The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-02-11

Mrs. Mawgan looked a little alarm.
ed. She had never heard her friend
'aunch out SO strongly before. Blu.
there SHOULD be love, of course be-
tween husband and wife," she insisted.
Call 1t by any name you like" Mrs.
parkyn said, a little more mildly. "a
sirl a like any man she makes UP
her mind to quite well enough to mar.
ry him. AS for all the silly stuff
that people talk about love-well, as
every married woman knows, it wears
off in a fortnight, and after that it's
federation"
Il don't agree with you altogether"
Mrs. Mawgan said, a little stiffly, and
soon after she rose and took he de-
parture.
Mrs. Parkyn played the part of
town crier with great success, and
by the evening Of the following day
everybody in the n~eignborhood knew
the whole story.
In st. Chloe it was the chief topic
Of conversation for several days, and.
speaking generally, Esther received
very little sympathy. The young
men admired her immensely, but they
were not given to talking. The
women, however-young and old
alike-were almost unanimous that
she had done a very foolish thing.
To fling away such a chance when
they were so poor seemed madness.
The commercial side was the only
thing that made any appeal. Love,
romance, idealism-these things went
for nothing.
For a fortnight Esther had a very
sad time Of it, and sometimes she
wondered IL she had not made a mis-
take. What was the use of cherish
ing an ideal? What good came of it?
She got no sympathy or encourage
ment. Even her mother loyal as
she was to the memory Of her dead
husband-failed to see the matter
from her point of view. The love of
money, the passion for position and
display, not only blinded the eyes, but
scared the conscience and hardened
the heart. The highest, hottest in
stincts of the soul were accounted as |
nothing in comparison with wealth.
She grew depressed as the days
passed away. The man she loved
made no further sign. Her mothers |
face was a picture of misery. Her
brothers letters were less hopeful in |
tone than they had been. Instead Of
having done a brave and virtuous
thing, she might have done a wicked
thing. She wondered if she were not
a selfish coward, if 1t were not her
duty to other people to put Puritan
scruples into her pocket and sell her
self to the highest bidder. Her ideal
of womanly chastity seemed to be re-
garded as a fad-at least by women
Whether men had nobler ideals for
women than they had for themselves
she did not know.
She spent a good deal of time each
evening in prayer. There was no ont
to whom she could open her heart.
She was in her most depressed
mood one afternoon when her old
friend Ada Bollard (nee Pendower)
called. Ada had Just returned from
a long honeymoon on the continent.
She was gowned exquisiteIy. Her
white hands blazed with diamonds.
Even her card-case' was gold set with
jewels.
She threw herself into an easy
chair with an air of utter WEAKNESS,
and asked in an Indifferent way how
everybody was.
Esther noticed in a moment the
change that had come over her. The
old charm had gone, the old bright
ness and vivacity no longer existed.
Had marriage done this, or had the
canker of wealth already begun it's
work?
She looked as handsome as ever
handsomer If possible in her latest
Partisan gown, and yet something had
gone from her face, some ooh from
her eyes, some expression from her
rich, full lips.
II am glad to see you back again."
Esther said, In her quiet sincere way.
Are you? Oh, well, l am glad to
be back for some things. And yet
don't know. One place is Just Is
stupid as another"