The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-07-05
Married by
Accident
A Man Wins Wife by Getting Into
the Wrong House.
By REGINALD D. HAVEN
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

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On - street is a block Of ten
houses, every house exactly like every
other house. once lived In one Of
these houses, and never went home
but l ran a risk of getting into the
wrong house.
In the fourth house was a young
lady whose appearance especially adj
mired. l considered her very pretty,
and she was certainly very stylish.
Nov, that's just the girl / would
like for a wife," l used to say when
saw her going into or coming out of
her home.
One afternoon 1 went home, and,
finding the front door ajar, walked
In. put my hat and overcoat In the hall
closet and went upstairs to sitting
room on the second door. The room
was shut in by brick walls, and l sell
dom sat there without turning on the
light. Being tired. threw myself into
an easy chair and, closing my eyes, sat
| thinking on matter of business that
had occurred during the day. Present
| ly, hearing footstep and looking up,
| saw woman's figure standing In the
doorway. There was not enough light
to distinguish who she was. but was
not long kept In ignorance. She press
| ed a button beside the door, and q
bright electric light showed me the
girl who lived two doors from me.
How is this?" stammered. "Have
got into the wrong houseT
| Il expect you have" replied the girl.
Pardon me. | assure you had no
idea I'm very careless"
| At that moment l heard the front
door close. The girl heard 1t, too, and
changed countenance.
Good gracious. my auntw she ex-
claimed.
"Wellr
ut is very unfortunate your being
here. She is very suspicious wo-
man."
Il see. 1t would grieve me terribly
to have her think
Dear me, she's coming up hereI"
"Can l get out without meeting
herY'
mo. Go In there"
She shut me up in a large closet, and
the next minute | heard the harsh
voice Of an old woman in the adjoin-
ing room.
Lois" she said severely. that young
man you admire SO much who lives In
this block is in this house. | was sit
ting in Mrs. Deacon's window, next
/ door, and saw him come up and walk
In at the front door. What are you
doing in this room with all this light
turned ONT"
why, Aunt Jane, you must be mis-
taken"
Mistaken! Do you think haven't
eyes2 Oh, heavens, Lois! Can 1t be
possible that you are-are wicked,
bad girl? Upon my word, l believe
you are hiding a lover. I'm going to
have look"
She made for the only place in the
room possible for concealment-the
closet-and had her hand on the door
knob when heard slight scuff1e, and
the young lady said;
Aunt Jane. before you open that
door wish to say something to you. l
have been deceiving you have been
wooed and won clandestinely by the
young man you have referred to. He
is In that closet"
l must hasten to protect the honor Of
one / had compromised by my stupid
ity. flung open the door, put my arm
around the girl who had been driven TO
this falsehood. threw back my head
proudly and said dramatically:
No power on earth shall separate
me from my WIFE"
well, declarep' exclaimed the old
lady.
My reputed wife buried her face in
her hands, whether because the seri-
BUSINESS Of the matter had occurred to
her or whether to conceal laughter at
its absurdity did not know.
do you mean to say" continued the
old lady to me, that you are married
to my Nicer
There would be no use In mincing
matters. swore that was her niece'a
husband.
And you, Lois" continued the aunt
-"are you really married to himT
A faint Eyes" came from under the
girls hands.
well, well, WE'LL How you two
young people could have done your
counting without my finding you out
is remarkable How did you manage
itY
Love laughs at locksmlths." / said
knowingly. not having any explanation
ready
81 should think so.' said the aunt
impressively. How long have you
been married"
| didn't dare risk an answer to this
question, fearing to be caught in a
trap. threw the burden on my bride
Lois, DEAR" I said. tell your aunt
all about it. She will be more forgiv-
ing at getting the story from one she
loves. Or would you prefer sitting
down with her alone and talking it all
over with herY
Il think would Ike to have little
time" stammered Lois family.
"And think | want the whole story
this minute" cried the aunt.
'afad 1 not better withdraw" I sug
gested. was beginning to get very
hot in the face Confound these houses
built In blocks! I'll never live In one
againi
BY this time Lois had thought what
answer would be less likely to sink US
deeper In the mire. 1t occurred to her
that If she said we had just been mar
ried the result In the end would be less
compromising. SO she told her aunt
that we had been married that day at
noon. She hit upon this hour because
she had been away from home at that
time. Then her aunt asked If we had
been married by a clergyman. Lois.
dreading that the old woman would
pounce on the dominic. told her that
we had been married by justice Of
the peace.
"a justice Of the peaceir exclaimed
the old lady contemptuously. do you
call that marriage? shall telephone
for our own rector at once. II you
can't be married respectfully you shall
at least be married religiously."
She was making for the telephone.
We both clutched her.
Madam" cried. permit me to say
a word. beg OF you to leave me and
my-your niece alone together for
awhile that we may talk this matter
over. These unconventional marriages
are liable to bring stain upon the
parties concerned. You certainly don't
wish your niece to suffer in that way,