SAILOR'S LOVE LETTER

Southland Times, Issue 17010, 6 April 1912, Page 6

SAILOR'S LOVE LETTER

ARDENT PROTESTATIONS OP APPECXION. “1 KISS YOPR UNRESPONSIVE PHOTO." At Melbourne last week Kvelyn Womei'sley recovered £l5O damages from Thomas Gordon Eilcy, officer on a steamship, for breach of promise of marriage. There was no defence. During the hearing a number of letters from defendant to the claimant were handed in. Among them were the following ardent rigmaroles;—■

Hobson's Bay, June 6th. 1911. At 10.30 a.m

"My darling Eve, f am happier this morning than any other morning of my life, because I leave this port loved by the host little girl in the world to me, and again I am miserable because I am leaving you. .1 have a very funny feeling now. I don't ever remember feeling so downcast —everything seems glum, and the four months until my return will drag and drag until I will be fairly sick of life without you. How I love you. Eve, no one knows. I love you more than my own flesh and blood. What could I do to let you see I love you more? I would give anything tip to please you. If ever you care less for me, Eve, writ© and tell me. .Don’t break my heart by prolonging the pain. I know, dear, it is useless to say tills, for your first move would be to tell me I don't want to say ‘Don't do this,' and ‘Don't do that,’ for I love you too much. I trust you my dearest Eve. . . I am very near to you in my thoughts. What a heartbreak last evening’s good bye was. My eyes were dimmed, and my heart seemed to get in my throat and suffocate me, but now the first parting is over, and we expect to see eacli other in four months, things are not as black as they might be I cannot write as I should like, but my feelings are here. My heart thumps and - thumps whenever I think of you, and if It could only be seen I am sure your face would be engraved on it. . . I long for the days to come when 1 shall be able to offer you a home, and be proud and happy to call you my wife. Oh, what those words mean to, me you cannot guess. Oh, my God, I love you better titan life Itself. Now, goodbye, my darling. The sweetest kisses go to you. The kisses that will burn on my lips until my return, and I hope-they will burn on yours. Brightest wishes, sweetest kisses, with every scrap of love I have goes to you to-day. Your brokenhearted Gordon.”

In another letter, In which lie enclosed some violets, Liley wrote, under date July 28th, 1911:

"My dear old darling Eve, —Another night is here, and I must write you again. Your dear old face is looking, at me. ... I was pleased to get your dear letter to-day. It lets me know how you are, and tells me your thoughts are always of me. X saw Hilda. . . She asked me if I was very unhappy. I asked her why. She said that I had a very sad face, and that I was worried, but I’m not, dear love, although I am very miserable, miserable because I’m away from you. . . You say it would break your heart if you were to lose me. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you. Oh, I love you. Oh, I do love you my own, my own. Gpd bless you my treasure, and God keep watch between us, thee and me. Dear -old darling, X just worship you, and always will, my dear, sweet pet. Good night, my all in all, my very life. You have changed me so much for. the better. . . . My prayer is for’ you. There is never a night that I do not pray for God to make you very happy in your love for me.”

He wrote next day—- “ I seem to have a longing for something, and that is for those dear arms around my neck, and those warm lips pressed close to mine. Oh! those memories of hours gone by. i will never be separated from you by anyone, and, my God! if you were to play me false, I am afraid I would kill you. Oh! I pray to God to ease, ray pain, for this great-car-ing for you 1- is driving me mad. Oh! I love you. Oh, my God, do! How unhappy I am in my loneliness, for you are part of me. .-. . Can you have any doubt of my love, dear darling. I don’t think you can. Oh! Ido love you. I kiss your dear old unresponsive photo. You can see my Ups’ print on the glass. I do love you so much, darling. These words are only feeble compared with my love, so you can understand how I love my precious one. . . . Your very own Gordon, the part and parcel of yourself your own boy.”