The Opelousas courier., 1904-10-29
Love After Marriage.
By NJ. A. STARR.

NOLidAC Gu IAdL SOu "ouIo ACsC4s ASfSA
marry him!"
"Of course. l have not married him
because | was in love with him." said
Fay Winthorpe, with a light laugh.
Ellie Gray, her cousin, sat opposite
to her, secretly envious Of all this
%splendor, the two being seated in a
gold and dun-colored boudoir, hung
with silken %draperies, and carpeted in
pale Aubusson, bordered with scarlet.
"Well, then" replied Efie, why on
earth did you marry him."
Because l was poor and he was rich.
Because l was tired of giving music
lessons, and he offered me all this"
Fay, you are a heartless coquette!"
cried out Ef1e Grey.
mo, l am not" said Fay, with a lit
tie shake Of the pretty, golden curls.
You would do the same thing your
self, Cousin Fife, if you had a chance
you know you would"
And as Fay's laugh rang out, a
sweet, defiant chime, she little suspect
ed that the silly words had another au-
ditor than Fife Grey-that the door
leading into the rich merchants study
was ajar, and that her husband had
heard every syllable she spoke.
True, Edward Winthorpe was not a
young man. Previously he had eve
cared much about the idea of marriage,
and the fame burned all the deeper
and tender from the fact that the
Rubicon Of middle age was passed ere
he allowed himself to fall in love and
marry the idol of his heart. He had
looked on Fay Merriam as little less
than an angel. and now
II should have known this before"
he said to himself, with white, ashen
face and trembling limbs. Il ought
to have known that spring and autumn
were unsuited. So she has married me
for my money. She shall have it, the
dear child"
No m ever knew the anguish of
soul this man endured for the next
few hours-at n moment bitterly re-
GREETING he had learned the miserable
truth, that he might have gone on
blindly in the belief that his beautiful
young wife entertained an affection fer
him, and the next instant crying out
that 1t were better to know the truth,
even though it pierced him like a two
edged sword.
He had bestowed upon her the whole
wealth Of his heart, as we have said,
the flame burning all the more deeply
in that it was mellowed by age.
But his conclusion was that he had
made a terrible mistake in offering his
love to this young girl-that Fay
should know the pang her cruel
words had cost him-that he would
do his duty; and might not his young
and lovely wife in time learn to look
upon him less coldly?
Fay, said he, that evening, Il have
tickets for the opera. Would you like
to go, dear?"
mo, thank you," said Fay 1istlessly,
81 don't think l are about It."
Then we will remain at home, and
you shall talk to me-" he said.
II am tired of talking" pettishly re-
torted Fay. Il really wish you would
leave me to enjoy myself in my own
way once in a while"
DO I annoy, you, Fay?" asked Ed
ward Winthrope, with an inexplicable
CULVER in his voice.
lawfully. I'm just in the midst of
a delightful story, and I can't be in
terrupted."
VERY well; | will not repeat the Of
Tense, I assure you," he returned quick
ly.
After this. a subtle and sudden
change came over Edward Winthorpe's
whole life. He was as courteous and
attentive to his young wife as ever,
but Fay felt that all the heart and
soul were out of the eourtesies, the
s~crupulously rendered attentions. To
Fay Winthorpe, her husbands love was
as fixed a fact in her mind as were the
stars in the armament above her head,
and q cold chill crept over her heart
when she fully realized that it was
somehow slipping away from her.
Edward" she said one evening, sit
ting opposite to her husband, have I
offended your"
He glanced carelessly up from his
book.
offended me, Fay? Why, what put
such a ridiculous idea into your head,
child? OF course you haven't offended
me-
ST thought your name was
somewhat different of late" faltered
the young wife, bending her head clos
er v e her embroidery.
One must not expect to keep I'D the
honeymoon style forever" said the
merchant, indifferently.
They tell us that life is full of antith-
eses; and certainly love is the strong
est completely in life. For, as Fay
Winthorpe grew strengthened in the
belief that her husband was ceasing
to worship her after the idolatrous
fashion carried out through the first
weeks Of her welded life, she began
to fall In love with the nan she had
married for money.
A few weeks only had elapsed when
q crisis IN the merchants business rem
dered It ~imperatively necessary that
Mr.. Wintnorpe should so to Charleston
for two Of three months.
Poor Fay stood aghast as her hus-
band mentioned his intentions to her
In the same cool, matlarsof-fact way
in which he might have criticised the
book he now held IN his hand.