Semi=weekly graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1895-1902, 1896-08-05
CHAPTER IT

But the experiment does not succeed
The laws Of God decree that man shall
purchase woman; that woman shall
give herself to man for other coin than
common sense. Common sense is not a
legal tender in the marriage mart Men
and women who enter therein with only
common sense in their purse have no
right to complain if on reaching home
they find they have concluded an IN
satisfactory bargain.
John 1ngerheld. when he asked Anne
Singleton to be his wife, felt no more
love for her than he felt for any Of the
other sumptuous household appoint
ments he was purchasing about the
same time, and made no pretense of do
ing 50. Nor, had he done so, would she
have believed him, for Anne Singleton
has learned much in her 20 summers
and winters, and knows that love is
only meteor in life's sky and that the
true loadstar of this world is gold
Anne Singleton has had her romance
and buried it deep down in her deep
nature, and over its grave. to keep its
ghost from rising, has piled the stones
OF Indifference anil contempt, as many a
woman has done before and since. Once
upon time Anne Singleton sat dream
ing out a story. 1t was a story old as
the hills-Older than some of them
but to her, then, it was quite new and
very wonderful 1t contained all the
usual stock material common to such
stories. The lad and the lass, the plight
ed troth, the richer suitors, the angry
parents, the love that was worth bray
ing all the world for. One day into
this dream there fell from the land Of
the waking a letter, poor, pitiful let
ter. You know l love you and only
you, y it ran. My heart will always be
yours till / die. But my father threat
ems TO stop my allowance, and, as you
know, l have nothing of my own, ex-
cept debts, Some would call her hand
some, but how can think of her beside
you? Why was money ever let to come
into the world to curse us?' With many
other puzzling questions of like char
acter, and much severe condemnation
OF fate and heaven and other parties
generally, and much self commiseration.
Anne Singleton took long to read the
letter When she had finished it and had
read 1t through again, she rose, and
crushing 1t IN her hand flung it in the
fire with laugh, and as the flame hurn.
ed up and died away felt that her life
had died with it, not knowing that
bruised hearts can heal.
So when John mgerfield comes woo.
ing and speaks to her no word of love.
but only of money, she feels that here at
last is genuine voice that she can trust
Love of the lesser side of life is still left
to her, 1t will be pleasant to be the
wealthy mistress Of fine house, to give
great receptions to exchange the secret
poverty OF home for display and luxury
These things are offered to her ON the
very terms she would have suggested
herself. Accompanied by love she wonld
have refused them, knowing she could
give none in return.
But woman finds it one thing not to
desire affection and another thing not 10
possess 1t. Day by day the atmosphere
OF the line house in Bloomsbury grows
cold and colder about her heart Guests
warm 1t at times for few hours, then
depart, leaving it chillier than before
For her husband she attenants IL Zoo,
lnainefenee- But living creatures Joined
together cannot feel indifference for each |
other Even two dogs in leash are com |
peIled to think of one another. A man
ana wiIe must love or hate. like or dis |
IKE. according as the bond connecting |
IN Is drawn tight or allowed to hang |
sAack BIZ mutual dasira thsir ahsi..- $50. =