The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-05-11
CHAPTER xxxlv.
Tho Complete pIvoreer.

The Complete Dlvoreer. W.
The other passengers were growing
nervous with their own troubles. The
next stop was Reno. and in spite Of
all the wit that is heaped upon the
town. 1t is a solemn place to those
who must 60 there in purgatorial pen.
anco for, matrimonial error.
Some honest souls regard such di.
vorce-emporiums as dens OF evil,
where the wicked make a mockery OF
the sacrament aud assail the founda.
tons OF society, by undermining the
home. Other equally. honest souls
believing that marriage is hannah
institution whose mishaps and mis-.
takes should besrectihed as far as
possible. regard the divorce courts as
cities OF refuge for ill.treated or III.
mated women and MEN whose, lives
smay be saved from utter. ruinati6 BY
sthe Intervention Of higt:mipdet
Sjudges. = s'' e - q 's'N y !.
Il But, whichever view is right, the
sordeal by divorce is terrifying en6dgh
ito the poor sinners or martyrs who
smust undergo 1t.
Little Jimmie Wellington turned
pale, and stammered, as he tried to
ask the conductor casually: 49,
What kind Of place. is tina,
Reno?' .'$
The conductor, somewhat cynical
from close association with the d.
vorce:mill and It's grist. grinned:
That depends on what you're leav.
ing behind. Most folks seem to ge,
enough OF It In about six months"
Then he went his way, leaving Well
-ington red, agape and perplexed. The
trouble with Wellington was that he
had brought along what he was leav.
ing behind. Or. as Ashton impudently
observed: "You ought to enjoy your
residence there, Wellington, with your
wife on handy
The only repartee that. Wellington
could think OF was a rather unin,
spired: you go to -
so long as 1t isn't Reno." Ashton
laughed, and walked away.
Wedgewood laid a sympathetic hand
on Little Jimmie's shoulder. and said /:
,-:rThatt Ashton Is mo end OF bound.
er, what?',
3 Wellington wrote his epltaph in
these words:
well. the worst | can say OF him
Is, he's the kind OF man that, doesn' I
lift the plug out when he's through
with the BASIN" 'l..- ~
He liked this 50 well that he wished
he had thought Of It In time to crack
1t over Ashton's head. He decided
to hand 1t to him ANYWAY. He forgot
that the cardinal rule for repartee, is
Better never than late.%
As he swung out OF the mems room
he was buttonholed by an individual
new to the little Trans.American col,
ony. One OF the camF.followers and
suffers who prosper round the edges
OF all, great enterprises had waylaid
him on the way TO the battle-ground
Of marital freedom.
The stranger had got on at an
earlier stop and workedN his way
through the train to thegear named
"snowdrop."t Wellington was his first
I@ictim here's His pushing manner
I1he almost vulture-like rapacity Of bis
/ cleaning eyes, and the very: vii
Iaurine contour Of his profile. lspaimy
Il gestures, his thick slipp. and every,
bhing about him gayel&WellingtQ ton nh
Immediate pedigree. - =. =.
1t Ill behopYes Christendom to need
I:remindlng that the Jewish race has
adorned, and still adorns humanity
with some of, its. noblest specimens;
but this interloper was sof ;the type
thatmu have irritated, Yoltaire into
answering the platitude that the Jews
/ are Gods chosen people with tina,
other platltude. TASTES differ"
Little Jimmie Wellington, hot In
pursuit OF Ashton, found himself
checked in spite of himself sin spite
Of himself deposited somehow into a
seat, and in spite,oi himself confront
ed with curvilinear person, who
said: tta,5,.,
"Excoose. pIeassI, but are you get
tink of at R.rrenol" 81.
II am" Wellington answered, curt.
ly. essaylpg to rise, only to be deli
cately restored to his place with a
gesture and a phrase:
Then you meet me-" ~
"oh.sI need you. do1If And who
are you?p an
'"WhoSain't I? ] am Baumann and
Blumen. Our cart. pleass."
Wellington found pasteboard In
his hand and read the legend:
] ussIU TRRaS