The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-09-21
LOVE, OR MONEY!


"Of course l have not married him
because l was in love with him, - said
May Harriott, with light laugh.
She was sitting in a gold and dun
colored boudoir, hung with silken,
fluted draperies, and carpeted in pale
gray Aubussom bordered with scarlet.
The windows were full of towering
plants-an exquisite statue of HeAe oc-
cupied a marble pedestal in the ddle
of the room, and the panels of the walls
filled with mirrors reflected the Jung
brides every motion a score of INES.
Mrs. Harriott was dressed in Wat
teau wrapper of rose-colOred silk, which
fell around her in pink clouds pale
Neapolitan corals, carved SO dclicately
that a magnifying glass would not have
put them TO the blush, hung from her
delicate ears, and clasped the folds of
tulle at her rthroat-diamond Ciittered
on her fingers, and the tiny handker-
chief peeping from her pocket was
edged with lace that would have made
princeSs's raRSomi And Mays face,
all lilies and roses, with the glory of
gold hair floating away from it, was a
jewel well worth al this expensive set
ting.
Flora Field, her old schoolmate, sat
opposite to her, secretly enyiOus OF all
this splendor, and wondering that May
Haven, who had taught in the same dis
trict school as herself, was not more
elated by this sudden promotion.
"Well, then, said she, "why did
you marry him?n
"Because | was poor and he was rich.
Because was tired of teaching, and he
offered me all this.'' s#..s
And May glanced around upon the
luXuries that surrounded her.
Nobody could be foolish enough to
suppose it was love match," said she.
and not at all my idea. But I couldn't
drudge on forever al my profession, and
think I've made a lucky exchange" 9"
"May, you are a heartless coquette, ="
cried out Flora Field.
"No, l am not,m said May, with a
shake of the lovely golden curls. " You
would do Just the same thing yourself,
Flora Field, if you had the chance; you
know you would"
And as May laughed out a sweet, de-
fiant chime, she did not know that her
silly words had had another auditor
than Flora Field-that the door leading
into the rich bankers study was ajar,
and that be had heard every syllable
she spoke.
1t was quite true that Frederick Har-
riott was not a young man. He had
passed the Rubicon Of middle age be-
fore he had allowed himself to fall in
love and maryland the flame burned
all the deeper and more tender, in that
the wood was mellowed by age! He
had looked upon May Haven as little
less than an angel, and now
4" l should have known this before, -
he said to himself, with ashen-pale face
and trembling limbs. al should have
OWNED that spring and autumn were
msUited. So-she has married me for
my money!"
May he said, that evening, "I
have tickets for the opera tonight.
Would you like to go?"
/" No, | don't think l care about it, -"
said May listlessly.
Then we will remain at home, and
l viii read you that new poem," sug-
geSted the husband.
Z. 1 SIN tired of poetry" pettishlv re-
orted May. 9" do wish you would
leave me to enjoy myself in my own way
once in a whilei';
"Do | bore you, May?" Frederick
Harriott asked, with an inexplicable
quiver in his voice.
4" Awfully; I'm Just in the midst of
this delightful story, and can't bear TO
be interrupted o.
every well. The offense shall not
be repeated" said Mr.. Harriott,
quietly.
After that subtle and sudden change
came over his whole life. He was as
courteous and attentive to his Young
wife as ever, but May felt that all the
heart and soul were gone out of the lit
tie ecurtesies, the scrupulously rendered
attentions.
For while she rather liked it. 1t
was relief to know that his eve was
not always on her, his thoughts follow
ing her. She could 90 where she pleased
now, and he asked no questions. She
could employ her time TO suit herself,
and he had neither comment nor criti-
cism to offer. But gradually she began
to realize that she had lost something
which was not easily to be replaced.
Nav Harriott had regarded her hus-
hands love as one of the fixed polar
facts of her existence, and a cold chill
crept over her heart when she fully per-
csiTed that it was somehow slipping
twsy from her. --r