Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-05-24

oneT
he kept 1t q secret from his family.
1ney were very proud, he said, and he
was AFRAID II they heard he had married
aa actress they would refuse to help him
any further. So we waited till we could
cross the border and were married In Ber-
wick"
I'm sorry for that! II it had been done
In Scotland, we might have proved it to
De an irregular marriage What is the
name Of the place at which you were
marEiedT
Chiffon. Oh! shall never forget mat
Gay, Mrs. Hephzibah. I was frightened
out Of my senses; and the horrible old man
who married us was 30 tipsy he could
hardly get through the service. And the
very same night the little church In which
We were married was burned to the
ground"
Burned to the ground. childi whatl
entirely destroyedT
Il believe so. Iney said It was STRUCK
by lightning, but some people thought the
clergyman had set fire to it himself; and
] am sure he was tipsy enough for any.
thing"
Della Moray" exclaims Mrs. Hephzi.
bah, suddenly, "have you got your mar
riage certifcateT'
Yes! have a copy of it. 1t was given
us before we left the church. But why
do you ask. Mrs. Horton with a dis
tressed countenance-'surely you do not
suspect that am not married to himY'
mo, child! No! 1t would be much
better, mny be, if you were not. But the
man is q villain, and may turn round upon
you any day. Keep the certificate safe.
Don't let 1t go out of your hands, or you
may end your name ruined before you
know where you are. Burned to the
ground! l never heard Of such a thing
before. And what became of the drunken
parsonT'
II have heard nothing Of him since. For
q few months we lived near Glasgow. and
then James was unfortunate, and lost his
situation. and l had to go on the stage
again, and have been there ever since"
while he does nothing"
mo, nothing. He says he can't get
anything to do"
IAN idle excuse, because he prefers to
live upon your salary. But 1t appears
to me that things have come to a crisis,
and that you ought to do something to
free yourself from the clutches Of this
scoundrel. Your friends can't help you.
DecHuse you've got none, and his friends
won't. Nothing remains for you, there
fore, Della Moray. but to take the law
into your own hands and help yourself"
At these words the younger wOman's
face becomes a picture of despair.
"How can 1 help myselfY she cries.
"As other wives have done before you
Have you never heard Of such q thing a.
4 protection 0rderT
Never"
REALLY, the ignorance Of our sex upon
matters of general information Is astound-
ing! 1 should have thought it was the
interest Of every married woman in Chris
tendon to make herself acquainted with
the relief the law contains for her. It's
little enough, my dear, can tell you, and
would burden no ones brains to get by
heart. A protection order, obtained from
magistrate, would render you safe from
the assaults Of that man tomorrow, and
enable you to live in peace, and support
yourself and your child"
"Oh, Mrs. Horton! can 1t really be true l
[ thought that a woman, once married,
was bound to remain with her husband
till his death. thought he could force
her to live with him..
$50 he can, il he supports her-not II
she supports him. Thank goodness! we
are not quite such slaves as that! though,
In my opinion, marriage is one-sided
contract, under the best Of circumstances.
Now, mind you look in again tomorrow
evening, and hear If have been able to
extract any sense out Of my stupid old
lawyef."
But long after Della Moray, with her
bruised body and sick heart, has crept
away to her evenings occupation. Mrs.
Hephzibah sits motiOnless, staring into
he fire, and wondering what she can dc
% alleviate her position.
CHAPTER II.
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