The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-05-01

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story exactly as II occurred.
one summer went to the country
for n rest from professional cares that
had been pressing too heavily on me
and met lady. Mrs, Treat, whom
supposed TO be widow. we drove
boated and sang together, drifting
along companlonably not recognizing
that love would better describe the
situation, tin the summer lad ended
and we were on the eve of separation
Then found myself madly in love
AS for the lady, her actions spoke fol
her. She confessed to me that she WINS
not a widow, but had n husband Nv
ing. she was willing TO get a divorce
from him to marry me.
| had been bitter opponent of al
vorces and, being a clergyman. had
preached against them. | therefore
felt it my duty to sacrifice myself to
principle and told Mrs. Treat that
could not on any account marry a Ill
yorced woman. My decision seemed to
be a sad blow to her, but she woAld
not give me up. When we parted she
told me that we would yet he happy
together. but how that could be could
not see for her husband was in the
best of health and only year Older
than herself. begged for an explana
ton, but she would give me none.
Some MONTHS later on taking up n
morning payer | saw that Laura B.
Treat had secured divorce from her
husband, Wallace *. Treat on the
ground of adultery, tse said Wallace
Treat having lived for some time with
another woman who passed as his
housekeeper. He was rich man, hay
ing made fortune by investing his
savings in the stock OF small corpora
ton that had been bought ont 10y 4
trust. The court directed that he should
pay his wife alimony equal to one
third of his income This made her
very comfortable II not rich,
1t was not long after seeing this no
tice that | received letter from Mrs
Treat informing me that she had some
thing TO communicate. | replied that
| had already read in newspaper
what she had to tell me and that while
| did not blame her for getting her di-
vorce | would ceMainly blame myself
should fail 10 practice what | bad 50
long preached by marrying q divorced
woman | loved her as deyotedH as
before, but never so well as my self
respect. In reply to this letter she
wrote that | had not read all she had
to say to me and that she wished to
see me. II she could not convince me
that d marriage with her would be
consistent With my principles she
would not ask me to visit her again.
TO fortify my resolution | preached
the next Sunday sermon which was
the most vehement attack on the mar
riage of divorced people that | had
ever made. Then on Monday morning
| took the train to see the woman with
whom | was desperately in love. !
found her as handsome and attractive
as ever.
"Your lore for me-" she said, rs
about to be put to a very severe strain.
| shall convince you tina 1t IL no sin
for either of us TO marry the other.
1t will then remain for you 10 decide
whether you will put yourself in Il
position before the world of not prac-
ticing what you have preached or new
err see me again
She then told me story which |
would not have believed had re-
celved It from the lips of aAy other
person That she had not told me be-
fore wns because doing so would con
flict with a pledge There was another
reason. | was poor clergyman, strug-
Cling on salary of $1,000 year. The
allmony was hers by right, and she
had wished to secure it for me as well
rs herself.
went back to my charge pledged to
secrecy and with all the time | wished
TO make my decision. | must marry
in direct opposition, apparently, to my
avowed principles or give up woman
without whom my life would be a fall
ure in every respect.
was willing TO stand In false light
for my love. but would it not be wrong
for me. a minister. to exert an influence
in favor of what | considered SIM l
confess / never satisfied myself on this
point. / never could convince myself
that I would not be demeaning my
profession by appearing to cosntenance
a sin. Nevertheless | decided that II
was my duty to make my Laura hap
by. ana in doing so | made myself
happy as well
Having lived ten years scorned by
many Of my former parishiJners | can
now tell the secret which vindicates
me. Two girls who were toiling for a
living met and became room mates.
The older hearing Of position only
open TO men assumed mans dress and
secured IT, The younger was OF much
assistance In feature Of the elders
work AT which she was deficient. and
the salary was divided between them.
For convenience they were married at
the same time. each promising on oath
not TO divulge the secret so long as the
other lived except in case either really
married. and then only TO the husband
Suddenly the girls became rich. Then
the one who had acted the mans part
claimed the fortune. Leaving her sup
poSel wife she kept house by herself
with housekeeper. but still PERSONAL
-. \ ma