The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-12-08
A Misrepresentation

ME- VALE and Lawrence Ea-
~ yorite married each other as
part of their social duty. They had
grown up with the expectation that
they would be married, and con-
templated that fact without much
interest for all the years of their
youth. When Anice came home from
school and was introduced into So
ciety it was generally understood that
she would be allowed only one season
of freedom. She took a debutante's
pleasures somewhat gravely, and peo-
pie complained that, for an American,
she was singularly lacking in yivacity.
though she was, beyond all gainsay
ing, beautiful. She was tall and pale.
with glowing abundant hair and deep
red brown eyes, large and pensive. She
affected a peculiar fashion of attire, and
seemed always to move slowly in the
midst of flowing draperies. The rest of
the world might be hurried, but Anice
was sedate and calm and slow. The
Graperies seemed made to trail through
lcfty halls, and she was never more
thoroughly herself than on the day she
was married, when she walked down
TIE white stairs of her home in her
bridal garments, pale and sad, and
paced Like melancholy queen the
length of the hushed drawing-room
among the snowy roses.
Adelaide Duncan, who had once been
her friend, used to urge that Anice
was not at heart so calm as she seemed.
10 e
girls" she would sometimes remark,
but as matter of fact no one disikes
convention so much as she. She says
she has never been allowed to be her
self-all her life has been arranged for
{ her. She says in our class of society
every one knows what one is expected
to do at each point in ones career. She
told me she had been bored ever since
she was born. L used to think she eX-
cepted me from the list of bores, but
since she was married she is uncommu-
NEGATIVE even to me-"
SIS she so absorbed in her husband ?"
some one asked.
q 20, l shouldn't go SO far as to say
that, returned Adelaide, struggling her
shoulders.
Lawrence Favorite certainly would
not have claimed that his young wife
was absorbed in him. He had been we'll
enough pleased to marry her. He knew
the purity and dignity of her life and
could not help noting her regal beauty,
but his life, like hers, had been mapped
out for him to a great extent. He had,
hicc I11o iOr,
into the business with his father, as
had been designed from the day of his
birth. He had married the woman
whom the whole world thought he
ought to marry because of the close
connection of the families in business,
and because of long and intimate
social relations. After it was done, he
began to wonder if it was well done.
He tried to look at his wife with the
eyes of a stranger, and after few days
of critical surveillance it occurred TO
him that he was indeed stranger to
her.
He had not thought much about her
life. He had supposed. in lordly but
chivalrous fashion, that she sat in the
parlor eating bread and honey, figur-
atively speaking, while he was away at
business, and that she watched for his
return, as was the duty of wife, that
she made therself beautiful for his
pleasure, and went and came accord
ing to his desire. He had not intend
ed to make any demands upon her but
in his heart of hearts he entertained
much the ideas set forth. Anindisposi-
ton which kept Lawrence at home for
a week revealed to him the fact that his
wife lived a stirring life in which he had
mo part, and the details of which she
did not confide 20 him. She was sell
dom at home. She gave over the keep
ing of their great mansion to her corps
of servants and her directions to them
were of the briefest.
Visitors came and were closeted with
her-visitors Of whom ne had never
heard. She went out, plainly attired.
and was gone for hours. and returned
greatly wearied., Lawrence Favorite
was mystified and a trif1e displeased.
But for all that he began to acquire
a sort of respect for this woman whom
he had taken so as a matter of course.
He had not hitherto concerned himself
with what she thought. Now he was
eager to understand her. He tried to
draw her into conversation, but she
gave him only polite nothings, as had
bcen her habit always. -
'iEca are g rstscent womansmy DEAR"