The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-03-08
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Planning i:ll For.
a Divorce
: Many Methods Were Suggested,
but None Found Satisfactory.
BY WILLARD STOUTENBERG
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
By WILLARD sToUrENBERC

Nuo u tOuIb Jaw lNGuly
three years old, studying in the Office
of Marbury & Slade. Mr.. Marbury
was an old friend of my fathers, and
] think he was quite fond of me. One
day he sent for me to come into his
private office, and l found him alone
there.
Frank" he said, 81 can give you
chance to make $500"
Now, 1 was scraping along finan-
cially, trying to make ends meet till L
could get my profession, and $500
would be a great lift for me-
e. "How?" l asked eagerly.
''By taking wife" .....
My delight vanished as quickly as
ii had come.
"There will be nothing to prevent
your getting a divorce in time" he
added, noticing my discontinue.
r-rI don't think / would like to be
tied up in such a matter at all. What
does it mean?"
at means that a client of ours.
girl of twentg-one, has inherited for
tune conditional upon her being mar
ried. OF course there is a time limit,
and that time expires tomorrow at IL
o'clock noon. The young lady, Miss
Irene Townsend, needs man to mar
ry her and. in consideration of an
amohnt paid him, to leave her alone
forever afterward. 1t wouldn't do to
agree upon a divorce, because in that
case l doubt if the marriage would he
legal, but after the property is turned
over to the heir l see no reason why
one should not be obtained"
| thought awhile. There was
spice of romance in the matter that
appealed to my youthful imagination.
"What kind of a looking thing Is
sheF' ! asked.
-.- "On that score, my boy, you needn't
trouble yourself. She is a very pretty
woman and. moreover, of excellent
birth and breeding, of which she is
proud. She Is the ward of an uncle
who, l think. intends that she shall
eventually marry some great catch,
perhaps a British lord. All that's
wanted of the first husband is that he
may be trlied upon after the mar
riage to keep out of the way and con
sent to a divorce when the time
cOmeS.' -....
How long have | to consider the
matter?" ... .l
you'll have to decide pretty soon.
Miss Townsend must be married by
tomorrow noon or lose fortune. If
you don't want the job some one else
must be found to accept it. Think 81
over and let me know before leave
fhe Office for the day"
thought | would ask TO see i've
girl I was to marry; but, considering
that | was TO be simply a husband to
1byiHte legal technicality, what need
was there for me to see her? If she
were attractive perhaps the less ! saw
of her the better. I waited till Mr..
Marhury's hour for going home, and
when he sent for me, before answer
ing the summons, l Tipped a coin to
decide for me- "Heads ! marry, tails
don't" Heads won
| announced my decision to Mr.. Mar
bury, and he told me the marriage
would take place at the office the next
day about 10 o'clock. Before going to
my wedding | put on frock coat and
stuck a flower in my buttonhole; but,
thinking this would appear as though
considered the affair a real wedding,
changed to my business suit and
threw away the flower ra'2E
At 10 o'clock sharp received sum-
mons to go to Mr.. Marbury's office. l
found there besides Mr.. Marbury a
man in clerical dress, an arlstocratic
looking gentleman, very stiff and re-
served, who didn't deign to look at
me- and my bride. 1t was all right
for the others to treat the matter as
a mere legal form, but the bride and
bridegroom gave each other a quick
look | defy any man upon entering
into such an arrangement to avoid be-
ginning at once to play game of
henrts. At any rate, did, and. al
ways having found indifference to be
the most powerful force to move wo-
man, | refrained from looking at Miss
Townsend after the first glance. I
cast my eye perfunctorlly over the pa
pers was required to sign and, draw
ing my pen through the words five
hundred dollars" wrote ''one."
"What do you mean by that, sirT
snared the elderly gentleman.
81 have decided somewhat late per-
haps, that to accept money for such
service would demean me. shall be
happy to serve the young lady, but
not for pay" ..... ..n... a.a
was obliged to stand good deal
of abuse from the elderly gentleman,
in which his ward took no part. But
l remained firm, told them that there
was still nearly two hours remaining
in which to find a substitute, and
since the person was to be simply
dummy it didn't matter who he was,
provided he was not already married.
/ also said that the one dollar paid me
made the marriage a matter of bar
gain. There were reasons why man
Rho had been recommended as one to
be relied on should be chosen. So
after considerable discussion and a
side conference between Mr.. Marbury
and the uncle ii was decided to ac-
cept my conditions Standing before
ToyH-Dcnpd and I