The Opelousas courier., 1904-01-30
q husband Won.
By Lizzie T. r. Gilchrist.

~ AAS41S - ~. NAANulAS@
$50 Hal is married at Iast?" sal
Miss Belle Grey to her companio,
Mrs. Paine, as they were seated j
g. pretty room overlooking one o
our beautiful Wisconsin lakes.
eyes," said Mrs. Paine, with a Sigh
frown; his wife is here"
"Here!-with your"
eyes. She went for a drive thi
morning. I expect her back ever
minute"
What sort of a girl is she?" Mis-
Grey asked. Not that she cared, bu
one must show some interest in tn,
bride of ner hostess son.
do you want me to tell you tn
truth, BELIEF"
"Of course I do"
We'll, she's Hal wife, but she !;
tall and awkward, without the leas
element of style, ignorant of the mos
common accomplishments, with n6NSl
ing to recommend her but a swaA
voice and a pair of fine eyes" y
Dear me-" said Mrss Belle, "wha
could have possessed Hal to MARI,
herr"
Il don't know" said Mrs. Paine
in tones of despair, " and | don't be
lieve he does, either. / asked hin
once, and the answer was, The fac
is, mother, I am a little disappointed
In Myrtle. But I'm married. and The
ceremony can't well be annulIed."
"Just like Hail." said pretty Belle;
always buying new toys and getting
tired of them soon, even when we
We're children"
YES returned Mrs. Paine, bitter.
ly; "but this toy can't be got rid OF
81 easily"
But you say Hal Is away in En-.
roper"
Eyes, he can get rid Of her, but
can't. AS my daughter-in-law I am
bound to give her q place in my home,
and But what noise was that?"
Only the drapery of the window"
said Belle, turning her head; "the
fastening has given away"
But Miss Grey was mistaken. rt
was the rustic OF a woman's dress.
And Mrs. Myrtle Paine, who had
heard the entire conversation from
the next room, hurried away with
hands tightly elasped and q hard gilt
ter In her fine eyes.
For Myrtle Paine was only sixteen,
and these revelations came to her like
. t~hunder-clap. Many times In the
few weeks OF her married life she
had fears and doubts, but nothing
TO compare with this. EIal was tired
and ashamed of her. And Myrtle
who with oil her faults had q wo-
mans hsart-threw herself on the
sofa In her room and burst into a
torrent OF tears.
And yet she acknowledged to her.
self that 1t was all true. She had
been an uneducated country girl when
she met Hal Paine, who was spending
his vacation In the country, and had
asked temporary lodgings at the house
OF her uncle. He had loved her-or
he said 30, at least-and married
her. And for q brief time she was
happy. But now she almost wished
that she were dead. Yet she could
not die-she could not vanish out OF
But OF one thing she was sure
-she would never be a blennish ia
the csss La Paine again.
Mrs. Paine said, next day,
will you grant me a favor? would
like to go home q while.s
Mrs. Paine hesitated, and at last
said:
Il do not think that Hal would
approve"
Hal Is not here, and I cannot stay
here" interrupted Myrtle.
Wei. Il you are determined said
Mrs, Paine, hesitatingly. you viii
write oftensn
As often, no doubt as you will
sare to hear from me- Myrtle ans
Tered. with q shade Of bitterness In
Ter voice.
@It IL justcas we'll. said Mrs. Paine
p Belle Grey, while speaking Of the
departure Of her daughtarin-law.
'one days afterward. Now we can
laye Hattie Wilde with us tor com.
any was bored to death with
hat g
don't wonder said MisH Grey.
nth q curl x her lips.
But MTrtie Paine did not 90 home.
uncle ana aunt imagined she had
harriet into 4 sphere All roses ana
sanshlne and she had not tbs heart
} dispsl Their aelusion,