The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-05-25
BY MUTUAL CONSENT.
BY WILLIAM 6. PATTEN.



1T is plain to me-" said Blummer,
after he had quarrelled with his wife
for half an hour over the breakfast
] table-''it is very plain to me we are
! quite incompatibler'
L fully agree with you,'' retorted
Mrs Biummer, wiping the tears Of
anger from her pretty brown eyes.
I'VE are not at all congenial"
'On this point" observed Blummer,
! lclly, I'VE seem to have no difference
Of opinion. We were utterly mistaken
in ever imagining we cared for each
other enough to"
You are right" the little woman
broke IN, determined he should not
gain the least advantage. 1T WAS
very silly of me and shall never cease
to regret It,"
Il made blooming idiot of my
SELF Blummer brutally declared.
But then. you were a rather pretty
and stylish girl when met you at
"Oh, you are really growing compli
mentary. So was a rather pretty
and stylish girl-when you met me.
That was just one year ago. | sup
pose l have grown old and and home
ly and dowdy in year. II SO, the
life [ have led with you during the
last six months is the cause of itr'
She was growing hysterical again.
Il have done all l could to make
you happy, but you are the most un
reasonable woman [ ever saw. [
thought you was an angel, but [ have
found you possess temper like
like a coal chisel. Our married life
has been a wretched failure"
Then he very deliberately attempt
ed to take drink of coffee from his
egg glass.
There is a remedy for our wretch
edness.' exclaimed the little woman,
decidedly, look Of resolution on her
flushed face.
Yes he nodded. The remedy is
separation. 1t would be glorious
thing to be free man again
She Ieaped to her feet.
That settles it, Mr. Blummer. I'll
not live another day with you after
this. | shall enjoy my freedom quite
as much as youwill The only thing
[ dread is the horrible disgrace of be-
ing seen III q divorce court"
You need not worry about that,
Mrs Blummer, unless you wish to
marry again, for we can live apart by
mutual consent, and there need be no
divorce. As for me. | shall never
marry again"
Nor l. Once is enough for me.
We will separate quietly
She sat down again and they talked
it over, finally arriving at an agree
ment.
Mrs. Blummer went away to a re-
mote little resort amid the mountains,
where she could spend a quiet sum
mer. She stopped at picturesque
old hotel, where she was known as
widow, as it happened she affected
black. And a very gay little widow
she made, for she was determined to
obtain utter forgetfulness in the pleas
ure to be extracted from the passing
moment
And 50 it came about that she made
the acquaintance Of perfectly love
ly' old doctor who took a great inter
est in her. He was 50 very kind and
attentive that he seemed like father
to her
Day after day Mrs. Blummer and
the doctor were seen together, and 1t
was not long before the other guests
began to gossip mildly about them. .
She is awfully lucky" declared
one gushing young thing. He is
really IN earnest, and he Is so awfully
rich. No sensible girl would mind
his age, for he is awfully handsome.
But it's always the widows who make
the lucky catches"
One day the doctor and Mrs Blum
mer We're alone in a coy little nook
| beside the mountain stream, where
| they had come for the ostensible pur
pose of fishing. But their rods lay
idly ON the ground, and they wer seat
ed quite near together on the soft moss.
Mrs. Blummer," said the doctor,
securing one of her hands, Il love you,
and | want you to marry me. am a
wealthy man, and | will do everything
IN my power to make you happy"
Her tender brown eyes filled with
tears, and she tried to release her hand,
Doctor, | cannot marry you"
why not? 2"
Il am married already"
Then she told him everything in a
frank way that made him feel that he
loved her all the more desperately,
When she was finished, he said:
You do not love this man to whom
you are bound"
No"
Would YOU marry me if you We're
free p
II think So"
Then you must obtain legal sepa-
ration from him"
Three hundred miles away, Blum
mer was enjoying himself at the sea
shore He met very charming and
beautiful girl, and, by way of diversion
he sought her society as much as pos
| Siblp One lay no camn IN tba npn