Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-03-04

diced In my favor by my hrmness In
refusing to take any pay for the serv-
Ice | was doing her. When the cere
mouy was over resolved upon bold
stroke
There is one reward | said TO her.
that | would accept for becoming
your provisional husband IL you can
lind 1t ia your heart To grant II 10
me"
The uncle knit his brow. aud my
wife waited 10 hear more.
II have taken upon myself. ! said.
IA condition that will doubtless pre-
vent me from marrying n real wife
for a long while To come, and few
girls care to marry divorced man.
have done this Ia assure 10 You Il
fortune II seems To me that the re-
ward | ask. though to me II will serve
~ pleasant memory connected with
this episode. will not he much for y0u
va grant. ask one kiss from my pro
vislonal BRIDE
Her uncle made step forward 70
Interfere My wife stood for mo-
mcmt irrcsoluie. 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
turned my eyes from my bride 10
Mr.. Mnrbury and saw on his face an
expression Of satisfaction. Then for
the first time It occurred to me that In
his mind there had been something
more than making me mere legal
husband and that he was we'll pleased
with the manner IN which had ac.
quilted myself Without another word
Ia any one. without glance at my
wife. went out 81 the room and.
seating myself at my desk, dived again
into my law books
\ year passed. NJ the end Of which
| received n letter from my wife. II
began Dear Sir and ended yours
truly" II said that In the matter Of
our bargain marriage she had placed
herself IN the hands of others, since
She knew nothing Of law or the fulfill
mcni of IT, with n view 10 inheriting
an estate She was now In possession
Of her property and was of age. She
intended to manage the rest of the
matter connecting her with me her
self. There was now nothing III the
way Of getting the divorce. and she
would be- pleased 10 see me with re.
| gard to the obtaining OF decree.
| Above all things. she desired to work
In harmony with me, since she had
been informed that the matter could
Ice thus far more satisfactorily han
died From what little she had seen
Of me she felt assured that | was Il
gentleman and would not stand in her
way In becoming n free woman.
However We define love. its begin
ming is indctinablc. \ man. fancy
free may propose Ia girl who i
| fancy free on the ground that She *
not dispensing Ia him and their mar.
rage will he an advantage II she is
accepted his feelings will go out 10 her
rs naturally aS the tcndrils of vine
and hers will advance Ia meet them
| attribute to this fact my coming to
love the girl | had married. aud rea.
soned that If She had been M the time
Of our marriage and had remained
| fancy free II was quite possible that
something more than an ordinary In.
tere~t in me might have been growing
III IN her But realized that our
parts were reversed must he court.
ed She must do the counting. ANY
| indication that | hoped to make our
marriage u real one would be fatal to
| hopes | might have OF doing So
| replied 10 her letter that she was
AZ liberty {" take amy steps her law
vers might advise Ia secure n decree.
All asked WAS that | might be put to
! as little Inconvenience as possible, for
my time was taken mp In preparing
| for my examination for admission 10
the bar. did not refer to her sugges.
ton for II meeting
She replied that, considering the
fact that she was under an obligation
Ia me for favor. she desired an Op-
portunity OF thanking me personally
therefor and on no account would she
take steps for the divorce without my
approval Of the plan 20 be adopted. To
! hit u,on Il plan TO which would give
nv willing assent would require an
| interview.
So called to see her. one thing |
noticed especially. She was dressed
In very becoming costume. Since
could not make myself look beautiful.
whatever might Wear. | concluded I"
nut on something besides clothes.
something that finds great favor with
women displayed all the Difference
| could assume.
She could not conceal from me the
| fact that stood in the position OF
something more than a mere legal
dummy. Nevertheless she tried TO.
She outlined several plans her lawyers
had Sketched out for her by which the
divorce might hc obtained but | OH
iectcd 10 all al them on the ground
that they might reflect upon her.
insisted upon assuming all the ohloauy
myself. But when Il came 10 pointing
..,,t ..NartIx l,,V. NNns IN ln this |