The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-11-02
A Strange Story.
A ROMANCE OF ENoeH ARDEN EXEMPLIFIED
HARDSHIP OF THE LAW.

In May, 1919, George end Mary Hough-
ton were married in Brooklyn New York.
A few months after their marriage the "green-
eyed monster" showed his hideous form in
their household. It is said that George was
not jealous without cause, but he did not
make much noise about the matter He
simply left his young wife without any ex-
planatou, and went to reside in Connecti-
cut. Mary mourned his loss for short
time, but was fortunate enough in year or
two to find consolation in the company of Il
man named Stephen Dram, who proposed
marriage. Like Mrs. Enoch Arden, she had
misgivings, and requested Stephen to wait
another year or two. Not hearing from the
lost one for five years she concluded that he
was dead, at least in law, and consented to
become Mrs. Dram. The following year the
dead man turned up and obtained divorce
on the ground that his wife was living in
adultery with Stephen Cram. Mr.. Hough-
ton again disappeared, and married wife
in Connecticut, with whom it appears, he
lived very happily, while his first wife CON
tinued to reside TRANQUILITY with Mr.. Dram,
who knew all the circumstances and took it
for granted that he was her legal husband,
as Houghton had abandoned her for five
years. Twenty years rolled around, and
Mr. Houghtoa and his first wife never met.
After the Brooklyn theatre calamity of 1876,
while Mr.. Houghton was reading over the
| list Of the victims he observed in It the name
of Stephen OIam. He went at once to the
house of the latter to inquire about him
and when he knocked at the door it was
opened by his first wife, who did not recog-
nize him. He speedily made himself known
however and n sensational scene was the
result. But now comes Mrs. Grams great
est trouble. She and her second HUSBAND
by hard industry had accumulated little
property, which she imagined was hers a
his death but when she sought letters Of
administration she was opposed by some o
of Mr.. Grams friends, on the ground of he
divorce from Houghton without the privil
ege of marrying again, and ON the strength
OF this the surrogate refused her application
Thinking the case very hard, inasmuch a
she did not marry Dram until she consider
ed her first husband legally dead, she, afte
the refusal of the surrogate to recognize he
as the lawful wife of Dram, made applies
! tion to the superior court to have the divorc
from. lIoughtoI set aside ON the groun
that she had not been served with a sun
j mons at the time and had no knowledge
the divorce proceedings. But here agai
: she was met by another difficulty in IL
meshes of the law. Houghton has a chil
. seventeen years of age by his second wit
who would, of course, be made illegitima
if Mrs. Dram should succeed in setting asiC
the divorce. After careful consideration c
It all conflicting interests in the case Judg
+ Friedman recently denied the motion, thu
leaving the woman, in her old age depliye
+ Of many years sayings of hard toll an
e thrown on the world because she did ne
= fully understand the law of divorce in Ii
the first instance The legal proverb thu
i Ignorance is no excuse" has been carrie
70 out her case with terrible severity, not a
e together, as it would seem, from the fault
e the law or tho judges but chiefly by Il
N force of circumstances.