The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-13
A WEDDING BY CABLE.
BY Helen T. Woods.

BY Helen T. Woods.
Mr. Archibald Giddings was an Eng
lishman, but not of the phlegmatic type,
or this story would never have been
written.
At the death of his parents he had
been taken by a male attendant to his
only living relative, an uncle, in Mel
bourne. There he grew to manhood
under the watchful eyes of his instruc-
tors and his bachelor uncle.
At the age of thirty the fair sex had
played no part in his life. His uncle
spared neither time nor money to make
Archibald Giddings' education COM
plete. He had the best of instructors,
and only the best, in art, in literature,
in the sciences, was to his attention.
In Craftsmanship, hunting and athletics
he was trained by the most skillful
tutors. But women did not pass with
in the domain of his uncle. He grew
up with a strange feeling of aversion
for the opposite sex. Having a great
admiration fui his uncle, and feeling
sure that mis- ugscle'S life had been sad
dened by a woman, he resolved to re-
main a bachelor to the end of his days.
Then things took a widely different
turn in the life of Archibald Giddings.
His uncle died suddenly, leaving will
which made the nephew sole heir to
his immense fortune on one condition
enly-that he, Archibald Giddings, con-
firmed bachelor, marry within the next
six months. 1t was sudden, startling
and decidedly unthought of.
AT least.S there was six months to
look about in, certainly not for a wife,
but for what might be done at the
end of the six months when the in
come and all the luxuries of life which
he had so long enjoyed should cease
with him. A few weeks were given
to the settlement of his uncles affairs,
and Archibald Giddings prepared to bid
goodbye to Melbourne.
In packing his belongings he ran
across a copy of a New York newspa-
per which had been among the last
mail received by his uncle. The bold
headlines on the first page caught his
attention, and he read an item of most
peculiar interest.
A wonderful coincidence. A young
woman in New York city had been left
a bequest that was precisely similar.
AS in his case, it amounted to millions.
AS in his case also, the young woman
was a confirmed disciple of single
blessedness.
The paper was four months old.
Archibald Giddings bethought plan
to plan was to act. The young woman
in New York was Immediately cabled
an offer of marriage, said marriage to
be performed by cable in the presence,
of sufficient number of witnesses at
both ends of the line. The entire situa-
ton was clearly explained in the mes
sage, and Archibald Giddings had only
to wait for the return cablegram
The young woman in New York re-
piled that she was still unmarried, and
that she would accept Mr.. Giddings'
proposal on the condition that the mar
riage should be held sacred by both
parties; that the understanding should
be that they would live their lives as
ithey were now doing, united only by
lawful ties.
Archibald Giddings was delighted.
He secured verbose legal opinion
from most learned Judge that such
a wedding would be perfectly lawful,
and preparations were Immediately be-
gun for wedding by cable
Private wires were laid to the house
of the bride in New York and to the
house of the groom in Milbourne from
the offices of the cable companies A
corresponding date and hour was set
for the wedding to take place in both
cities. An eminent divine OF Melbourne
and an equally eminent divine of New
York were engaged TO officiate at thi IS
novel ceremony. The marriage was re-
SOAOCO III DOIH CltI6S.
This accomplished, Archibald Gid
dings came into possession of his vast
fortune and assumed the air and bear
ing of a benedict His marriage vows
were sacred, and the understanding be-
tween himself and wife was perfect.
neither should in any way interfere
with the other-their lives should go on
as before. Mr.. Giddings decided to
travel extensively, but he proposed to
steer clear of New York,
There years later he left Boston for
Liverpool. The social duties on a. fast
ocean liner would have bored him so
to make sure of privacy and an op-
portunity to enjoy himself and his
books he took passage on a slow tramp.
The captain and owner of the tramp
was a rare type of old sea dog, an ex-
cellent character and a man of few
words. Il sometimes take a few pas
sengers," he told Mr.. Giddings, ''but
they must pay fare and register on
coming aboard"
Having come on board at night at
the moment of sailing Mr.. Giddings
was unable to register until morning.
When be glanced at the book he wish
ed that it was possible to leave the ship,
but she had already sunk Highland
Light in the horizon.
There before his eyes, in fine, bold.
feminine hand, were registered Mrs.
Archibald Giddings, child and maid"
Archibald Giddings' presence of mind
did not forsake him; he signed the
register. Amos Gridley.'' and hur-
riedly left the cabin.
he must make the best of it, and at
all events, his identity need not be dis
covered. 1t was really quite a piece of
good fortune; he could meet and study