Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-08-16

STRANGE
OF a Wedding Ring
BY HELOIsE BRAYTON
BY HELoIsE BRAYTON

Edward NJ. Smith was forty years
old and widower At least he passed
for q wldower. because be had reason
to believe that marriage he had made
years before had been annulled. lie
had since lived single life and be-
came very tired of going To his lonely
room every afternoon on his return
from business and having 10 drag him
self out for company Ia the evening.
Mr.. Smith lived at a family hotel.
and the room opposite 20 his was oc-
cupicd by a Miss Isabel Jones,
splnster a few years younger than lac.
When Mr. Smith would come 20 his
room III the evening Miss Jones could
hear him hcaye deep sigh She knew
what il meant FOR she often lamcnicd
her own loneliness She often met Mr.
Smith in the corridor and was much
pleased with his appearance. There
was something IN his figure. his walk.
his face. that reminded her Of some
one she had known. hut who this per
son was she could not for her life re-
call
One evening Mr. Smith was asked 10
take a hand M bridge whist In the
hotel drawing room Miss Jones was
one Of the PLAYERS and MIR smiths
partner After thar when the two met
IN the corridor or in the dining room
they exchanged greetings Mr. Smith
nskcd himself why should this lady
and myself live alone in the world
when we can as well be- companions
Then he would think 81 the uncertain
ty overhanglus him with regard 10 his
previous marriage How lnconsiderate
IS youth. Instead Of making an effort
10 learn the exact truth be had drifted
on from day to day. month 70 month
year TO year. without doing SO
The marriage took place when he
was nineteen years old He was
clerk in store. \ girl barely sixteen
came In one day 10 look nj some rib
bons. She was pretty. and the clerk
was affa5le He unrolled great many
ribbons and got them all In tansle
Perhaps this had something To do with
that other tangle into which he ana
the girl insensibly drifted. How easy
lovemakins was when they We're IN
their teens-far easier than ut forty.
The first thing they knew they were
married. 1t did not seem OF much
more importance then than drinking a
glass Of soda water together Now
wedlock appeared like jumping off n
cliff in the dark. not knowing whether
there was rock or water beneath,
They had gone to drive together and
incidentally called upon a parson. who
had married them Then they drove
back to town. pulled up before a con
fectioner's, where they partook Of ice
cream. and after that separated. the
girl going home, the boy back 10 his
place OF business The secret was not
long kept The two were seen too Of
ten together The girls parents grew
suspicious. They forbade her 10 see
her boy lover. whereupon she confess
ed her marriage
They took her away-he knew not
where-but she contrivcd TO get let.
ter 10 him telling him that she was In
New York He had few hundred
dollars. which be got together and
started for that city. Despite the
watchfulness of her parents they com
municated and laid a plan 10 sail to-
eether for a foreign country. The
young husband. learning that ship
was about 10 sail for Rio de Janeiro.
engaged passage for himself and his
wife. and meeting her by appoint
ment. they agreed that they would 90
TO the steamer separately and not meet
Till after il had left port and was well
out at sea This would facilitate their
Guiding the brides parents.
On the day the vessel sailed the
brides mother caught her doing some
packing and becoming suspicious.
locked her daughter in her room The
groom boarded the vessel before the
other passengers began TO 60 up the
gangway and hid himself. II was not
until the ship had passed beyond the
bay and was standing out at sea that
he left his hiding place and began 10
look about him for his wife. She was
nowhere to be found.
II was some time before he made up
his mind that she had been left behind
Then he wondered that he had not
thought Of such contingency and laid
his plans TO prevent H. His wife was
at home and be on his way 10 South
America. with no stop Till he arrived
there But was this last move any
more inconsiderate than the marriage
When young Smith reached Rio dc
Janeiro he had Sl2 in his pocket and
no more 4 new problem stared him
In the face lie must sleep some
where and eat He could nnd places q
sleep and buy things 10 eat Till hl'
money was gone and 50 long as Il last
ed he was troubled about his bride
but when It was an gone and he began
10 get hungry his attention was draw
from sentiment 10 stomach When h'
got very hungry he met an American
coffee merchant. who gave him job u
his office From this time romance foi