"The Last" Elise Buckingham's response

My dear Mace --
     It is hard to know,
to realise that I am call-
ing you so for the last
time. You who have been
almost my very life for the
past two years and whom
I have loved so dearly, so
truly, but so it is avid
I realize fully what I am
doing when I ask you to
release me from my engage-
ment and to give me back
all my promises._ Of the
unhappy days & hours
I have spent mace of the
struggle, the hardfight
I have had you can never

(next side: here on denoted by a blank line.)

never know. The little laugh
I have taken off, the pledge
of your love for me & your
engagement gift and I
ask to be free again.
My love Mace, for you was
deep, strong and true and
would have remained so
to the end and the two years
would have seemed almost
nothing to have waited
had I, could I only have
had perfect trust and
faith_had you been
worthy of my trust. You
 would have found me
at your return, faithful,
loving and true. But
I have just learned from
undoubted and unques-
tionable authority, that you

were neither candid or
truthful to me last Summer
in regard to your Pledge
and that, not-with-stand-
ing your statement and
"word of honor" to the contrary
you did violate and
break it while you were
in Toledo last year and
that you did drink__
Mace, Mace why did you
so deceive me? The truth
I might and would have
forgiven, but the falsehood
never. then too a number
of other things have come
to my knowledge, since
my return home, which
convinces me that there
can be naught save un-
happiness and worry for

us in the future, as there
has been in the past. for
I know now, beyond a
doubt, that you intended
to deceive me and told
me an untruth and the
trust and faith I have so
prayed for, tried so hard
to feel for an in you, I
can never have and you
know, as well as I, that
a marriage where confi-
dence and perfect faith
is lacking no matter how
strong the love, there could
be but years of misery
and much apprehension for
us both. Therefore Mace
after a long and earnest
talk with Papa, I have_
after many hours of real

anguish and unhappiness
made up my mind to
break my engagement
and I know I am doing
right. Don't think of or
judge me too harshly
and if I have been unjust
or unkind ever forgive me,
forgive Elise, whom I know
you have loved so fondly
so dearly. Had I been
braver, stronger, I should
have learned the truth
and satisfied myself of
all this long ago, but I
loved you and I feared to
know the truth, for I did
so want to trust and
believe in you. Mace, Mace
why were you not candid
and honest with me. I

cannot say more, it is use-
less to do so. I have thought
over it, prayed over it and
decided fully now and
forever, and I know my
only happiness lies in the
course I have taken.
I beg Mace, that all my
little gifts you will keep
for they were all intended
only for you and it was
with a heart full of love
that I sent each and every
one of them to you and I
really want and wish
you should keep them.
But my letters I want
and I wish you would
at your first opportunity
return them. The little
bangle, which has been

my constant companion,
since the minute of its re-
ceipt, I have taken off and
put back in its pretty box
and will send it, together
with your letters, if you
wish them, to wherever
you direct. Mace, Mace,
Mace, good-bye. good-bye
forever.
                             Elise
                              #5 Moxahala Ave.