Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-12-09

questions by asking them himself.
81 presume, madam. that you called
in response to the advertisement
~ called to see you concerning it,
yes"
You are looking COR husband7"
II was more looking for the man who
thought he wanted n wife"
"Are you prepared to marry at once1
"Oh, dearl that depends"
Upon what, madam"
"Why, the man, of course"
DO you want money!
"Oh, no, indeed. 1 could easily sup
!, port a husband
"A protector?"
Not a bit"
IAN adviser?'
IF did, surely know better than
/ TO marry a lawyer
ever married before?"
mo, 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 thet you really want
a husband at ALL
This was n mistake. Stanton saw it
in an instant; but it was too late, for the
lady had seen il, too, and taken advan-
, tage of it.
'Isn'tit because you don't really want
a wife at all, yourself-a real wife? p
practically, perhaps"
"And yet YOU must marry?"
Before midnight, tonight"
"You are n lawyer2'
al am"
;, "You look like an honest man."
81 try to be, so far as il is compatible
with my profession"
"You surely wouldn't Intentionally
: wrong woman?"
- mo, madam"
a "You are in some legal tangle tina
y can be settled only by your having
y wife at once?"
Precisely"
d. "You want her for specific purpose
$ and then YOU have no further use 70
her?"
lie Yes"
What do you propose to do with he
or then?"
h 81 supposed that such an advertise
en- ment would call out individuals I
whom a large sum of money would
de ample compensation for the services r
n quired."
m. ''You propose TO pay her to act ;
your legal wife, to meet some law, ar
tie then to sink into oblivion?'
He ~ imagine that such an arrang
a ment would be pleasanter than Il
10 possession of a husband witho
he money, 10 some women"
''Pleasanter than the possession
for some husbands and their weight
diamonds to any woman"
ing THAN myself, for example. u
an madam
diy But it's not a high grade of cOu
ted ship, is to"
'No, madam"
ible "And you don't expect to secure
the woman worthy to be a'wife-"
lor- mo, madam"
God ''You know that you are cast
the pearls before swine, yet you seem
t he ignore the possibility that they '
nick trample them under their feet and II
al again and rend YOU"
hing Possibly 1 had not thought
enough into the future"
cred surely you'd not respect the W.
,uffi- an who sold her life to the bondag
Nal wife without husband, in excha
lted, for your gold?"
ioor, II should hardly need to respect b
"Would you respect yourself, mos
ex- about as a man in the world, wi
woman of whom you were ashamed
ing somewhere as your legal wife
that stanton had reached a point of
she peration. He rose from his chair q
} sex replied:
who madam, your line of argumel
actly. correct. l appreciate it and agree
il; but don't carry it on any furthe
20 r." a moment, or you will shake me
N the my position, when, perhaps, had
ter not be shaken. Allow me briei
\ was lay before you the incidents and !
surely ments which brought me TO act as
>, was Possibly you may agree with me
Inn de- least I am convinced that shall
I real your opinion"
The story was told, and came
of his snd with a sigh and the remark:
Il vowed last night that, if
ir. who prevent it, Richard Raymond S
an who not have the property. The poss
/ sure" OF reaching some one through b
'peared advertisement presented itself
ed: ply realized that, with no oesi
marry, was sacrificing nothin
I smile, hoped to ind woman SIM Liar
aoolboy ated, to whom an aounoanc %
is try would be blessing sulnclenO1
long as ciated."
The lady's eyes had lost their s.