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Show IW ILOVE and MARRIED LXFEl p Jhj. the noted author I Idah MSCslone Gibson J J n.iuii.. - " - A ICttcr From Knrl Shcpnrd "I think In time, my dear Kathcrlne, Hj you will como to bo Hko mo. It is only that I havo grown sensible sooner than you; perhaps sooner than most women. But I bellevo every woman comes to accept lifo as It is and not as she wishes It to be if sho lives Ion? enough." 1 With this Alice left me and I pro- WM pared for bed. I do not know when I i wont to sleep, but when I awakened In M J tho morning, I remembered that my I I J last thought before unconsclousnesa was not of my husband, Allco, or any of 4 my affairs, but of Karl Shopard. I am not euro whether I was awake part jKP vory visible dream but 1 seemed to if hear his voice calling, calling to mo, ! saying: "Jvatherlno, it Is so. There are men who can love devotedly all tholr lives." And then, It must havo been a dream, , for I plainly saw Karl Shcpard sitting away out on the bow of the boat look-i look-i Ing over an exquisite moonlit sea. Ho was all alone and his face wa3 Incx- j prosslvely sad. The deck was deserted and I got the impression it was very late. Sudderily I saw his face brighten and it seemed as though he fel my nearness for he said: UI Want 10 Make You Happy" "It Is all right , Kathcrlne; It is all right. I only want to make you f happy. Fate has played me a rather scurvy trick, my dear, when thoro are so many other women In the world to Insist that I shall love you. but I am. going to bo true not only to you, but to my friend John Gordon and I am going to stay away from you, my dear, until I can look both you and him in tho eye and call you friends and knou in my lnmoat heart that I speak truthfully. Now, of course. I am friends to neither of you because I teiSs.1 Iqvo you, and because I love you I am ' fl your husband's enemy, -for I did not jjj S think it possible for my friend. John Utcj Gordon to treat any woman as ho has Hpjy treated you. "KMhcrine, dear, my heart grows ffijl i sick with apprehension because I fear Mu i that nt this minute something may be happening that would make you unhappy, un-happy, and because of my great lovo ! for you I can not bo near you to smooth the way. This moonlight, this night, that was mado for love is lost without you. Only in my thoughts, only in my dreams I feel you near ; me." And then I saw him get up quickly and shako himself almost angrily as though ho would put away everything of which ho had boon thinking and I awakened to find It morning. Becomes Disturbing. For a long time I qould not realize whether it had boon a droam or whether my soul had been where Karl Shopard was. I was Just as sure as I was sure that I had a awakened !n my own room In tho quiet town, and was looking out at thr old cherry tree in full blossom Just tbrcast my window, that somc-whero somc-whero at that moment Karl Shepard was idling on a summer sea, thinking of me. Tho thought wa3 disturbing. dis-turbing. I knew I must put Karl out of my mind, for however much a woman wo-man is unhappy in her mai'ried lifo, however much ahc is soothod and flattered by the thought that .some other man stands ready to. make her as happy as possible, yet that way danger lies. I rang tho bell close to my bedside and Hannah came in with my rolls ind coffeo and my mall. I caught my breath with a little gasp, for there was a letter with a poet-mark poet-mark on it from- tho other ond of the world and tho superscription was! in Karl Shepard's hand. For a longj while I waited before I opened it, I and then I read this unsigned po(?m: Chorry trees In breathless splendor, Blossom pink and white anew; The little song birds trill with wonder Of .the very soul of you. Love, can there bo resurrection ' After Winter's death-bells ring? Are we reborn, incarnated? Does Life then hold forth a spring? Ah, but Love, were this thought certain. Could my sacred dreams como true. All eternity I would give for Just one moment filled with you. Tomorrow A Contrast in Letters. |