The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-08-15
marked Rio de Janeiro. They opened
1t and from Its contents discovered that
fha1 a fYsfr WAS In n varvs aatiufa cforv.


the affair was In very satisfactory
condition.. e.. from their standpoint
They AZ onte applied for an annuiment
VI their daughters marriage on the
ground that both she and her husband
were under age when they were mar
ried. t-,nf
Saith was offered position on a
'offee plantation In the interior and
accepted II. This led him out Of the
world for many years Legal docu-
ments concerning the dissolution OF his
marriage tie were sent to him. but new
or reached him. His object at hrst
was to make money enough to get back
to New York and secure possession OF
his wife. But he was a long while ac-
cumulating the necessary funds He
met with setbacks and advances that
never seemed to get to q point where
he could break away and go home
And so he drlfted on and. not hearing
from his wife. at last concluded that
her parents had dominated her and
had probably secured an oannulment OF
her marriage. Finally the connection
became like a troubled dream. In his
sleep he would dream that he had been
reunited to his love. but when he
awoke II was with sense Of relief that
the experience was not real.
In the meanwhile Smith Accumulate
ed wealth. He had opportunities to
marry. but did not know, whether he
had legal right to marry and In any
event did not care to mate with any
Of the Spanish women he met In South
America. At last, after twenty years
sojourn there, he sold out his posses
sions and returned to the land Of his
birth. .sN
Such was the early experience of
Mr.. Smith. who when past middle life
found himself out Of business, with no
family and with no other home than a
hotel. He had made some inquiries
concerning his girl wife and her PEG
pie, but had learned nothing. He en-
deavored to find evidence that his mar
rage had been annulled, but had fail.
ed. Indeed, an annulment could hard.
~ be within the law, since he had not
received any papers in the case
Mr.. Smith and Miss Jones were
drawn together by similarity Of 20.
sition. Both needed a home. Smith
decided to ask her to marry him.
Should he tell her Of the uncertainty
hanging over him? II he did she
would, should she become his wife
live under that uncertainty, whereas
II she knew nothing Of the matter she
would have nothing to worry about
Twenty years had passed without his
hearing of his girl wife. and he
thought 1t probable that If she were
living she had 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 were quits. His
conscience smote him for not telling
the whole story, but he felt II rather a
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 tha'
when he stood up to be married and
the clergyman asked for the wedding
ring Mr.. Smith was thrown into con
fusion by the discovery that he hat
neglected to provide a ring. But the
bride came to the rescue. Slipping 9
ring Off her finger, she handed 1t tC
the clergyman, and the services pro
ceeded without any further Interrupt
ton.
From the church the couple wer'
driven to the station and from there
started on wedding journey. Seatet
side by side in their private compart
ment, Mr.. Smith reverted to the only
contretemps that occurred In the mar
rage ceremony.
What a stupid blunder I made II
not providing a wedding ringl Wher
I gave you the solitaire at our engage
ment supposed 1t was all that wal
required Of me. had forgotten tina
when I was
He stopped short
Forgotten what?" asked the bride.
Still there was no answer. Instead
he asked to see the ring with which
he had married her. She refused. say
| ing 1t was connected with the early
| affair OF which she had spoken wheI
he proposed to her and he must con
| tent himself always to see 1t on he
| finger without an inspection.
Its not an engagement ring" n
said. 'for it is plain gold circlet with
out a stone. It's more like wedding
ring"
The blood mounted to the lady,
cheek. She showed signs Of collapse.
what troubles your" asked thu
groom anxlously.
ct should have told you. have beer
married. The ring is the one used a
my first marriage"
AS she spoke she drew It from he
| finger and handed 1t to him. Inside
were the initials "E. NJ. 8. to l. j.
"Why, &c. NJ. s. are my initlals-Ed
ward Morgan Smith"
"There are thousands Of Smiths" sh'