The Indianapolis times., 1924-09-29
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LETTER FROM ALICE WHITNEY
TO ALICE HAMILTON GRAVES
Dear, Dearest Mother: I haven't
dared to think of you since l left
that day after confessing to the ter
rible thing which / did toward Les
lie.
l know l probably have added
years to your age in the last few
weeks. 1 would not be surprised if
l have made you doubt everything in
the world-yes, and in Heaven
above; for I know, darling Mother,
you believed in Leslie ard me as
you dl1 in your God.
Looking back over the last few
weeks l think l must have been in
sane
l know now how it is that sup
posedly respectable people can all at
once surprise the community by com
mitting diabolical crimes, and ! know
how they feel when they wake up
and wonder what devil has been liv.
ing in their bodies and working upon
them its satanic desires.
Mother, dear, l can tell this to no
one but you. but I have always loved
Karl. AS q child I named secretly
my boy dolls after him, and you will
remember l always loved and played
with boy dolls more than those repre-
sentng girls. As I grew older, he
was the real hero Of every play l
saw upon the stage and every story
/ read. l used to think that Leslie
was the most fortunate girl in the
world because his face Hgh ed up
when he looked at her. But 7 used
to cry myself to sleep night after
night, when / saw how devoted he
was 10 her. and I think from my
earliest childhood grew more and
more 10 hate her for treating him a.
she did
know hat I should have hated
her with a muraercGs hatred for
making poor Karl so unhappy when
she fell in love and married John,
II I had not had Il sneaking thought
that perhaps now he would turn 70
me. I did everything in my power
to sympathize with him. all the
while trying 70 show him hat there
We're girls in the world in whom
great love such as his would beget
Ike love.
Mother dear. think back to the
time wher you were young girl
just budding into womanhood. Did
you not have great. romantic
urge? I am sure most girls have 1t.
You could not have made me u.-
knowledge it then had you tortured
me on the rack. but waking l thought
Of Karl. and sleeping I dreamed of
him. Waking, my thoughts were
more or less unhappy but sleeping.
Karl always loved me. .ho was always
my prince with whom I was going
TO live happy ever after.
II YOU remember. at the time Of
Leslje's wedding l was particularly
disagreeable, / had times Of great
elation and times Of great unhappi.
ness. Mother dear. you put that
down. as did all the rest. to my
youth, but I believe If ever I have
children | shall inquire further into
it than YOU did into my impulses
and moods.
I'm not blaming you at all You
are the sweetest and best mother
that ever lived. You only trusted
to my common sense and sane intel
hgence too much. You did not take
into consideration that most children
must be taught all the ethics of life.
Strange. isn't it. Mother dear. to
hear me making such a profound
remark? But I've been thinking a
lot lately. In fact, I haven't much
10 do but think. Karl has been Ieav.
ing me quite n little alone. lie is
much disappointed in me, and
whether l viii ever again back his
regard l do not know. II ! do not.
| do not want to live.
/ ICCopyright, 1924, NEA Service. Inc)
NEXT The letter continued.