The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-10-29

LETTER FROM LESLIE PRES
COLT TO RUTH BURKE,
CONTINUED

After Karl and John had gone to
carry out mothers charitable idea,
I went up to her room and found
her sitting beside the window with
her hands folded in her lap, and
with such a look Of utter loneliness
upon her face that I FASTENED to
put my arms around her and tell
her that job nand I were going to
always try to carry out her wishes,
and that he and Karl had already
gone to bring some comfort to that
other woman, who had buried not
only her love and her hopes, but
probably her only support.
Il do hope he will find her, Leslie,
and tell her I viii defray all the
funeral expenses
HE will. dearest" answered.
Shortly she began TO. talk to me
about her life with my father. She
told me of an evening when she had
been sitting with him a week or two
before. After they had been silent
quite a while and she thought he
was asleep, he reached out and
clasped her hand. and whispered:
Alice, I'm afraid I'm not going to
get WE'LL
II said to him. Leslie" she ex-
planned. chat he must not think OF
anything ike that, and he. to COM
fort me, said. Well, we might as
well think about it a little, even if I
do get well.
alice he said after a little hes
itation, I wonder if you know that
you have always been the real lode
star of my existence? I have
worked for your approval and played
for your pleasure. have spent
what I have earned only TO make
you happy; and. my dear, I want
you TO remember, after 7 am gone,
that all through our long life to.
gether. what you have said and
what you have done has been per.
fectIy right in my eyes. I would
not have had you changed one iota,
wife Of minei
Il am not afraid to die. I have
always felt that if there be a God,
he is love. and he approves Of every
thing I have done. I don't know,
Alice, dear, whether II is eternal
oblivion or eternal life, but having
lived as well as I know how. having
tried to rectify my mistakes and to
be humble in my successes, and
having done what I could t0s make
others happy always. whether 1t be
the end of all or the beginning Of
another and more glorious exist
ence, I will take my chance"
To tell me this seemed to comfort
mother a great deal, and she kept
talking on. telling me Of episodes
and events in her and fathers life
I let her ramble on. for in my mind
Ruth. I knew I was going to try
and have her bury all this in her
heart after today. do not believe
that any woman can be happy by
living in the past.
In a little while Karl and Jack
came back, having found the woman
and told her that bother would pay
all the funeral expenses. This was
a great surprise to her. She con
fded to them that she had not
known what she was going TO do;
that the insurance upon her hus-
bands life was a thousand dollars.
and she had spent practically all OF
It for the funeral
After this week" she said. 81
would have been obliged 10 send my
children to a home. but I would not
have any one think that 7 did not
love my man, or that 7 would fail in
respect to his memory"
Isn't that pathetic, Why must We
gauge all our sense Of right and
wrong by what people say Of US?
Copyright. 1924. NEA Service. Incl
NEXT-This letter continued.