The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-22

ana Wlntcfs, uilO KNOWS tnut 1.-TWO ~
only meteor In lifc's sky and that the
true londstar Of this world Is gold
Anne Singleton has had her romance
and buried IL deep down in her deep
nature and over its grave, % keep its
ghost from rising, has piled The stones
Of indi..erer"' and contempt, rs many q
woman ha no before and since. Once
upon time Anne Singleton sat dream
ing out u story. 10 was story old as
the hills--oldor than some Of them
but to her, then, IL 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, tho 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 letter, a poor, pitiful let
ter. you know l love you and only
you," it ran. my heart will always be
yours till die. But my father threat
ems to stop my allowance, and, as you
/ know, / have nothing of my own, Cx-
| 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 a 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 it through again, she rose, and
crushing it in her hand flung it in the
fire with laugh, and as the flame burn
ed up and died away felt that her life
had died with it, not knowing that
bruised hearts can heal
So when John Ingerfield 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 would
have refused them, knowing she could
give none in return.
But woman finds it one thing not to
desire affection and another thing not to
possess it. Day by day the atmosphere
of the fine house in Bloomsbury grows
cold and colder about her heart. Guests
warm it at times for few hours, then
depart, leaving it chillier than before.
For her husband she attempts to feel
Indifference. But living creatures joined
} together cannot feel indifference for each
other. Even two dogs in leash are COM
} PEELED to think of one another. A man
and wife must love or hate, like or dis
like, according as the bond connecting
them is drawn tight or allowed to hang
J slack. By mutual desire their chains of
wedlock have been fastened as loosely as
J respect for security will permit, with the
happy consequence that her aversion to
him does not obtrude itself beyond the
} limits of politsness
, Her part of the contract she faithfully
fuifills, for the Singletons also have
} their code of honor. Her beauty, hel
tact, her charm, her influence, are de
! voted to his service-to the advance.
, ment of his position, the furtherance OF
wise remain closed she opens to him. So.
ciety that would otherwise pass by with
| sheer sits round his table. His wishes
and pleasures are hers. In all things she
yields him wifely duty, seeks to render
herself agreeable to him, suffers in 81.
lence his occasional caresses Whatever
was implied in the bargain, that she will
perform to the letter.
He, ON his side, likewise performs his
part with businesslike conscientiousness
nay, seeing that the pleasing Of hel
brings no personal qualification to him
self, not without generosity. He is evel
thoughtful of and deferential to her,
awarding her at all times an unvaryine
courteousness that is none the less sin
cere for being studied. Her every ex
pressed want is gratified, her every
known distaste respected. Conscious o.
his presence being an oppression to her,
he is even careful not to intrude himself
} upon her oftener than is necessary
{ At times he asks himself, somewha,
pertinently, what he has gained by mar
riage-wonders whether this social race
was quite the most interesting game he
: could have elected to occupy his leisure,
: wonders whether after all he would
not have been happier over his counting
: house than in these sumptuous, glitter
ing rooms, where he always seems anC
: feels himself to be the unlimited guest.
The only feeling that closer init
macy has created in him for his wife il
that of indulgent contempt. As there il
no equality between man and woman,
SO there can be no respect. She is diff
ferent being. He must either look up tC
her as superior to himself, or down upon
} her as inferior. When man docs the
former, he is more or less in love, and
love to John Ingerfield is an unknown
emotion. Her beauty, her charm, hel
social tact! Even while he makes use Of
them for his own purposes he despises
them as the weapons OF weak nature.
So in their big, cold mansion, John
Inperfield and Anne his wife sit far