Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-03-17
Love or Lucre.

vi course nave uOC marfl6u nlm
because was in love with him" said
May Harriott, with light laugh.
She was sitting in gold-anddun-
colored boudoir, hung with silken
duted draperies, and carpeted in pale
gray Aubusson, bordered with scarlet.
The windows were filled full of flower
ng-plants, an exquisite statue of Hebe
occupied marble pedestal in the
middle of the room, and the panels of
the walls, filled in with mirrors, re-
aected the young brides every motion
a score of times.
Mrs. Harriott was dressed in a Wat
teau wrapper of rose-colored silk,
which fell around her in pink clouds,
pale Neapolitan corals, carved so
delicately that magnifying-g glass
would not have put them to the blush,
hung from her delicate ears, and
clasped the folds of tulle at her throat,
diamonds glittered on her fingers, and
the tiny handkerchief peeping from
her pocket was edged with lace that
would have made princess ransom!
And Mays face, all lilies and roses,
with the glory of gold hair floating
away from it, was a jewel we'll worth
all this expensive setting.
Flora Field, her old schoolmate, sat
opposite to her, secretly envious of
all this splendor, and wondering that
May Haven, who had taught in the
same district school as herself, was
not more elated by this sudden pro-
motion
''Well, then," said she, "why did
you marry him?"
because L was poor and he was
rich. Because was tired of teaching,
and he offered me all this!''
And May glanced around upon the
luxuries that surrounded her.
''Nobody could be foolish enough to
suppose it was love-match," said
she. 'He's ever so much older than
am, and not at all my ideal! But 1
couldn't drudge on forever at my pro-
fession, and 1 think I've made lucky
exchange"
''May you are heartiess coquette!"
cried out Flora Field
'No, | am not" said May, with
shake of the lovely golden curls.
tYou would do just the same thing
yourself, Flora Field, if you had the
chance; you krow you would"
And as May laughed out sweet,
defiant chime, she did not know that
her silly words had had another auditor
than Flora Field-that the door lead
ing into the rich bankers study was
ajar, and that he had heard every
syllable she spoke.
1t was quite true that Frederick
Harriott was not young man. He
had passed the Rubicon of middle age
before he had allowed himself to fall
in love and maryland the flame
burned all the deeper and more tender,
in that the '*ood was mellowed by age!
He had looked upon May Haven as
little less than an angel, and now
81 should have known this before"
he said to himself, with ashen-pale
face and trembling limbs. 'I should
have OWNED that spring and autumn
were unsuited. So-she married me
for my money!"
"May," he said that evening, "I
have tickets for the opera tonight.
Would you like to go?"
''No, 1 don't think I care about it,"
said May, listlessly.
"Then we will remain at home and
will read you that new poem," sug-
gested the husband.
II am tired of poetry" pettishly
retorted May. 81 do wish you would
leave me to enjoy myself in my own
way once in whilew
500 bore you, NIay?" Frederick
Harriott asked with an inexplicable
quiver in his voice.
lawfully! I'm just in the midst of
This delightful story, and 1 can't bear
to be interrupted.
every we'll. The offense shall not
be repeated" said Mr.. Harriott,
quietly.
+ After that q 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 little courtesies, the scrupul-
ously-rendered attentions.
For while she rather liked it. 1t
was relief to feel that his eye was
not always on her, his thoughts fol-
lowing her. She could go where she
pleased now, and he asked no ques-
tions. She could employ her time to
suit herself, and he had neither criti-
eism nor comment to offer. But grad
ually she began to realize that she had
aost something which was not easily to
be replaced.
May Harriott had regarded her hus-
bands love as one of the fixed polar
facts OF her existence, and cool chill
crept over her heart when she fully
perceived that it was somehow slipping
away from her.
Frederick" she said one evening,
sitting opposite to her husband, 'have
I offended you?"
He glanced carelessly up from his
book.