The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-11
THEY DID NOT WED
FOR REASONS GOOD
Mrs. Howe Known to Have In
tended to Make Investigations
Before Marrying Percival.
ROMANCE OF MUCH INTEREST
Spent Much Time Together at
Charlottesville During the
Past Summer.
ROMANCE OF MUCH INTEREST
IspecIal to The Times.Dlspatch. ]

Especial to The Times Dispatch.
CHARLOTTESVILLE VA. November
1o-The publication OF the story OF the
sudden disappearance of Mrs. j. Wilson
Howe, formerly Miss Virginia Peyton
Knight-Howe. on the day set for her
wedding to Justin Percival, was read
with a deep interest and much sur
prise in this community. where Mrs.
Howe is known to almost everybody.
While the romance, as it appears
under the New York date line. is not
all true. 1t contains facts which lend
to the whole the appearance OF COM
plete integrity. Among these facts
are her engagement to Justin Percival
and her Journey to New York. to be
married to him on the 31st of Octo-
Der. the anniversary OF her birth and
of her marriage to j. Wilson Howe. a
nephew Of Woodrow Wilson. the presi-
dent of Princeton.
Mrs. Howe came to this city with
her little son, Wilson, more than three
years ago. and during her residence
here instituted suit for divorce on the
ground of wilful desertion. In her bill
she alleged non-support as justitica-
tion, and the divorce was granted late
In October. ~ large part of that month
she spent here. and Mr.. Percival was
in Charlottesville nearly the whole, Of
the same time. It was not denied,
indeed often admitted-that the two
would be married in New York as soon
as the decree divorcing Mrs. Howe had
been uttered and recorded.
Was Greatly Admired.
During all her sojourn in this COM
munity Mrs. Howe was received and
admired at most of the social func-
tions, and was herself hostess at many.
She Is beautiful, tactful, witty, and
won and held the admiration and re-
spect and sympathy as we'll of all
with whom she was Intimately assO-.
ciated.
1t was not generally known when
she left here late In October that III
riage with Mr.. Percival but she was
not generally congratulated. While
this purpose was in her mind, 1t Is
now known to one or two OF those IN
whom she usually confldes that she
was possessed by purpose to.
make certain prudential Investigations.
Whether she did so, and what the re-
suit Of the Investigations, are things
known to these intimate friends. To
them there was less surprise in he'll
failure to appear at the altar than to
the great majority.
Tro,lden Ways of Bohemia. b
While these two central figures Of
the romance did not play together In
childhood, for the excellent reason that
they did not meet at that period In
their lives, they have both been eX-
tremely interesting figures in Char
!lottesville. There was said to be large
ness In the enterprises with which Mr.
Percival was connected. He had about
him that glamour which the literary
man seems to collect. 1t Is said that
he had trodden the ways Of Bohemia.
known many renowned In the world
of letters and of art, and had had the
distinction of being divorced by Caro-
Ign Wells. It was whispered, too. that
he had represented metropolitan dailies
in Manchuria and In other places where
Russian and Japanese bullets sang OF
war. Nobody says that Mr., Percival
had told these things or that they are
not with single exception, true. The
exception Is that Carolyn Wells never
divorced him, not being qualified to
divorce anybody, since she Is unmar-
ried.
1t is true. however, that Mr., Perclval
and Mrs. Howe met in Virginia some
time ago. that the romance began at
the Jamestown Exposition, Where. 1t
Is said. Mr.. Percival was member OF
the publicity bureau, and that it ran
a summertime and autumntilne coursei
until their final parting In n Broadway
store.
CARRIE GIVEN WIDE HERTH
ny THE RONCEvERTE nOYS