The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-21
A STRANGE SEPARATION.
How Husband and Wife Grew Ava
From Each Other

How Husband and Wife Grew Away
From Each Other.
From the Chicago Tribune
For day or two there has appeared in
the columns of the local papers this notice
NOTICE-I WILL PAY NO BILLS CON-
~ tracted by my wife, DR., Stella b, Nichols.
R. l.. NICHOLS.
r. L. Nichols is the foreman of planin g
mill at Davenport, la. He is robust
young mechanic of good habits, and popu-
lar among his acquaintance. He earns in
the vicinity of $l25 month.
Stella B. Nichols, his wife, is physician.
She resides at No 230 Ogden avenue. She
is also an invalid to a certain extent, and
resides here instead of at Davenport be-
cause she is under treatment. Not long ago
it was thought she would have to go to the
hospital and lie subjected to an operation
which often results fatally. The best hopes
of her physicians have, however, been
realized, and they now think she may re-
cover without the operation, if her treat
ment can be continued and her atfliction be
kept from aggravation.
The notice quoted above will, it is said,
be followed with proceedings for divorce,
which are now talked of on both sides of the
family. The husbands charge would be de-
sertion; the wife's cruelty.
Mr.. and Mrs. Nichols were happily mar
ried at Davenport about eight years ago.
He worked at his place in the mill, and
when he went home at night expected to
take life at its fullest enjoyment. On the
other hand, his wife, a frail little woman,
whose weight was hardly 100 pounds do
sired to read and study. Her pleasure was
books. While her husband slept or went
out for a stroll she studied. Her fondness
drifted toward the profession of medicine.
She came to Chicago, got place i'll West
Side church choir, and worked her way
through the Woman's Medical College,
graduating with distinction. She then re-
turned to her husband.
She practiced medicine quite successfully
there for time. Subsequently she went
to Buffalo, N. Y, to be treated by DR..
Potter. About six months ago she came
here Her medical attendance cost her
nothing, as by the ethics Of the profession.
doctors render no charge for services to ono
another. She had some incidental expenses,
but they were not great, and her husband
contributed S35 a month toward meeting
them.
Gradually she and her husband grew apart
He earned his living by his trade and
hands; she by her mind. Two weeks ago he
came to see her. He asked her to return
anfi live with him, but she told him she
could not Her doctors told him that it
would kill her if she returned at this time.
She asked him to come here and live with
her He investigated the chances. He
could get only 81 rs a day, whereas he
earned S. at Davenport. He refused to
come. When he returned home he wrote
his wife, or her friends, that he would bear
with her no longer, Then he sent the
notices of non-liability for debt.
Mrs Nichols was at home last evening,
but she was ill when a reporter called, and
could not be seen. A friend said, however,
that divorce proceedings would probably
oe instituted soon. Both the husband and
wife desired to be free
And what's the cause of itY'
"a strange case. Both are excellent peo-
pie. Either would make an excellent com
panion for another 1t is strange, yet
there is nothing sensational"
Would you say that her mental growth
had made him an incompetent companion
for her-that he had become intellectually
her inforior1'
mo, l would not say that, because it
would be an injustice to him 1t is simply
remarkable instance of a couple growing
away from one another"