The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-25
ELSIE ARNOLD'S HUSBAND.

Two lovers were walking slowly one
moonlight night along solitary stretch
of beach upon the shores of Lake Mich
igan.
They were married lovers; and those
contrasts which we instinctively call
"made for each other" were displayed
in their figures and in their young faces,
turned toward each other, dark and
blonde. Even their voices shared this
contrast, the one firm, deep-toned and
measured, the other capricious in accent,
and tremulously sweet.
"The only trouble is" said Elsie,
"every one says this can not last. 1t
seems that after while the most roman
tic lOve-tO be sure no love could be quite
so romantic as eurs-either fades away,
or settles down into calm friendship. l
should die of calm friendship Even Aunt
Mariana told me upon my wedding-day,
you can not expect the husband and
the lover to be just the same But do
expect it; do not, dear FredY
You do expect il" answered her hus-
band. "And you are right; that change
will not come to u.s."
"And must any change" asked Elsie,
musingly, "come to us? / suppose it
must; sorrow and old age, perhaps. Very
soon, no doubt, l shall have to tie up these
curls that you like so much." She
glanced ruefully at the long ringlets from
which the straw hat was tossed carelessly
back. Erred" she said, reproachfully,
"you might not love me SO well if 1
should change"
"Do you suppose / would not know
you through all change" he asked, "as
certainly as l knew you in that black
domino at the A mask? Love iden-
tifies to the souls core; it wouldn't be
worth living for if it did not. Besides,
darling, you have something that time
docs not steal so easily as it steals the
mere charm of youth, and that fascinates
me more deeply: you have grace"
"Grace? ?" repeated Elsie. She lifted
her eyebrows slightly, extended her arm
thoughtfully to the length of the loosened
hat-strings her dimpled hand held, and
thrust one fairy foot daintily forward and
back.
Not for your own appreciation" said
Fred, gravely, "but none the less for
mine. Some one has remarked-I forget
the precise language, but the idea l rec
ollect -'If you love a woman for her
beauty, you may love her five years; if
you love her orintellectual qualities, you
will love her ten years; but if you love
her for her aoays, you will love her for
ever Now, Elsie, those ways have
nothing to do with complexion or curls,
my dear"
And you ?' said the little wife. "For
/ am not so sure that my alteration for
my husband is founded strictly on his
ways. Some of those ways are dark. How
would it be if you should change? Let
me see--if you should turn bald Just
here" smoothing up from his forehead
the dark locks she liked; cor if you
should lose an eye, and could only look
at me half-oh, don't!-or if you should
grow stout-w wofully stout--could you
blame me if romance stopped? Hopeless
incompatibility of square inches between
affection and its object! for how could ]
put wing or bay-window on my hearth
Do not talk so, even in jest" said
Fred, really panied. "We may be thank
full that we have not the power to look
deep"
"I do not wish to look Deep" said Elsie,
wilfully; al prefer shadows. / never
looked deep in my life but / saw some
thing at the bottom of the depth lying
dead, or something unspeakably sad, as
pale as death. But there we are talking
nonsense, and it is growing late. / feel a
chill of night air from head to foot, and
we have almost quarreled, think. Dear
Fred, let us 90 home at once"
They followed the white curve of the
inlet toward the glimmering lights of the
town, and crossed a narrow field-path in
the outskirts, entered the rudely built
and solitary cabin that they called home.
The moonlight shone broadly into the
scantily furnished dwelling-room, under
whose outer doorway letter had been
thrust.
FRIEND ARNoLD,-I find, for reasons you
win appreciate, necessity for getting of at
once. We start to,morrow-whole family
at daybreak. Expect you to join ms next
week at F., goods and chattes complete.
my respects TO Mrs. A. She Is Of the
same calibre as my wife. Such women are a
hof Doc.
This letter, meagre as it was, served to
: bestir the Arnolds at once.