Dora Says Mr. Byrne Won't Talk To Me Anymore

Dear Readers,

Not only did Mr. Byrne give me the cold shoulder on The Philadelphia coming back to New York, not only did he slam his cabin door in my face, he refused to talk to me after we disembarked. My parents stood there at the pier saying good-bye to him. I had to skulk in the shadows feeling guilty.

All the way home to Pittsburgh I hugged my Crusader engagement ring that Edward gave me. It was all I had in the whole wide world. But it was a lonely feeling. All these days while I had been traveling west, Edward had been traveling east. We were now farther apart than we had ever been, even before we knew each other.

I assumed that when I rushed through the door of my house in Bethel Borough a letter from Edward would await me. After all, hadn't he promised to write me every single day without fail? But when I got home, our cleaning lady, Viola, showed me the mail. There was nothing for me from my fiance.

What can I say? I left Pennsylvania on May 1. I've been traveling ever since. It's now the middle of June, about six weeks later. My life will never again be what it was before the Lusitania . . . and Edward.

Sincerely yours,

Dora Benley