knew then that in this city
was one woman who would un-
|derstand."
do you think she thought that
woman he loved was his wife?"
asked Jim.
Never in a thousand years."
was Eliene's answer. She knew
from his affair with herself that
he did not love his wife.
And so she was perhaps blind
ed to the fact that IL that letter
was published there would be a
pretty scandal" said Pat. But
listen to the last evidence in the
case" he added.
Eyes, when you get this l
shall have done the thing l have
so often threatened to do. l shall
have ended my existence. l don't
want to love you. l have never
wanted to love you, and yet you
have become such an obsession
with me that I cannot, even by the
supremest effort OF my will, keep
you out of my thoughts a half
hour at time.
"I sleep only to dream of You
and l wake to find myself alb
sorbed in the agony of longing
for you. I have tried, oh, how |
have tried, to put you out of my
life. for you are truly unworthy Of
even such worthless love as
have given to you.
81 know you for what you are,
a merciless feminine thing, with
out heart or soul, which lives only
to glut its vanity in the protesta-
tons Of love from any and all
men.
Beautiful bit of immortality
just where did you come from
into this mortal world to make
men feel that they would sacrifice
everything to carry out your
slightest wish?
well, you have worked your
worst with me. l cannot live and
see you shower the smiles and ia
vors on another that once were
mine to make me happy with a
delicious thrill. To have you
turn from me has made of life a
dark and weary road. without
interest, without color. without
hope.
"'And so I am writing this to
say farewell. l wish l could put
you out of the world as well. No,
don't curl up those red lips Of
yours with a satisfied smile. ]
have no desire to take you with
me. I only dread to leave you
behind to work your havoc with
better and moro useful men than
II.
"I hope, lady fair, that to you
will come one half the agony you
have caused me to suffer-more
I am afraid you could not stand.
Farewell. JOHN"
Ito BE Continued.)