(seq. 36)

intended if possible to ignore what had happened at any
rate to make little reference to it to get the question settled
once & for all. Monday Oct 25 1880. Mrs Stone was
in the library with May when Harry came & May hoped that she
would I went to school this stay but before long she
excused herself & went to answer the calls of Helen. Harry thought
that the circumstances excused abruptness & saying May you
must know what I have come to say went & stood beside her.
He waited for her to speak but as she did not he went on very
quietly I am not ashamed or afraid to tell you that I love you but
I must say that before the other night I had intended never to
tell you. I was beside myself mad then & I broke through all my
resolutions. Ever since For some time I have known that you were to me
what no other woman ever has been more to me than anything &
every thing else but though I have not been strong enough to put
aside foolish dreams entirely I have said that I would keep my
secret so that no one should guess at it. because I thought I
could not tell you I loved you without telling you something else
& the reason I did not want to do that is because I had & have
nothing to offer you. I cannot could not hope to give you the kind of
home you will leave & it will be a year or two before I could offer
even a humbler one. I am not sure that you care for me in
that way even a little you see I am crazy to think of it yet
May I want you to know that I love you with my whole
heart & that if you could ever be my wife I should wish no
but I have not right to ask anything of you not even if you love for
greater happiness. He spoke like a husband who has [determined?] to say