Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-04-01
CAsToRIA
-; i: 5||'!;.AMNzZzSx IL! 81;
Social Tragedies.

DR.. s. T. Satterthwaite, of Fargo,
politician and student, has evolved a
novel out Of the conditions existing in
that city with relation to the divorce in
dustry in that city, and while the TR1B-
uNE has not been favored with a copy it
is willing for the occasion to accept the
verdict of the Grand Forks Herald,
which says the book is commendable.
According to the review published the
opening chapter of the story introduces
a number of divorce cases, pending and
prospective, in which the seekers for
release from the marital tie fairly repre-
sent all varieties of character, actuated
from all sorts of motives, from the hus-
band of honorable intentions whose
wife for years has been an Inmate of an
insane asylum and whose recovery under
the most skillful treatment is pronounce
ed hopeless, to the frivolous devotee of
fashion, who abandons her husband
when financial reverses deprive him of
fortune and the mean of gratifying her
pleasure, and the conscienceless adven-
turess whose conduct becomes more and
more questionable as the story proceeds.
The book is pure and healthful in tone,
discriminating and judicious in treat
ment and of added interest to North Da-
kota readers, both from the fact that
the author is North Dakota man and
because the western state" and "Di-
vorcetown, in the western state,'' are
easily recognized in these lines, and in
other passages:
SIN u far little city in a growing wes-
tern state, Cecil Brooks established, or
proceeded to establish, his residence.
1t would take him about three months
to become a citizen of this growing wes-
tern state. Then it would take thirty
days to get the divorce proceedings
through the courts. Cecil Brooks, as a
divorce seeker, was not a lonely nan in
this fair city Of the plains. It did not
take him long to discover that he was
one of about four hundred Of a divorce
colony, the members of which were kill
ing time and suffering from ennui, as
they established their residence in this
thriving city in order that they might
throw off the matrimonial yoke, matri-
monial misfits who are ~endeavoring to
shed their irritating and unshapely
garments and assume matrimonial garbs
more tostheir liking. He took up his
abode at the leading hotel and there he
was thrown in contact with quite a
number of the contingent" as they
were called. 1t did not take the divorce
colony long to size up Brooks as being
n Of them"
Brooks is the unfortunate husband,
who, after much misglving, reluctantly
sought release from his insane wife, and
when, just as his decree was about to
be granted, was startled by the receipt
Of a letter from the superintendent of
the hospital announcing her partial re-
covery. Instantly abandoning divorce
proceedings. he hastens to the asylum,
takes his wife to his home, and with the
help of friends employs every means to
complete her recovery, but after q time
relapse occurs and the unfortunate wo-
man steals from her home at dead Of
night in the midst Of q storm and
browns herself. After three years
Brooks marries the heroine Of the story,
an estimable lady Of wealth who had
conscientiously repressed her recipro-
Gated affections Of Brooks, intending to
devote her life to social reforms. Other
characters picture the typical ssdiv0r.
cee,,'' one Of whom says she was .'really
engaged before che went after q divorce
that call abe had to do was TO live up
there three months and. pay the lawyer
lots Of money and he did the rest" and
according to her own statement, twas
courted and even engaged while yet the
wife Of another man, and he 9 sane,
healthy man, only unfortunate in bust
ness.' The purpose of the book is 70