The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-03-20
A PRELUDE TO
THE MARITAL KISS
[origInaI.l

[OrignaIl
Blakely Wharton came home early
expecting to find his wife at the door
to give him a kiss, as was her daily
custom. He was disappointed Going
into her boudoir he threw himself on a
lounge for awhile, then concluded that
he would write a letter. In the bou-
doir was an antique desk in which
correspondence. Sitting at this desk
Mr.. Wharton penned his opistle, adj
dressed it and set about hunting for
stamp. In the effort, opening and
shutting tiny drawers, punching here
and there, suddenly he was astonished
to see a drawer fly open from place
where he had never known there was
drawer. In the bottom were several
papers. Taking one up, he read:
Dearest-I was not able to come to you
on Munday, as my Horse had gone lame
will see you as soon as possible, but
cannot tell exactly what day.
GEORGE.
Can it be from one of Laura's old
lovers? She's had this desk for twenty
years and doubtless has used this
lrawer. Upon my word, never sup
posed my wife could have associated
with-had lover who would spell
aorse with capital II and Monday
with u
IL, = =
Dearest-I was frightened today Al
neeting you in con- pany with Stranger.
especially since | have heard reports
about you. Dc relieve my anxiety as SOON
as possible. G.
The next had been addressed on the
back, but the name had been erased:
Dearest-You say that you still love me,
but that fate separates us forever Is it
possible that you can think of marriage
| with another? YOUR LOVER.
| At this point Blakely began to de.
your the missives greedily and with
teri IDLE anxiety. Some of them had
dates and other features to give mea-
ger information about them. but he
4 was too eager to get the story to notice
4 anythi' q except the facts stated. The
next h<te was postmarked, but to this
| BlakelT was oblivious:
/ OH my darling how can you submit to
this tyranny? You know you are my
| Wife in the sight of God, and yet you
/ are going to marry another Man, stab
/ bing me and him at the same time. Turn
before it is too late. YOUR HUSBAND.
Blakely's heart seemed suddenly to
/ freeze. 20 Godp' he moaned and. sink
ing on a lounge buried his face in the
cushions In this position his wife
found him few minutes later. Sur
missing that he had fallen asleep, she
went to him and, sitting on the sofa
beside him, put her arms about him.
Go away" he cried
"Why, Blakely what's the matterW
Go away, | tell you! have discov.
cred all"
Great heavens. What all?"
"Bigamist!'
BY this time BIakely Wharton was
standing in the center of the floor. glar-
ing like a lion.
"Oh, Blakely what does this attack
mean? Be calm. You have been over
strained by the loss of your suit in
court. but the appeal will be decided III
your favor. DO lie down and let me
pet you
And you have been living with me
ten years the wife of another man.
You were not even married to the first.
lie calls it marriage in the sight of
Cod We all know what that means"
The wife stepped to the electric but
ton
what are you going to doY' cried
h,r husband.
Send for the doctor, the police, some
body, anybody. | can't take care of
yCu alone.
Hold! | am as sane as you. sat
at your desk to write a note. Accidcn-
rlly drawer flew open, and l found
notes that you have been treasuring,
hiding where you supposed they would
lever come TO light They prove con
clusively that when you married me
You were the wife Of another, an iii
the sight of God wife ut that"
II never knew of that drawer"
The notes were either on the desk OF
on the floor Mrs Wharton gathered
|
Ten her brow lowered For the first
time since their marriage her husband
saw her angry.
"Blakcly, you are Il fool"
Her acton warned Mr. Wharton that
erhaps he might have been hasty.
DO you suppose anybody nowadays
spells nouns with capitalist
Il didn't know anybody ever did"
"Or Monday with az
Il noticed that | thought you-l
mean the fellow--must have been un
cheated"
Did you notice these dates"
No; | was too cut up
do you suppose I'm a hundred ant
twenty-five years old?"
NO, my dear You're only thirty
two"
"Thirty-one. If this note was for me
| must be century and quarter old
for it was written in 1777"
You don't mean it,''
And this postmark on the back
d you suppose Il man even ten year
Il. would have written me lette
ard sert ii through the post withou
the envclopcT
why. no"
Mrs Wharton started to leave tn
room My l)ve," called her husband
you have forgotten something"
r WHAT
: That which you usually give me a