Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-11-30
A MOCK
. MARRIAGE
BY r. D. CEIATSWORTH
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

lO0u. Inc DFSJ freshness OF youth
sAs gone out of him. and a vision OF
home enlivened by wife and chill
dren looms up before him.
Walter Nixon had reached this age,
or, rather, in his case. it was standing
between the period of thoughtless
youth and thoughtful middle age one
day he was skylarking with a let Of
young men and women when Some
one proposed that they should have Il
mock wedding.
IN be the bride" said Jaqueline
Woodruff. a girl who was always first
and foremost in any PRANK.
And III be the groom" said Walter
CALAMITY since he was standing be
side her at the moment, and all eyes
were turned upon him.
Few young people realize that it is
dangerous to trife with a wedding.
but il is.
SO Walter Nixon and Jaqueline Wood
ruff stood up One of the young men
of the party asked if they would take
each other for husband and wife
Walter took a seal ring off his finger
and put it on that of Jaqueline, the
man who was officiating pronounced
them man and wife, and, amid many
Jokes and much laughter, they re-
ceived congratulations from the others.
No one considered it anything more
than an escapade, and when a new
amusement was proposed the specta'
tors forgot all about the first.
A few days later Miss Woodruff, on
opening her mail, read note from
Walter Nixon. beginning "My dear
wife" 1t contained an invitation to
the theater and several fdcetious re-
remarks as to her duty toward the
writer as her husband. 1t was all
very funny. and somehow 1t sounded
rather pleasant. She was Of mar
riageable age and since she was TWEEN
ty-two years old thought it high time
she should be married Nixon was
good fellow, able to support wife
and generally acceptable. Jaqueine
did not know how much of joke and
how much of earnest there was in his
letter, but she felt at liberty to reply
in kind. So she began her letter My
dear husband" and signed it Your
loving wife"
Soon after this Nixon was telling
Cummings. a lawyer friend. about
the Joke" as he called it Cummings
looked trifle serious, whereupon
Nixon asked him If he thought any
thing of import could come of it.
1.-The lady" replied the lawyer. III
she were disposed to claim you as her
husband. might make it very unpleas-
ant for you"
You don't mean it!' exclaimed
Nixon.
You have addressed her as My dear
Wife which is pretty good evidence
in law that you have married her.
Suppose she says she considered the
marriage contract. What are you
going to do about it with your letter
in her hands|
by Jove! ! never thought of that
What shall l doY'
THE only thing you can do Is to get
your letter and destroy it."
"I'I do it at once"
That evening Nixon called on Miss
Woodruff for the express purpose or
returning her letter and getting pos
session of his own. She was In
very becoming costume and smiled on
him pleasantly.
"I'm glad you've come. dear" sne
said, with a twinkle in her eye. i've
been in an agony for fear you had
met with some accident. How could
YOU remain SO long away from meT
How pleasant that sounded! Though
the words were in fun, he thought he
would like to hear more of their klnd.
He would keep up the pleasantly for
awhile before mentioning the matter
of the exchange of letters. So he SAID
something to her that he considered
| nroper for q husband to say to wire.
forgetting that it was more appropriate
for a lover. and it was all so funny
that they kept it up, for some time,
Before departing he said:
My friend Cummings says that II
YOU really choose to claim mel mean
if | really choose to claim you for my
wife-I might put you to lot or tron-
BILE"
What trouble?"
well. might insist that our mar
riage was serious"
"WellY'
"And you might he stopped.
"Put you to g lot Of trouble" She
looked down ON the floor. apparently
much panied.
Not that You might
might whatY'
Her voice trembled little.
''Oh, i can't get it out Don't feel
hurt. didn't mean to say anything
should be sorry for-that is. nothing
you should be sorry to hear. I'm aw-
fully ashamed There's nothing to cry
about"
There seemed to be an irresistible at
traction in the girls waist for the
mans arm and an equally irresistible
attraction in the mans shoulder for
A. .,,rIsa hood Tharo yunra a few In