Evening journal., 1918-05-06
DICk nEGINs ms sTORY.

After the dedication which / have a
already given 90 you, little book, e.
mine, Dick said 81 expect it is becaus,
] have been told a most dishearteninl
piece OF news that ] am writing thl.
somewhat assnine thing Perhaps, dear
Margie 10 is also because 1 have
also known what great comfort you
have found in your little book, is an.
other reason why I am going TO try and
write down my side OF our lifes story
But this manuscript, my dear will be
different from yours because you have
always said that no eyes but your own
will ever see your little book and these
pages, wife o mine, are expressly writ
ten for YOU
4 expect ! would never have dreamed
OF doing this had not Or. Virot told me
this morning that if / should live over
six months it WOULD be on stolen time.
tt rather pulls a man up short, to
have the sentence OF death passed upon
him. And think when a man gets his
from his physician, 70 feels different
more sure even than when a man re-
ceives his from a judge
There must be more in a mans heart
rven though an- hour before he has
Stood before a stern judg--in black
zap and heard him pronounce his death
lentence. than In the heart OF a man
Nho has heard words Of The same inn (
bort from The pitying and kindly lips OF T
! physician.
= have thought for a long time, that
my life was not of long duration, but lc
lave tE9t thought confirmed and put
>ssoy yTords after a long physical ex-
limitation by diagnostician, in whom
ln has the greatest confidence, rather
lhakes one up.
i do not believe ] am afraid, Margie
(ut I must confess am passing a sleep
Pss night II seems so strange TO pro
ect my thoughts into the future a few I
months and see YOU with a babe at
tour breast and know that ] will not
le there to look upon your happiness. /
And, Margie, someway tonight I am
IKE drowning man-all my life with /
fou-for dearest, ] really did not live
Until you came into my arms and home
lis passing before me. and see my
freat mistakes and my little successes. !
AS you read this, Margie, ! expect
at the end you Will remember that quo
tdtiOn that was so often on YOUR lips
II can't remember the exact words but
% was about how everything i'm the
lives Of all Of US would go on placidly
II only the dead could sometimes come
back and be forgiven
Il used to think when YOU gave the
correct quotation that 1t was rather
senseless but now know that the poet
knew just what he was talking about
for the one great thought, the one great
longing in my heart tonight. dear wife.
IS that l might be able TO creep into
Your arms after you have read these
pages and be forgiven. For. when YOU
read these pages. Margie, ! will be gone
out OF your life forever. and. however
much | would like TO do so. cannot
come back, even TO be forgiven by my
generous hearted wife
Il have often wondered how much
Of our lives together YOU have put
down IN your little book.
You know you have never told me
N Your confessions. as you call them
are Historical or philosophical ~
whether they are human documents. or
heartthrobs Sometimes rather ex-
pect they are both
Nine J am afraid. will not he verv
ANALYTICAL, for you know. Alareie. that
Z Is only given 10 the literary gent
- he analytical, but someway I have
al al once become somewhat interested