The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-04-08
Revelations of a
Wife
JACKS FAREWELL NOTE

Only something of the utmost i'm
portance. l knew, could have induced
my brother-cousin to write to me- He
was too careful Of my welfare to ex-
cite Docky's unreasoning jealousy by
a letter, unless there was desperate
need for it,
Finally, / sat down in an arm chair
by the window. and breaking the seal,
drew out the letter.
Dear Cousin Margaret" it began:
! thought invountarily of the last let
ter Jack had sent me, the one announc-
ing his return from the wilds of South
America, and asking me to dine with
him and celebrate his return after a
years absence. That letter opened
with the line. Dear Little Girl" and
closed with Always yours, Jack"
But when he had written the first
letter he had not known that l had
married during his years absence in a
land so wild that he could neither
send nor receive letters.
He had come back to civilization to
tell me something Of which had never
dreamed-so like brother and sister
had we been-that he loved me and
wished me to be his wife.
I did not like to remember the look
on his face, when after he had told
me. had made my belated confession
that was married. ! turned to the
letter again:
Dear Cousin Margaret have de-
cided suddenly. TO go across the pond
and get In the big miX-up You per-
haps remember that I have spoken to
you frequently Of my friend. Paul Gail
lard who has been with me in many
bit OF ticklish work. He was with
me In South America, and like me,
heard Of the war for the first time
when he got out of the wilderness. He
is Frenchman, you know. and is
going back to offer his services to the
engineering corps.
And ] am going with him. Mar
garet ] think can be Of service over
there. Paul Caillard is the best friend
] have. AS you know you are the
only relative ! have in the world, and
YOU are happily and safely married. so
I feel that ! am harming no one by
my decision.
"H Anything Should Happen"
I'VE sail tomorrow morning on the
Saturn. 1t will be impossible for me
to come to your home before then. So
this Ia goodbye. When come back, if
! como back, l want to meet your hus-
band and see you in your home.
And now I must speak of little
matter Of which you are ignorant now
but Of which you must be told before
go. Before your mother died. had
made my will. leaving her everything
] possessed. for YOU and she were all
the family ! had ever known. After
her death I changed her name to
yours. If anything should happen to
me my attorney. William Faye. 149
Broadway, will attend to everything
for you. He is also my executor.
Most of what I have. would have
come to you by law. anyway, Mar
garet. for you are my nearest OF
kin--isn't that the way the law puts
it? But you might have some un.
pleasantness from those Pennsylvania
cousins Of ours, so I have protected
you against such contingency
And now, Margaret, goodbye and
God bless you.
"Your affectionate cousin, Jack"
finished the letter with a numb
feeling at my heart. It seemed to
me as IL one of the foundations of my
life had given away.
When Jack had left me after that
miserable reunion dinner where he
had been hurt so cruelty by the news
of my marriage during his years alb
sence. he had said-ah. how well
remembered the words-"I shall not