The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1919-04-10
CUPID'S DAYDREAM
BY MARY J. HAYES.

What right has this man to upset
my home and induce my wife into
public life, when her duty is with her
husband and baby?" Numbered Mr..
Merrill as he threw his paper aside
and jumped up from the Morris chair.
"But, Alec" his wife pleaded, I'm
just tired of this dingy little place, and
baby is whining all the time. Mr.
Cardi has made arrangements for my
first appearance on next Tuesday eve
ming. Mother is coming over in the
morning to take baby, and shall man.
age to get into the city before dinner
and rehearse with Mr.. Cardi in the
afternoon"
my dear girl. you are making a
blind mistake sin needing this mans
advice. You will be sor-"
ct Is useless" interrupted Marie,
'for you to try to alter my plans, for
when my mind is set mean to carry
1t out"
Alec crossed the room and stood In
front Of the French window. The moon
lit up his face as he glanced out upon
his acres of golden wheat and corn.
$50 Mr.. Cardi has succeeded at
last" he was thinking. "Yes, his own
little innocent Marie had been per-
suaded by this miserable wretch" All
his happiness was to be ruined, his
little cottage, all his newly found joys
and comforts of farm life, and baby
what was to become Of him? He would
grow up without q mothers love and
care.
At length he turned toward where
his wife had been standing, but she
was not there. Shutting off the light,
he went upstairs. AS he passed her
door he stopped. Perhaps at this very
moment she was packing. Would ne
. knock? No, he mustn't. He would let
her carry out her plans, as she said,
and perhaps some day she would real
lie her fault and come back to him.
The next evening found Marie in
handsome chamber in one OF the most
fashionable hotels of the city. She was
thinking over the events OF the day.
She had met and rehearsed with Pro-
fessor Cardi as had been arranged,
and he had told her of the remarkable
talent she possessed. Never before
had she realized 1t. AS she sat gazing
at all the luxuries about her she &C
knowledged to herself how wrong she
had been in partaking of such things
that were all so unnatural to her; but
her heart, swelling with pride, re-
belled against these thoughts.
Every morning for nearly a week
she spent with a dressmaker. Her
afternoons were given for rehearsals,
and in the evenings she Joined Mr..
Cardi in theater parties and dances.
The night before her performance she
retired early. These new excitements
were all too much for her, and she lay
awake thinking of baby and Alec, and
how she longed to be with them now.
The next morning she arose earlier
than usual, having spent restless
night. As she stood before the long
mirror, and the dressmaker's skilled
fingers worked busily with her cos
tune, she longed for her bungalow
apron and heaved a sigh Of relief when
the garment was finished and care
fully tucked In her wardrobe. That
afternoon she spent rehearsing, and at
s dined with Mr.. Cardi. Seven O'Clock
found her very much excited and nerv-
GUS. Later In the evening Mr.. Cardi
called to accompany her to the the
alter.
She came upon the stage. her eyes
beaming with success, but with an
aching pain tugging at her heart. "lf
Alec could only see now, how proud
he would be of her." she consoled her
self.
The orchestra sounded the chord, and
Marie, forgetting her troubles, began
her selection. Her loud voice rang out
clearly and sweetly and won the hearts
Of her audience. The applause with
which her first selection was greeted
delighted Marie, and In the height OF
her success, she reached for a tele.
gram, which a messenger boy slipped
into her hand, and In an audible whis,
per, she read, "baby died this morn
ing, Alec" The audience looked from
one to another in amazement, and Ma
RE fell back in q dead faint.
Grandma Merrill, hearing the loud
noise on the piazza, dropped the sauce
pan of potatoes that she was pairing
and rushed out to the front door, only
to find Marie rubbing her eyes with
one hand, and shielding the bump OF
! her forehead with the other.
.. and 1t was only a dream after
ALL" Marie was saying, as Alec ap
peared on the scene a few minutes
later. Just then baby began to CRY
and Marie was spared the humiliation
Of explaining the dream. while all at
tention was turned to Alec, Jr.
| Copyright, 1913, by Mcclure Newspape