The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-08-11
THE NEWS SHORT STORY


corlItion-i e.. from their standpoint.
They at once applied FOR an annulment
OF their daughters marriage on the
ground that both she and her husband
were mder age when they were mar
! ricd
Smith was offered position on
coffee plantation in the interior and
accepted it This led him out Of the
world FOR many years Legal docu-
ments concerning the dissolution Of his
marriage tie were sent 90 him, but new
er reached him. His object az first
4 was 20 make money enough 20 get back
20 New York and secure possession ot
/ his wife. But he was a long while &C
cumulating the necessary funds He
met with setbacks and advances that
never seemed TO get to a point where
! he could break away and 20 home.
And so he drifted on and, not hearing
1 from his wife, at last concluded that
/ her parents had dominated her and
had probably secured an annulment Of
her marriage Finally the connection
became like a troubled dream. In his
sleep he would dream that he had been
reunited 10 his love, but when he
awoke it was with sense Of relief that
the experience was not real
In the meanwhile Smith accumulat-
ed wealth lie had opportunities TO
marry. but did not know whether he
had legal right to marry and in any
event did not care 10 mate with any
Of the Spanish women he met in South
America. At last, after twenty years
Soiourn there he sold out his possess
sions and returned to the land of his
birth
Such was the early experience OF
Mr. Smith, who when past middle life
found himself ont Of business, with no
family and with no other home than
hotel lie had made some inquiries
concerning his Girl wife ana her peo-
pie, but had learned nothing. He en-
deavored 10 find evidence that his mar
rage had been annulled, but had fail
ed. Indeed, an annulment could hard
ly be within the law, since he had not
received any papers in the case.
Mr. Smith and Miss Jones were
drawn together by n similarity Of po-
sition. Both needed n home. Smith
decided TO ask her 10 marry him.
Should he tell her Of the uncertainty
hanging over him? If he did she
would, should she become his wife.
live under that uncertainty whereas
If she knew nothing Of the matter she
would have nothing 10 worry about.
Twenty years had passed without his
hearing Of his girl wife. and he
thought it probable that If she were
living 81 'ca married again.
When Mr.. Smith proposed Miss
Jones told him that she had had an
attachment in her youth that she had
never entirely recovered from. and she
thought he should know that there
was bit of her affections that she
could never give him. He replied that
he. too had had an affair of the heart.
and on this point they We're quits. His
conscience smoto him for not telling
the whole story, but he felt il rather
kindness than an injustice TO her TO
refrain.
They were married as persons Of
their age usually prefer to be married.
privately. Indeed so little attention
did the groom pay TO preparations that
when he stood up 10 be married and
the clergyman asked for the wedding
ring Mr.. Smith was thrown into con-
fusion by the discovery that he had
neglected TO provide ring But the
bride came to the rescue. Slipping a
,ec & h..
the clergyman, and the services pro-
ceeded without any further Interrupt
ton.
From the church the couple were
driven TO the station and from there
started on a wedding journey. Seated
side by side in their private compart-
ment, Mr.. Smith reverted to the only
contretemps that occurred in the mar
riage ceremony
What stupid blunder l made in
not providing wedding ring! When
l gave you the solitaire at our engage
ment l supposed it was all that was
required Of me | had forgotten that
when was
He stopped short.
INIEbiltu W udNE dShctl lAe bIlllt
Still there was no answer. Instead
he asked to see the ring with which
he had married her She refused, say
ing It was connected with the early
affair of which she had spoken when
he proposed to her and he must con-
tent himself always 10 see it on her
finger without an inspection.
Its not an engagement ring" he
said, "for it is n plain gold circlet with
out a stone. It's more like Il wedding
ring"
The blood mounted TO the lady's
cheek She showed signs of collapse.
what troubles your asked the
groom anXiously.
II should have told you. have been
married. The ring is the one used at
my first marriage"
As she spoke she drew II from her
I finger and handed Il 10 him. Inside
were the initials "E NJ. $. to I. j."
; why r. NJ. s are my initials-Ed-
ward Morgan smith"
] "Thcre are thousands Of Smiths" she
stammered II knew your first name.
, Edward. which is a common one, too.
but didn't know about the Morgan"
u.hov x,-,r, l,,I-f,,f, fttg ,,ob ,thar's