The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-03

to lose her thread twice in two pages All this, except for the digressons was to ask you to make an effort with your imagination. You are not very imagina- tive; do your best then, to the precise hour and the precise spot at which I am writing to you.
 T am very sad. l am full of bitterness against
 life against my life. have not deserved this desolate end. I have worked so hard, Laurentl And my work has been useful to many people who have lived, or lived more happily, through me, through my sui fering. have sounded my conscience in vain; cannot remember to have done harm voluntarily to any one. Even in business, even with my business enemies, have always played fair It is no merit of mine, for am tyrannzed by my conscience had to obey it. otherwise my life would have been poisoned For example, when the war broke out, nothing com peled me, responsible as was for many grave in terests, to become nurse. Well. Laurent, just had to- An mperious force dragged me where had no desire to go When was hauling out any wounded under the fire of the Fokkers at Serrigny was not exalted was not heroic was thinking: Is it stupid to risk what am risking wheR could get out of it and when so many others are getting out o it. But I continued to expose myself aaS < eITT was absurd I state it to-day, even when this
 l. life tyrannized by conscience has ended in q
 failure So complete that it might be called that of gambler against fate
 I, who have more imagination than you, Laurent see you very well reading my letter. And see you after reading the lines which have just written put down the paper. You will think: Yes. Ia Patfonne has the conscience of an honest man. of 3 loyal, generous man. Whata pity ythat-Andyoua are so tenderly kind with me that perhaps you VIII not complete your thought. We'll am gong to complete if for you What pity you will think, that this loyal, brave Patronne has held so cheap the essential virtue of woman that which I, Laurent Sxte, prize above all which feel alive and strong in my betrothed and which my betrothed will certainly con tinue to respect when shezis Mime. Sixte
 Laurent, you are right. In the course of my life l have practised important virtues, fairly rare among women, but have not prsctised what in a woman, is called virtue. While still young, and never having receiVed moral tradition (since I never knew my mother, and my father gay old boy), looked this so-caled womanly virtue in the face. judged that it was convention, founded upon the jealous egotsm of males ana upon their anxiety to transmit their property to children really born of them; after all, mere law of material interest, as respectable as customs tariff, and no more perceived E that the famous law, officially respected by us all, was in practice transgressed by many of it's defenders; and history taught me that 1t had ever been thus The only beings, men on women who really observed this so-called v essential law appeared to me to be those who, by temperament, never desired to transgress it. Are you one of these, my friend! am fs inclined to think so. Mime. Laurent Sixte will A have I am sure devoted husband, but you ara k&