Birmingham state herald., 1896-12-13
STRANGE TALE OFA
 DIVORCE IN LONDON.

June Is not delightful except to those who can be delighted, and MT. Clarence Armitage, of No IA Somerset square, was not 8 man to whom June or any other month was delightful. He had just seen his three little children off to their school close by. watching them across the square, and he came back to the dini ing room, where breakfast was laid for him, and where his letters, great heap of them, awaited him, He wearly stood sorting them out, and at last picked out one written in a lawyers handwriting, and bearing the monogram of Messrs. Clarke & Russell. He waited motionless almost while the servant brought in hot coffee, bacon and eggs, and replying to her question that he wished for nothing else he took up the letter and slowly opened it as the door was closed upon him. It read as follows; ...s 22 Lincoln's Inn Fields, W. C., June, 1, 1S-
 Dear Sir:-We hasten to inform you that the rule was made absolute this day in court, and that therefore, the case is now finished in your favor. We are, dear sir yours faithfully,
 CLARKE 6 RUSSELL.
 Clarence Arnitage, Esq. tlt4 a4
 "Oh, my poor wife! poor, darling Kate" he cried out to himself. "Why did I go to these lengths? What is my life worth to me now? Why did you leave me? Why did you leave me?'
 Perhaps these questions are asked more often than one would suppose; per haps the dreary silence of the reply to them tells as strongly upon the nerves of others as 1t did upon those of Clarence Armitage. He bore it all, though, silent ly and apparently unmoved. His life was very methodcal. He saw after every thing himself. In the morning he was down early enough to see that the three younger children had their breakfast properly and to afterwards speed them on their way to school, then to greet his two elder boys as they set out for UniVer- sty college. lie was a reserved man, and yet there was @ world of affection for his four boys and little girl, youngest and daintest of them all. The children seemed to recognize it for they loved their father. After settling with his house. keeper the necessary details of the day, he proceeded to his office and then at 6 o'clock. upon his return, he had high tea with his children, helped them in their lessons, sometimes saw them in their bath, and always at the last, when all the house was quiet, went up to their bedside and saw that they were com fortable for the night.
 Once, about three months after Mrs. Armitage had become free from the ties of wifehood he had said goodnight and had gone to his study, when upstairs there arose a screaming from little voices and harsh. angry notes from the lips of boys, who were not controlled yet by the worlds heavy hand of repression. MT. Armtage flung his cigarette down and rose to go upstairs, when the door was thrown open and Ralph ArmitaGe stood there panting and raging in his youthful heat.
 Father" he cried out, you have not forbidden Katie and-?"
 The poor boy burst into tears Some thing had turned his first flash of irdig dofi pf a 0 heartfelt grief. .etr......sl
 well Ralph, what does all this moan, and what is all the crying and noise up- stairs about?" ........
 "Oh, father, dear little Katie was say ing her prayers, and she said-she said, God blass dear mother, and-and-'"
 The boy stopped abruptly, and MT. Armitage turned deadly pale,
 "Well Ralph" he said kindly, "tell me all about it, my boy. Forbidden her to T "Oh, I thought not; but Mrs. Cooisson said she mustn't do so, and that it was wicked to think anything more about mother, and that Katie nor any of them were ever to mention her. and that you would be angry 1ss, ..+-e-rs
 MT Armitage put his hand on the boys shoulder and went upstairs There was still crying going len there. still hot. de- liant words of the raging boys, and then MT. Arnitage stood in their midst. He LOOK nlS llIlle uauSnteF III HIS dtliiS anu kissed her again and again. 9rs.gS.
 ''well, Katie. daring." her said, "say your prayer. over. again, dear, will you, and let me hear it?'r .otso ass-
 ''But, father. Mrs. Cooksoni says It's wicked" said the child. looking eyer to the housekecper, who stood folding up the chiidren's things al na9- aa .4.
 ''No, my dear, 1t, isn't wicked, so let me hear it."
 The child began at the beginning the