The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-09-03
THEIR LITTLE
HOUSE
By TEMPLE BAILEY
(coDsrisht. 1910. by Associated Literary Press)

Copyright. 1910. by Associated Literary Press.)
Lucille came slowly down the long
walk. Her heart was full of bitter
ness Why did some people have all
the good fortune? Behind her was
the great mansion where Marguerite
lived with her rich husband Mar
guerita and Lucille had gone to school
together, and after their school days
they had danced their way through
life until the time when Marguerite
met the man who had built the big
house
Marguertta's husband was the one
rich man in the village. It had been
real love match. however, for the
big man adored his little wife, and
Marguerite thought there was no one
In the world as perfect as her sue
cessful husband.
Lucille had not envied her friend,
for she had lover of her own, a bet
ter man. perhaps, If not as rich as
the one who had chosen Marguerite.
Today, however, Lucille had come
away from Margueritas home with q
feeling of discomfort The great
house, with its exquisite furnishing.
Its servants. its air of luxury, had
| made her feel the contrast of her
own future. Lucille was to live In q
: little house. Her lover was poor, but
he had planned the cottage residence
with much eagerness
Wen make up for all the little
ness and lack of luxury he said,
''by the amount of love that we will
have for each other
! +I,ot 4.
home there was also love, and she
/ longed intensely for the pretty
clothes, the ease, the softness of her
friends existence
At this moment of her greatest re-
bellion she met the man she was to
marry. Philip, she said, as he
joined her, Il have been up to Mar
guerita's. She has the Ioveliest home
her husband gives her everything"
He laughed. mo home could be
lovelier than our little house." he
said.
Her head went up. 81 am not SO
sure" she told him, that love in a
cottage will be all we think it will
be- Philip"
He turned and stared at her. Has
your visit to Marguerite" he asked,
made you think that?'
She shook her head. "I don't know.
only it does not seem quite fair that
Marguerite should have SO much,
does it, Philip"
She hasn't any more than you
have" he said stoutly. Both of you
have love, and beauty and a home;
that your home is to be smaller and
less luxurious ought not to weigh
greatly, Lucille"
His tone was so confident that it
grated on her. Did he value her so
little that he could see her beauty
buried in his small house, while Mar
guerita's was to shine like a Jewel in
Its gorgeous setting?
She turned to her lover, her eyes
flashing. ct don't think 1 want to
live in the little house, Philip" she
said
She did not really mean it; it was
only mood Of the mind, but his
confident bearing, his masculine dense
ness irritated her
He stared at her unbelievinRIy.
Surely you don't mean that, Lucille, -
he said. Surely you don't mean that
you have let me build and dream,
only to have that dream unfulflled ?''
They had come to the gate that
opened the way to the little house.
1t was always their custom to go
there on afternoons together to see
what had been done. Every stone
that had been laid, every room that
had been finished, every bit of furni-
ture that had been bought, had been
the result of their careful planning
Today they entered it in silence Lu.
Giles glance seemed to take it In
critically She wondered how she
could have been so enthusiastic The
simple prints on the walls, the mex
pensive furniture in the living room
the muslin hangings, all looked sc
cheap after the magnifcence of Mar
guerita's home
She turned to him and flung out
her hands. Il just can't live here
Philip" she said despairingly
At first he would not believe her
She was so knit into his life that he
refused to think of future without
her But, with a wild feeling that
she was tied to poverty if she mar
ried him, she demanded her freedom
and, after he had used every argu
ment in the long walk home, at las
he gave 1t, with a look Of pain thai
, hurt her, and kept her awake in the
watches of the night
Indeed she got no sleep. She won
dered what evil spirit possessed hel
that she should thus sell her birth
right of love.
She rose and paced the floor, anC
at last she sank down by the win
dow, looking out in the starlit night
But there was something more thar
. the stars that lighted the night. Or
the hill that stood between her Owl
home and that Of Marguerita's there
WAs q dull glow.