Oxford Democrat., 1910-09-27
NUMBER 80.
had the day before applied for a sep

aration.
When Aver went home that evening
he found his wife gone. His little boy
asked him what was the matter with
mamma. She had cried and kissed
him all the morning. then had gone out
and hadn come back. Wouldn't papa
60 and bring her back?
But day after day. week after week.
month after month. passed and mamma
did not return. She was residing In
city where divorce is made easy. The
child was obliged to content himself
with his nurse during the day. but
whenever his father was not at his
office he supplied so far as possible the
place Of the mother. Quigley still
lived In the city. bur there was not as
much swagger I'm him as formerly.
Somehow no one seemed TO think he
had come out of his affair with Aver
with credit. and his friends were drop
ping OF.
While II was known to the Ayers
Intimate friends thar Helen was suing
for divorce. ii was not known that
she was doing so I'm order to marry
Quigley Divorces usually make 1t ap-
pear that great wrongs are committed
by one or both parties. We are hOrri-
fed ut tales Of cruelty. desertion. all
kinds Of inhumarities. While reading
Of them we would suppose that after
such suffering neither party will ever
again consent TO wear the chains OF
wedlock. But once the bond Is broken
up pops Il man or woman hitherto
unknown In the proceedings. and the
decree is scarcely granted before the
wedding bells are Raging.
Helen Aver had secured her divorce,
had returned. and 1t was supposed by
her friends. except an intimate few.
that she would remain-after the
charges against Aver her lawyer had
drawn up for her-an unmarried wom-
an. While this was the suppOsition. q
marriage license was being taken out
permitting Helen Aver and Schuyler
Quigley to wed. They were to be prt-
vately married at o'clock In the even
ing and take a o'clock train for their
wedding trip.
During the afternoon the bride to be
was seized with an irresistible desire
to see her boy once more before taking
the irretrlevable step. She knew that
her husband was usually at his Office
at the time and she would not meet
him. Throwing caution to the winds.
she called a carriage. alighted near
her former home, entered and ran up
stairs to find her son.
She came upon melancholy sight.
Her boy was lying on bed, pale and
wan. while his father was bending
over him.
"Oh. why didn't you tell me? Why
didn't you send for me?' she walled.
And without waiting for reply she
bent dowl. passionately encircled the
child with her arms and hugged him
to her breast. Then. tlnging her hat
and coat aside. she knelt beside the
bed
"Oh. mammal cried the child.
How glad am that you have come
back" Then. raising his arms. he
placed them about her shoulders.
"And you're never. never going away
again. are you"
And the woman for whom groom
was waiting said:
"Never. so help me heaven"
Russell Aver was walking away
when his wife seized his hand and
held him She attempted to speaa IL
him. but not finding words turned
again to the boy. Then Russell knelt
beside her and. resting his hand on
her waist. the two turned the ebbing
life back into their child by their unit.
cd presence.
An hour later Schuyler Quigley. as
he was about 10 enter carriage to
take him TO Il church where he was to
meet his bride. was startled by mes.
sage. Tearing OF the cover with mis-
givings and impatience. he read:
cannot go. | will never see you again.
One of those singular and unac.
countable infatuatiOns under which
woman will leave home. husband and
children. wrecking them. and most OF
all herself. had come to sudden end.
rs It were. on the brink Of the preci-
pice over which she was about to
nlunge Her husband could manage
the man who was ehNsins her' out ne
could not manage her. WE. ne.'pe'
of these men could do '%as accom-
plished by sick child.
After the boy came out OF aanger
Russell Aver told his wife Of his at
tempts TO save her. He gave the resN
son for his accusing Quigley Of cheat
Ing at cards. the blow. the subsequent
insults. the forcing his enemy into an
challenge. Then when he
had finished by telling her that he had
dropped the matter on learning OF her
intended separation she shuddered.
"My God. How could ! have done
itr'