The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-11-17

Money"
Are you looking for rich wife?"
''No. The poorer she is the better"
This was the first redeeming fea-
ture that Stanton had been able to
bring out, and he did it so vigorously
that the lady hesitated an instant. He
took advantage of the pause to reverse
the order of exercises, relieving himself
of the disagreeable task of answering
questions by asking them himself.
u presume, madam, that you called
in response to the advertisement?
81 called to see you concerning it,
yes"
"You are looking for husband?"
II was more looking for the man who
thought he wanted wife"
"Are you prepared to marry at once?''
"Oh, dear! that depends"
Upon what, madam"
"Why, the man, of course"
do you want money!"
"Oh, no, indeed. could easily sup
port husband"
"A protector"
''Not bit"
can adviser?"
''If I did, surely know better than
to marry lawyer"
Ever married before?"
"No, sir"
been deserted, betrayed, anything
Of that"
"Never."
Stanton changed the subject.
Want to be sure of having Mrs on
your tombstone?"
Not unless I've given it good trial
first on my visiting cards."
II don't believe that you really want
husband at ALL"
This was mistake. Stanton saw it
in an instant; but it was too late, for the
lady had seen it, too, and taken advan-
tage of it.
"Isn'tit because you don't really want
a wife at all, yourself-a real wife? ?"
"Practically, perhaps"
And yet you must marry?"
Before midnight, tonight"
"You are lawyer?"
II am"
You look like an honest man."
Il try to be, so far as it is compatible
with my profession"
"You surely wouldn't Intentionally
wrong woman?"
mo, madam
You are in some legal tangle that
can be settled only by your having a
wife at once?"
precisely"
You want her for specific purpose,
and then you have no further use for
her?"
"Yes."
what do you propose to do with her
then?"
II supposed that such an advertise
ment would call out individuals to
whom large sum of money would be
ample compensation for the services re-
quired."
"You propose to pay her to act as
your legal wife, to meet some law, and
then to sink into oblivion?"
II imagine that such an arrange
ment would be pleasanter than the
possession of a husband without
money, TO some women"
"Pleasanter than the possession of
some husbands and their weight in
diamonds to any woman"
Than myself, for example. Yes,
madam"
"But it's not high grade of court
ship, is it?"
mo, madam"
"And you don't expect to secure a
woman worthy to be wife"
mo, madam"
You know that you are casting
pearls before swine, yet you seem to
Ignore the possibility that they will
trample them under their feet and turn
again and rend you.'
Possibly 1 had not thought far
enough into the future"
Surely you'd not respect the wom-
an who sold her life to the bondage of
wife without husband, in exchange
for your gold?"
Il should hardly need to respect her."
Would you respect yourself, moving
about as man in the world, with a
woman of whom you were ashamed liv-
ing somewhere as your legal wife?"
Stanton had reached point of des-
peration. He rose from his chair as he
replied:
Madam, your line of argument is
correct. appreciate it and agree with
it; but don't carry it on any further for
a moment, or you will shake me from
INV nosition. when. nerhans had bet