Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-04-26
THEORY OF WEDTOCK

l had often seen the unattractive man
in the smoking room, but had had little
talk with him. On this evening, however.
we read at the same table, and it happen,
ed that we were both interested in an ar,
ticle In one of the reviews, and began to
discuss it.
The article stated a theory. For a good
marriage it was necessary that each of the
parties should have some quality not pos
sessed by the other. One might be bcauti-
full, and the other ugly; one rich and the
other poor; one clever and the other dull.
If each had some advantage, there would
be mutual respect and consequent happi-
ness.
The discussion became emphatic. The
theory was wrong, said the unattractiye
man; the good marriage was that of per
sons having similar qualities, the beauti-
full with the beautiful, the clever with the
clever. Wrong or right, l said, it was the
subject of many experiments, some of
which seemed successful.
Il will admit that people accept it," he
replied, "but nothing more. The mar
riages may seem happy, yet they have their
tragedy. One instance l remember, and
there are others. Probably every such
marriage is an instance"
"Win you give the one you remember?''
1 said. "We can both smile at the tragedy"
The unattractive man half closed his
eyes. "We can both smile" he said and
paused, and then went on. "Yes, I will
give it if you wish"
II will call the man Filippo and the
woman Giannina. In the Coppee play the
heroine is a girl with a gift of beauty, and
the hero is an i'll looking hunchback, with
q gift Of music. In my story are a similar
hero and a heroine.
"Filippo was one Of the finest violinists
in London. When he placed the violin
under his chin and drew the bow back
ward and forward, you thought not of his
shape, but of the music. And when at ST.
lence he stood with flushed face and bright
eyes you thought not of his features, but
again Of the music.
"Giannina met him at an at home. No
Sandro had put his hand on her heart, and
she could turn to whom she would. The
Coppee heroine pities her Filippo for his
poor body, she admires hers for his rich
soul. When he finished playing, she whis-
pered thanks, and then sat by his side lis
tening to talk of music. While he talked
he was looking always at her face and
wondering at the beauty.
"She met him afterward at many places.
She was learning to play, and he became
her master. For an hour each week they
were together in her fathers drawing
room, and he saw and she heard. Very
short seemed the lessons. While she held
the bow his eyes were fixed as if he saw a
beautiful picture; while he held it her
head was bowed as if she listened to q low
er's words.
There is a path in the north part of
kensington gardens bordered by close
growing trees and little frequented. 1t
may have been by chance that the two
walked together here for the first time.
1t was by arrangement at other times.
Morning after morning they passed slowly
up and down and then rested on the seat
at the bend of the path. Above them were
the trees and the birds, before them the
grass and the flowers.
"They loved each other, he her for the
gift of beauty, she him for the gift of mu-
sic. Latterly their hearts admitted no
reason for the love save that he was he and
she was she. One day the words were
said. In the Coppee play, at the tale of
the heart OF Filippo, Giannina weeps in
pity for him; in my story she wept in
gladness for herself. Sweet sounded the
bird songs and bright seemed the sun.
Years ago a musician in London was
not so IGNORED by men as he is today. Wo- !
men might be content with genius or tai
ent, but they We're not. The father of
did much to help the romance.
When Filippo asked for his consent, he re-
piled with scorn and told him to wed one
OF his own kind. His daughter he babe
think of herself and him and no more of
the foreigner.
"A little while longer and the romance
was completed. One morning instead of
going to kensington gardens the two
went elsewhere and We're married. She
had listened to her lover and wept and
forgotten the father. According to the
theory of the article, the marriage was a
good one, each party having a quality not
possessed by the other. But I have said
It has it's tragedy. It is the instance which
I remember"
The unattractive man ceased to speak
and leaned back in his chair and lit a
cigar. 1 waited for a few moments; then,
he was silent, I said:
"But I do not understand. Did they
Did the mar lose his gift or the
hers? Did the Sandro come after
Ward?"
"They lived very happily. Every day he
wooed her with his music, and she him
with her beauty. There was no Sandro
before nor afterward."
- do not see the point. What was the
of the marriage?"
The tragedy" he replied, leaning for
ward and increasing the natural bunch OF
ais back; ''yess it is necessary to spell
hat. 1t is easily done. Giannina was my
mother; Filippo was my father. You al
know that I an not beautiful; you
will believe me when l say that l have
leither power nor pleasure in music. l
IN the tragedy Of the marriage"
There was again silence for u few mo-
nents; then, looking away from him, l
embarked:
you are a humorist?'
Yes, he said, II an a humorist.
the tragedy Of the marriage, n-Ex-