Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-08
|. Love or LuCre.

because | was ia love with him" said
May Harriott, with light laugh.
She was sitting in gold.and.dun-
colored boudoir, hung with silken
huted draperies, and carpeted in pale
gray Aubusson, bordered with scarlet.
The windows were filed full of flower
ng-plants, an exquisite statue of Hehe
occupied a marble pedestal in the
middle of the room, and the panels of
the walls, filed i'll with mirrors, re-
hected the young brides every motion
score Of times.
Mrs. Harriott WAS dressed in Wat
teau wrapper of rose-coorcd silk,
which fell around her in pink clouds,
pale Neapolitan c0rals, carved so
delicately that a magnifying glass
would not have put them TO the blush,
hung from her delicate ears, and
clasped the folds of tullc ut her throat.
diamonds glittcred on her fingers and
the tiny handkerchief pecping from
her pocket was edged with lace that
would have madt.a princess ransom,
Aud Mays face, all lilies and roses,
with the glory of gold hair floating
away from it, was u Jewel we'll worth
all this expensive setting.
Flora Field, her old schoolmatc, sat
opposite to her, secretly en,ious of
all this splendor, aud wondering that
May Haven, who had taught in the
same district school as herself, was
not more elatcd by this sudden pro-
motion.
"Well, then" said she, "why did
you marry him."
Because | was poor and he was
rich. Because | was tired Of teaching,
aud he offered me all this"
And May glanced around upon the
Injuries that surrounded her.
Nobody could he foolish enough to-
suppose il was love.match." said
she. "He's ever so much older than
am. and not at all my IDEAL But |
couldn't drudge OH forever at my pro-
fession, and think I've made u lucky
exchange.
"May YOU are a heartless coquette"
cried out Flora Field
NO, am not" said May with a
shake Of the lovely golden curls.
"You would do just the same thing
yourself, Flora Field, il you had the
chance; YOU know you would.
And rs May laughed ont 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.
IL was quite true that Frederick
Harriott was not young man. He
had passed the Rubicon of middle age
before no had allowed himself to fall
in love and maryland the fame
burned all the deeper and more tender,
in that the wood was mellowed by age!
He had looked upon May Haven rs
little less than an angel, and now
~ should have known this before"
he said to himself with ashen.pale
face and trembling limbs. 81 should
have OWNED that spring aud autumn
were unsuited. So-she married me
for my money?"
May" he said that evening, ~
have tickets for the opera tonight.
Would you like to go?"
"No, / don't think care about it,"
said May, listessly.
Then we will remain at home and
will read you that new poem," sug-
eested the husband.
N am tired of poetry" pettishly
retorted May. az do wish you would
leave me to enjoy myself in my own
way once in a while"
'Do bore You, Maya Frederick
Harriott asked with an iuexplicable
culver in his voice.
"Awfully. I'm just in the midst Of
this delightful story, and l can't bear
10 he interrupted.
VERY well. The ofiense 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 10 his
Young wife as ever, but May felt that
all the heart and soul were gone ont
az the little courtesies, the scrupul-
ously-rendered attentions,
For while she rather liked il. II
was a 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-
t;o,s She could empIoy her time to