The San Francisco call., 1906-08-12

81 brecht ventured on the sea
II Of matrimony while the
storm signals were flying,
and twice had they run upon the shores
OF discord and been salvaged through
the medium OF a divorce court.
When. therefore. they decided to en-
ark on the treacherous sea a third
he woman was cautious. Two
ards had served TO make her bit
saleptical regarding married life and
she showed no hesitsncy in making the
fact clear to Harding. They both hail
from Dallas County. Iowa, and have
moved to the Sacramento Valleys fer
tile lands with the avowed intention Of
making Marysville their future post
ONCE address. At least so declares
Colonel E. A. Forbes of the latter city.
who. in the capacity of the Iowa
COUP attorney. will. in a few days,
place on record one OF the most pc
culisr pre-auptial contracts ever con-
ceived by woman's mind and forced
upon enduring man.
When Isaiah Harding spruced himself
"a. ARA q AhtAh MAJ "a oLAO 4AA0--- -
posed to Mrs Isabella Englebrecht at
her former home in Iowa, she prefaced
her acceptance with the remark:
Wed better lay down some rules to
60 by'-and Harding. lover-like
agreed.
The result was a pre-nuptial agree
ment that is soor TO figure in the rec
ords Of Sutter County.
Its already on record in Iowa" ex-
planned Colonel Forbes several days
ago, while visiting this city. but Mrs
Harding thinFs Il would tend 70 hold
her husband faster to his pledges if it
becomes an ofhcisl document here. And
ever ready TO please his wife Harding
has asked me to attend to the mat
ter"
The agreement provides for almost
every possible contingency in welded
life. 1t sets forth who shall build. the
fires, when the husband may bring
home guests to meals. when the reIa-
tives Of each shall visit them. how the
money is TO be divided. how often the
wife may attend social functions with
out being scowled az and even fixes
limit on the number Of future Hard
ings.
July was the third month through
which Harding and his third wife have
lived under this strange written COM
pact, and If Colonel Forbes judgment
is correct they viii continue to abide
under its numerous provisions until
life brings them to the banks Of the
Jordan River.
When Isaiah asked me TO marry
him" explains Mrs. Harding, I told
him that I didn't feel like trying matri-
mony again unless we gould agree on
some things that had troubled me be-
fore. he said he had troubles too. and
he fell right into the idea. That's how
ve happened TO plan IL"
So the couple proceeded to the Office
Of an attorney and stated what they
wished embodied in the contract. Even
the man OF the law, accustomed as he
was TO the eccentricities of human
thought. was astonished: but he drew
the document, and it was duly filed in
the Office Of the Recorder of Deeds of
Polk County. where the prospective
bride resided.
Since their marriage Mr.. and Mrs.
Harding have been residing upon the
formers farm in Dallas County. few
miles from Des Moines. Neighbors say
that they seem entirely happy and al
peace with themselves and the world
BY the terms OF the CONTRACT Mr.. and
Mrs. Harding agree in the first place
that they will live together as husband
and wife for fifteen years THIS term
OF years was agreed upon after some
difhculty. as Harding wished to make
the contract extend twenty-five years
Mrs Engeibrecht argued. however. that
fifteen years was long enough for ex-
perimental purposes and Harding came
20 her terms, else there would have
been no wedding.
II they prove unhappy at the end OF
fifteen years their welded life termi-
mates there and then. without any other
proceedings as TO the courts. Further
more, either party has the right at the
time TO declare the contract null and
void. II within the fifteen years either
becomes dissatisfied he or she must
obtain a separation through the courts
in the usual legal form.
Both Harding and Mrs. Engelbrecht
owned valuable farm land. he in Dallas
County and she near Des Moines. II
was necessary TO make careful ar
rangement for the control of. these
properties.
BY the contract they cut their prop
erty valuation in two and each settled
half on children by former marriages
Harding has son and q daughter and
the wife has two sons and a daughter
Their personal property is likewise di.
yided among the children.
In speaking Of children, it ma,
not be amiss to mention that that con-
tract provides definitely and strin
gently that there shall be but three
little ones born to the new Harding
family. The penalty for the violation
OF this rule is not set down in tn,
document. but it is presumed that il