Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-09-09

The letter which l am about to
write may be shock to you perhaps,
but you will at least not experience
the pain which is mine i'm the writing.
For my affection for you has been I'M
divided, While yours-wel, what does
the old verse say?
1.-THE moon shines ON many.
brooks,
The brook sees but one
moOn'
And it is because of your propensity
for shining ION many brooks that /
am returning, under separate cover,
the ring you gave me when we became
engaged. / would not have believed
that so short separation could ut
terly change your feelings. But Tilda
has informed me in merry and ex-
haustive epistle of what she terms
your carrying on Tilda, it seems,
does not consider seriously, as l DO,
the allegiance of love. To her pass
Ing filtration is but passing allowable
amusement: to me Irritation upon your
part is an indescribably bitter discov-
cry Of faithlessness. Have l not been
content to remain at rome or in the
companionship of young women friends
during your absence? Why, then,
should 1t be necessary for you to find
your happiness by accompanying vari-
Gus girls on pleasure expeditions? Even
this might have been forgivable-and
perhaps forgetable-had not Tilda en-
phasized the fact of your attention to
one certain young woman. Her friend,
and friend also of Tilda's brother
with whom you told me you expected
to start upon a fishing trip, is tire
young woman in whose company Tflda
says you may always be found, and
upon whose account she declares that
same fishing trip is postponed from
day to day. Your own letters bear no
reference to the name of Josephine
Towers. ("Jo," Tilda says that you
and her brother cornpanionably call
the girl.) AS you have portrayed every
other member of the household for my
interested reading why omit TIE popu-
lar 10? My last brief line of inquiry
concerning this person received no re-
ply. Neither has my plea as to the
truth of Tilda's statements. Silence is
supposed Ito give consent" is 1T not7
Therefore after hours of heart hurn-
ing and. confess. just anger, 1 return
your ring. Jealous suffering is unbear-
able and l will have no more of it.
Without love there will be no jealousy
so ] have torn love for one so I'M
worthy from my heart. And, Dick
Webster, YOU needn't write a warn of
nbject apology or any string of plaus-
ible excuses for l simply won't be
bothered any more. TIE fact remains
I that while you left me to loneliness
| you We're running about with other
! girls. ending finally in open devotion
| to a newfound acquaintance. And If
| the inclination was there during the
newness of our betrothal it will al
! ways be there even through married
| life. So this means goodbye. 1nevit-
| ably. and irrevokably goodbye. Moth
| ing that you might ever do or say
could persuade me to reconsider the
matter or change the tinality of my de-
| cision. That's absolute Even love has
| It's limitation
FRANCES JANE FOWLER.
Lynden General Hospital,
July 14th.
| My dear Miss Fowler:
The enclosed letter which am re-
| turning to you with small box which
| came with it, is the one which was di-
rected by yourself to a certain Mr..
Richard Webster, who is. at present, a
patient in our hospital. ! am his
nurse and tire letter was forwarded
here in my care.
| You may or may not have learned,
that Mr.. Webster was rushed to the
hospital few days ago, suffering from
acute appendicitis which required
prompt operation. The operation
proved successful but the patient, who
still in critical condition. None of
the friends with whom he was visiting
at tire time has been permitted even to
see him. So you may realize that a
communication as disturbing as yours
would be an unwise one to read to him
now, despite his continual request for
letter. 1t was to alleviate anxiety
that l Inadvertently opened yours in
his presence this morning, and after a
hasty realization of its import, / was
obliged to substitute under your name
merely a message of sympathy in my
own words. Under a smiling promise
that he should have the next letter in
his own hands. l was able to slip away
to pen this note. Permit me to add
that whatever doubts you may have
had concerning Richard Websters af.
lection for yourself that affection IL
still there and most evident.
Truly yours,
MARTHA WESLEY,
Nurse, LINDEN Hospital.
LINDEN. July 18th.