The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-03-18

! EQUAL =
! PARTNERS
By HoW.aRp FIELDING
Copyright, 1901, b. Charles W. Hooke.

hut dluh't you ask about lim?" saii
Brenda. didn't you find out how he
stood socially!"
Elsie laughed.
How was TO find out any Of those
things| she said. "The world Is a bic
place. In the midst Of which Is society
us you know it, a little mutual insur,
ance company for the purpose of pro
tecting its members. especially the
younger ones, against accidents. l only
knew that liked this man and that he
seemed to be a-true friend to me. Whit
other guide was to have except my
own beautiful lguorance%'
II don't know" said Brenda aloud.
but to herself she was saying: 1.-THE
more wrong she has suffered the more
i want to help her. won't let any
thing take her away from me-"
Presently heard the story of the
romance in his llfc," continued Elsie.
ut appeared that the gentleman was
marricd-n,ost unAappily. Where was
his wife? He had permitted her to OBJ
tain d divorce. This was pure gcneros.
lily on his part. He would rather suf-
fer an injustice than attack in the
courts the woman he had sworn to love
and chVrish. He mentioned several
high society presidents for this con-
duct. In fact, he convinced Inc that
divorce was. upon the whole, a mark
of distinction In these days. 1t ap.
peated that his was sort of limited
divorce which did not permit him to
remarry, but after this aspect of 1t
had been presented to me on several
occasions he discovered that be could
marry under CERTAIN conditions with
'Tthe full sanction Of the law and heav.
en-.
! "Well, Brenda let's be fair. want.
Ell to marry the man. ! persuaded my
self that was in love with him.
wasn't. ! can Sce that now. | wasn't
within n million miles OF loving him,
hut was ready 10 be loved. Brenda;
that's the truth ohout IT, Ny heart
was full OF tenderness, and | saw the
whole world rose tinted in the light OF
the dawn Of love. That's poetical. But
wait minute. am coming to some
thing very lnronlantic. | wrote this
story, Brcnda-Wrote it all down for a
great heart thrilling novcl-and then
had sense enough TO burn it. But that
helps me to tell it straight, and you'll
catch fine phrases now and then, but
you won't laugh at me.
Wcll, We were engaged of course,
My fiance presented me with a dia-
mond ring, nn'l diamonds are my souls
delight. After got this one used to
keep little light burning in my room
at night 50 that | Nigh, see 1t sparkle
Ill happened to be wnkcful. sub.
seauently learned that there was
financial irrcgnlarty involved in The
obtaining of the glittering gem, but
did not learn that until after 1t had
passed out OF my possession"
where did fate find this precious
rascal?' whispered Brenda. And why
did fate send him to YOU"
"Why did fate send good man after
Ward! said Elsie. why not before?
Well. the moving finger writes and.
having writ. moves on. II was to he.
Finally the gentleman announced that !
4 marriage under the laws of the state
of Pennsylvania would meet the re-
Nulrpmpn,s Of the situation was a
good deal startled by this definite sug.
gesfion, and ! wrote 10 my mother on
the subject for the first time. The gen
tleman took the letter to post, and it
has not been delivered vet, thank !Irav.
en-.
Before It was time to get an answer
sudden business Of great Importance
callr'! my 'inncc 70 Philadelphia. How
stpnr''l". We'll, Brenda, packed a
littc hand bag AMI went What must
you think of me-" II
Brenda hrul down gently and Kissed
Elsic's hand and held il against her
face.
u don't i:n"w the story yet" she 80 ID.
but YOU have portrayed Il thorough
scoundrrl Ana YOU lave also shown
me- n trusting AMI 'rur hearted girI who
went 10 Il" ulaItic, with an innocent
lFari. Blessed heaven, Think of n
man for whom a Young and pure sirl
will 20 out into tt" world Ike that. as
r to walk in The rIhs. Should not ey-
ny fiber of his snu1 be thrilled 10 !pyas-
Y for all his ifp:"
"ihr Erilt!fhiH', in question Ind no
oAl said Elsie. 81 inink Il" WIN Ac
pared ~ punishment .,""rrf.cr nr Size
rttes are. Let us proceed. Brenda,
ear. The remainder Of HE story Is
Ot long. We took tho II O'clock train
nd reached PhilnurD!it, in time for Z
lnchcon. our marriage WAS to 10 '
ept secret for awhile and there seem. !
d to be some slight objection TO the
ublic dining room Of the hotel where =
ur hnllSonl SGT us down. However, "
e lnnched there quite hastily, for II
nd no appetite. Then we rr-enlered
he hanson ana went to look for Il mill
ter We had remarkable difficulty in !,
nding one considering that phladc- n
hia Is n large city full of churches, hut :,
e finally succeeded. Then it appeared -
lat we had neglected to comply with !,
'rtalD formali1cs, but the clergyman q
80 "ble W Itt'Hit llE HidlleI, anu SO 1,
e We're married pitifully as see it :. g,
wv, with stupid old servants and a l.,
rance lhborer who happened to be ut a.
ork IN the house as our witnesses. -,
when we got back to the hotel IL w
as Q O'Clock, and was nearly fam =.
led. We hurried right into the din. ~
room, and my husband ordered Il "
cat spread, with champagne, for our
scrable celebration, and now I will
u you the unromantc part. In the of
DIST of that dinner, and while fan. IN
ID that was eating with Il splendid al
petite. | was suddenly seized with to
most awful pain that ever devas- slj
ed my poor little stomach. Yes, wi
enda, 1t was a regular, terrible eli,
mach achc--just pain, without bit st,
nausea. felt as If some one had th
stomach In his hand-a hand about oll
size of Captain Neale's-and was an
shing 1t to pieces. NV
Ny husband said lie guessed 1t
uld soon pass away, but 1t didn't,
SO he left his dinner and ran out l
drug store to get me something to of
e. When he came back, I took It, bel
n