Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-06-22

my reucule 10 Jake OUT some samples
when. to my surprise. found entirely
different contents from what had ex-
pected. In short. l had laid my own
reticule down on counter and picked
up one belonging to some one else.
Among the articles | found inside
was slip Of paper. on which was
written:
Dearest Little Mary-Meet me at tho
fountain tomorrow at O'clock | have
made all arrangements We will be mar
ried at the rectory and take the evening
train for B. Don't let your fears get the
better Of you. Remember s o clock sharp.
/ will be there half en- hour earlier. IL
you think you had better come yelled
carry violets. Your loving J.
Tuesday.
Fifteen years before | had received
just such a note. Indeed. there was
something similar in the handwriting
Of the two missives. Then | had mar
ried man whom / had been obliged
to leave before the honeymoon was
over.
A sudden thought struck me. How
would 1t do for me to keep this girls
appointment trif1e ahead of time. i'm
personate her, yelled and with violets?
] could find out whether she was about
to wreck her future or marry a true
man. If the former. might save her
At half past 4 ! sailed forth. bought
the violets of a street flower vendpr on
the way and at a quarter TO ) entered
the square. knew well how TO as
sumo hesitating step. for had been
there" before. On nearing the foun-
tain, looking out for j., | saw man
looking eagerly at the violets in my
hand. but Of an age more suitable to
an elopement with me than young
girl. AS l drew nearer something in
his face and figure appeared familiar
to me. Then stopped. overpowered
with astonishment.
No, was not mistaken. He was the
man who had been my husband. Fiji
teen years make a marked difference
In ones appearance, and they had
!, changed him more than they usually
change men.
l was now more than ever bent on
playing the part He joined me. and
in whisper. as though | had lost my
voice through excitement, l said:
Take me where we can talk. / have
something to say to you" He replied
that his auto was waiting on the street
and led the way there. ! got in the
auto. and he ran it out of the town.
II am not satisfied about this pre-
vious marriage of yours" said.
Great heavens! Haven't we gone
over that sufficiently? You have heard
my explanation. and the last time we
met you expressed yourself entirely
satisfied
81 don't like your laying the blame
on your wife. If we were to have
trouble and separate suppose you
would lay all the blame on me-"
He turned TO look at me as though
taken aback at my words. He could
not see my face for my veil. but his
eyes were fixed on that as IL they
would pierce it.
You women are all alike" he said
presently. 1--WE men no sooner stand
JNA Oh EOui LCCl lIih yOb Aoii NS''N
again. Here at the last minute you
are bringing up what l have been at
such infinite pains TO SETTLE"
But. tell me, don't you blame herr
"No, | don't. | blame myself rather
than her. A newly welded pair are
like two persons floating down tortu-
Gus channel full of rocks and snags.
1t is the mans part to keep his head
and steer the boat. / supposed that
honeymoons were always what the
name implies. l found my wife
prey to all sorts of temporary emo
tions-one moment loving. the next fr-
ritable. the next hesitating, the next
respondent should have known that
this. at least to some temperaments, Is
condition to be expected-a reaction
upon realizing that ones fate is irrev-
ocably linked with another PERSONAL
ty. Besides she was very young. You
are ten years older than she was at
that time, and l confess have looked
to you for more steadiness. am
much disappointed"
"A woman Of my age should have
more sense than to elope."
"You know the reason for that. IL
your father and mother had not an alb
surd prejudice against your marrying
divorced man we might be married
sensibly. as becomes our age"
Your first marriage having been
case Of elopement. / should suppose.
considering that it resulted disastrous
ly, you would not care to try 1t again"
The elopement has nothing to do
II with either case. Two people elect to
unite. The method of their doing 30
is mere matter Of sentiment"
There was silence for a time-at
least nothing but the chugging OF tue
auto We were both thinking. be
Eprobably of the fickleness Of woman,
II Of how a trifie may turn the whole
current of two lives. For years had
. considered that had married brute
True. ! had mourned that he had turn
Led out 10 be such. but had not doubt
ed that my Interpretation of him was
eorrect. And now found him accus-
Ing himself Of a want Of tact In his