The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-03-21
Planning For
a Divorce
Many Methods Were Suggested.
but None Found Satisfactory.
By WILLARD STOUTENBERc
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Of Marbury & Slade. Mr.. Marbur,
was an old friend Of my fathers, an,
think he was quite fond of me. On,
day he sent for me to come into hi
private Office, and / found him alon,
there.
Frank" he said, 81 can give. you
chance to make $780,"
Now, l was scraping along finan
cially, trying to make ends meet till
could get my profession. and $5Ot
would be great lift for me.
How" asked eagerly.
by taking wife"
My delight vanished as quickly al
1t had come.
There will be nothing to prevent
your getting a divorce in time" hs
added, noticing my discontinue.
81 don't think 1 would like to be
tied up In such a matter at ALL What
does it meanT
ut means that client of ours, q
girl Of twenty-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 a man to mar
ry her and, in consideration of al
amount paid him, to leave her alone
forever afterward. 1t wouldn't do tC
agree upon a divorce, because in that
case l doubt If the marriage would be
legal, but after the property is turned
over to the heir see no reason why
one should not be obtained"
thought awhile. There was q
spice Of romance in the matter that
appealed to my youthful Imagination.
What kind Of looking thing is
she?' / asked.
ION that score, my boy, you needn't
trouble yourself. She is very pretty
woman and. moreover, Of excellent
birth. and breeding. Of which she Il
proud. She is the ward of an uncle
who, 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 relied upon after the mar
riage to keep out Of the way and con
sent TO a divorce when the time
comes"
How long have 1 to consider the
matter?'
you'll have to decide pretty soon
Miss Townsend must be married by
tomorrow noon or lose a fortune. II
you don't want the job some one else
must be found to accept it. Think II
over and let me know before leave
the Office for the day."
thought l would ask to see the
girl was to marry; but, considering
that l was to be simply husband ia
obviate a legal technicality, what need
was there for me to see her? If she
were attractive perhaps the less / saw
Of her the better. l waited till Mr.
Marbury's hour for going home, and
when he sent for me, before answer
ing the summons, tipped coin to
decide for me. Heads / marry, tails
! don't" Heads won.
I 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 a frock coat and
stuck 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.
At 10 o'clock sharp l received a sum-
mons to go to Mr.. Marbury's Office. l
found there besides Mr.. Marbury a
man in clerical dress, an aristocratic
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 quick
look. l defy any man upon entering
into such an arrangement to avoid be-
ginning at once to play a game Of
hearts. At any rate, / did. and, al
ways having found Indifference to be
the most powerful force to move a wo-
man, refrained from looking at Miss
Townsend after the first glance. I
cast my eye perfunctorily over the pa
pers was required to sign and, draw
ing my pen through the words give
hundred dollars" wrote zone"
"What do you mean by that. sirT
snarled the elderly gentleman.
81 have decided, somewhat late per-
haps, that to accept money for such a
service would demean me. l shall be
happy to serve the young lady, but
not for pay"
l was obliged to stand a good deal
of abuse from the elderly gentleman,
in which his ward took no part. But
/ 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 a
dummy it didn't matter who he was,
provided he was not already married
l also said that the one dollar paid me
made the marriage a matter of bar
gain. There were reasons why man
who 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 it was decided to ac-
cept my conditions. Standing before
the clergyman. Miss Townsend and l
were made legal man and WIFE
Miss Townsend was apparently well
pleased with me so far as appear
ance goes and was decidedly preju-
diced in my favor by my frmness in
to take any pay for the serv-
Ice 1 was doing her. When the cere-
mony was over resolved upon bold
stroke.
There Is one reward" said to her,
that | would accept for becoming
your provisional husband if you can
find it in your heart to grant it to
me-"
The uncle knit his brow, and my
wife waited to hear more.
81 have taken upon myself" / said.
"a condition that will doubtless pre-
vent me from marrying a real wife
for a long while to come, and few
girls care to marry a divorced man.
have done this to assure to you a
fortune. 1t seems to me that the re-
ward ask, though to me it win serve
as pleasant memory connected with
this episode, will not be much for you
to grant / ask one kiss from my pro-
BRIDE
Her uncle made a step forward to
Interfere. My wife stood for mo-
ment irresolute, with her eyes fixed on
the floor, then slowly turned her face
toward me. The movement was all
[ asked for. | bent forward and bare
" touched her lips with mine.
l turned my eyes from my bride to
Mr.. Marbury and saw on his face an
expression of satisfaction. Then for