Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-10-24
ALL IN THREE
WORDS
By ALLAN C. LAMOND

| While scanning a newspaper for the
purpose of passing the time my eyes
lighted on the following advertisement:
Nine Durant Healer. Removes the
! wear and tear of domestic troubles. Re-
unites divorced couples Effects recon
| Citation between parted lovers.
l cut the adj out of the newspaper
and put it in my pOcketbook. About
once an hour read it over. | won
dered il Nine. Durant could help me-
! / wanted some one to go to Della and
show her how unreasonable she had
been. At last l started for the address
giVen with no definite purpose.
| expected to find Mime Durant in a
dingy apartment, with worn furniture
| and not overcleanly Madame herself
would doubtless be either French, Ital-
ian, Spanish or OF some other supersti-
tious, race and rely chiefly for her fees
| upon any or all of these peoples. She
would be of tawny complexion, hair
like an Indian and eyes piercing BLACK
She was nothing Of the kind rang
| the doOrbeIl of neat little house. and
~ y
summons. She was Nine. 4Durant,
only she was an American and Du-
rant was not her name She had
adopted it because she considered it
more attractive than her own, Ida
Smith. She invited me into q neatly
furnished living recon, and after hem
ming and having and stammering
finally got out what wanted to tell
her about my difficulty with Della and
asked if she would engage to bring
the young lady to her senses.
She said that from what / had told
her she judged Della to be entirely in
the wrsng. while the position / had
taken was unimpeaclaaabts. She would
engage to settle the matter between
us for $1s0, half Oe which was to be
paid in advance and the other half
after the reconciliation. If there was
no reconciliation was not to pay the
remainder Of the fee. She was to
make the acquaintance sf nay ex-
fiancee, and without letting her know
her mission gain her confidence and
convince her that she owed nae q hum
BILE apology.
This was a heads l Wins tails you
lose in favor Of Miss Saith But she
seemed very confident Of being able to
bring Delta and me together and had
an honest eountenance. This and my
desire for a makeup decided me, and
drawing a check for $50 gave it to
her. sat some time after this listen
ing to the cures she had effected. She
had brought together father and a
daughter, the latter having been turn
ed out Of doors for marrying a man
the father did not like. She had re-
united no end Of divorced couples and
parted lovers. She did it all on prin-
ciple which could be stated in, three
words. When I asked herr to give me
these words she laughed and said:
Should do so you would expect me
to hand you back the retaining fee you
have given me. and there would be no
reconciliation"
I heard from Nine Durant, or Miss
Smith. Us prefer to call her. within
two days During this time she had
managed to make DeIta's acquaintance
and learned about our separation. The
following was the letter received
from the woman ! had hired to con
vince DELTA that she 1addi!l treated me:
Dear Sj:-l suppose you were giving me
D correct version of the disa greemeut be-
tween YOU sad your ftancee, ana, coA-
gtnced from mt Mss 'DougIas- has told