Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-02-07
"ANIcE,
a Wife's Second courtship.

,&X WHS SSSohe S0s' 'S"tP'
sSeeoeeeeeHeeeeeeeeee~
Anice Vale and Lawrence Favorite
married each other as q part of their
social duty. They had grown mp with
4 the expectation that they would be
married and contemplated that fact
without much interest for all tho years
OF their youth. When Anice came
home from school and was introduced
into society it was generally under
stood that she would be allowed only
one season of freedom.
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 n
great extent.
He had not thoughtmuch about her
life. He had supposed, in lordly
but. chiralrous. fashion, that she sat IN
the parlor eating bread and honey,
fguratively speaking, while he was
away at business, and that she
watched for his return, rs was the
duty of wife, that she made. herself
beautiful for his pleasure, and went
and came according to his desire.
An indisposition which kept Law
renee at home for week revealed to
him the fact that his wife lived stir
ring life in which he had n. rrc:"t, and
the details of which she did not con-
fde to him. She was seldom at home.
She gave over the keeping Of their
great mansion to her corps of servants,
and her directions to them were of the
briefest.
Visitors came who were closeted
with her-yisitors of whom he had
never heard. She went out, plainly
attired, was gone for hours, and ra-
turned greatly wearied. Lawrence
Favorite was mystifed and tride
displeased. But for all that he began
to acquire sort of respect for this
woman whom he had taken as
matter of course. He tried to draw
her into conversation, but she gave
him only polite nothings, as had been
her habit always.
'You are q reticent woman, my
DEAR" he said to her one evening rs
the two sat together at dinner. She
looked mp and languidly smiled.
ga confidential woman is always
annoying, don't you think so?" she
responded.
She looked OF him across their
dainty table-looked at him er.the
yiolets, and was never more beautiful
with her cleaning satin gown and her
delicately tinted flesh. then at that
moment, but not line of her face
softened at his remark.
'sYou spare me too much. In these
days that I have been at home ailing
: it has occurred to me that know
nothing about your life. I realize that
You and I are strangers. !"
ST realized that long time ago.
That is why have not confided in
YOU"
..But why did you marry me if you
considered me stranger?"
seFor the same reason that you
!; married me because it was too much
trouble to protest; because it was
simpler to marry somebody than to:
remain single and have folks forever
worrying, and because whatever you
did not know about me ron knew
nothing Objectionable. In other words,
we were married because We were too
supine to protest"
He sighed and looked longingly at
the exquisite woman opposite him.
ST suppose it is so," he admitted,
tsbut I much wish we had married
s each other for some better reason"
The next day he was able to go to
business, but he could not fix his
mind upon the letters to which he en-
deayored to give his attention and the
details of his business continually
slipped from him. Harassed and too
irritable to remain at his desk he went
home. There was certain bride hold
I ing her postnuptial reception in the
neighborhood, and the carriages
thronged the avenues leading to the
house.
~ - .sAnice will be there" he said to
himself. ''And she will be more
beautiful than the fairest"
y But as he assembled his steps he was
surprised to see his wife open the
door and stand on the threshold talk
ing with woman. In his wife's arms
was little babe, and she bent end
kissed it twice before she placed it in
z the arms of its mother.
g: 'sBe sure and give the baby an air.
ing every day." she called as the
woman started away. ''And the food
will be sent up tomorrow, and the lit
tie buggy will be there when you get
home. I'll expect you again week
from today. Don't forget.
Lawrence had never heard her voice
sound so hearty and full of cheer. He
could hardly believe this was the
woman who ordinarily employed q
sort of monotonous, musical intoning
when she spoke. Nor could he al
first believe that those glowing eyes
were the calm ana unresponslVe ones
+ into which he had looked thousand
times, only to be bafied by thei,
opacity.
'sYou are not at the reception,
Anice."
N..As you see." She endeavored te
return ct once to her ordinary tone,
1ut 1t was difficult. AS the dool
closed he held out his arms to her.
"Anicep" he cried, 'Anice, dear love
do not change your voice for me-! d.
not drive the light out of your eye:
because have comel You .givo you
life in ministry to others. Ministe
also to me. Forgive me that I hav'
not understood. Neither of uo ha
understood. We have been like chill