Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-12-17
MONEY OR LOVE.
How May Haven Married for One
and Gained the Other.

"Of course have not married him
because / was in love with him." said
May Harriott, with light laugh.
She was sitting in a gold-and-dun
colored boudoir, hung with silken,
fiuted draperies and carpeted in pale
gray Apbusson bordered with scarlet.
The windows were full of Towering
plants, an exquisite statue of Hebe oc-
cupied marble pedestal in the middle
of the room, and the panels of the
walls, filled in with mirrors, reflected
the young brides every motion score
of times.
Flora Field, her old school-mate, sat
opposite her, secretly envious of all
this splandor and wondering that Nav
Haven, who had taught in the same
district school as herself, was not more
elated at this sudden promotion.
well, then" said she, .'why did
you marry him?''
:. Because l was poor and he was
rich. Because l was tired of teaching
and he offered me all thisr'
And May glanced around upon the
luXuries that surrounded her.
Nobody could be foolish enough to
suppose it was a love-match," said
she. Z" He's ever so much older than
am, and not at all my ideal! But
couldn't drudge on forever at my pro-
fession, and think I've made lucky
exchange"
May, you are heartless coquette,"
cried out Flora Field.
No, am not" said May, with
shake of the lovely golden curls. .'You
would do just the same thing yourself,
Flora Field, if you had a chance; you
know you would
faint 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 he had heard every syllable
she spoke.
1t was quite true that Frederick Har-
riott was not 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
q should have known this BEFORE"
he said to himself, with ashen-pale face
and trembling limbs. Il should have
OWNED that spring and autumn were
unsuited. So-she married me for my
money!
May" he said that evening. 81
have tickets for the opera tonight.
Would you like to go?'
No. don't think I care about it.
said May, listlessly.
"Then we will rem ain at home, and
/ will read you that new poem," sug-
gested her husband.
Il am tired of poetry" pettishly re-
torted May. Il do wish you would
leave me to enjoy myself in my own
way once in while!''
.'Do bore you, May?' Frederick
Harriott asked, with an inexplicable
CULVER in his voice.
Awfully! I'm just in the midst of
this delightful story and can't bear to
be interrupted.
Every well. The offense shall not
be repeated" said Mr.. Harriott, quiet
".
After that subtle and sudden
change came over his whole life. Ee
was as courteous and attentive to his
young wife as ever, but May felt that
al the heart and soul were gone out
of the little courtesies, the scrupulously
rendered attentions.
For awhile she rather liked it. 1t
was relief to feel that his eye was not
always on her. his thoughts following
her. She could 60 where she pleased
now and he asked no questions. She
could employ her time to suit herself
and he had neither criticism nor COM
ment to offer. But gradually she be-
gan to realize that she had lost some
thing which was not easily to be re-
placed.
May Harriott had regarded her nus
bands love as one of the fixed polar
facts of her existence. and cold chill
crcpt over her heart when she fully per-
ceived that it was somehow slipping
away from her.
Frederick" she said, one evening.
sitting opposite to her husband, shave
/ offended you?"
He glanced carelessly up from his
book.
Offended me, May? Why. what
ridiculous idea! Of course you haven't
offended me-"
IL thought your manner was
somewhat different of late" faltered
the young wife, bending her head
closer over her embroidery.
lone can't keep on the honeymoon
gloss forever" said the banker, indif-
ferently.
Life is faii of antitheses, and love is
the strangest completely in life. For.
as May Harriott grew strengthened in
the idea that her husband was ceasing
to adore her after the old idolatrous
fashion, she began to fall in love with
the one she had married for money.
Frederick Harriott was not young,