The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1913-01-17

Bitter Experience Made
Her One
BY MARTHA A. HARDING

y
my mothers death | went to live with
my aunt. She had made an unfortu-
nate marriage in her youth and had
been divorced. Her husband was still
living, and she did not marry again.
One matrimonial experience was quite
enough for her. But she possessed
fortune, and her husband, who was a
Sawyer by profession, was on the
watch for any technically that would
enable him to get any of It. For in
stance, the laws of the state in which
should join with the wife In conveying
real estate. My aunt owned the house
in which she lived and her husband
would not join in deed conveying IL
unless she would give him half the
amount of the purchase money.
My aunt did not wish to sell her
house, but the matter opened her eyes
TO what she had to fear from her hus
band, especially IL he outliyed her
was to be her heir, and she dreaded
lest he should attempt to break any
will she should make in my favor with
a view TO depriving me of my inherit
ance.
Her fears did not end here. Sup
pose / should have the i'll luck she had
experienced in making marriage
The idea was horrible to her. Scarcely
a day passed that she did not remind
me of the dangers incurred in taking q
husband and always ended by advising
me to lead a life of spinsterhood.
These constant admonitions served to
defeat the purpose for which they were
intended The quickest way to get
young person to do anything is to warn
him or her against it Youngsters wish
to see the folly of it, as well as their
seniors. There Is another adage that
works in connection with this one
"Stoen fruit is the sweetest" | not
only wished to marry because my aunt
warned me not to do so, but l was
ready to enter upon love affair with.
out her knowing 1t.
i was but seventeen when l met
Charlie Edison. and he showed predls.
dozen years older than | and was con.
sldered a fine young man by all who
knew him.
Nevertheless I question il our intl-
macy would have ripened into love had
not told him that my aunt was OPP
posed to my marrying any one, and
expected to be an old maid. My aunt's
action had tho sauna offant IN Charlie
that it had on me. He began to make
love to me at once, and | experienced
the delightful sensation of eating stolen
fruit.
This was enjoyable only for a short
times Love Lss.us to matrimony, and
the first tiiaag | knew my delight was
turned to worry. My lover, who was
more farslghted than /, inferred that
If took IA step toward marriage with
out my aunt's consent she might cut
me Off from my expected inheritance.
I did not think she would do that, but
the possibility of her doing II troubled
me. Charlie was clerk with a salary
of $40 u month. and he at least had
sense enough TO know that marriage
between us on such an income meant
hard times ahead.
But when two persons are violently
in love with each other prudence hides
her face. After much tribulation we
did what many youngsters have done
before us to their cost. We went to n
parson and got married, he alone know
ing of the marriage. Then / went home
and Charlie went home, and where
there was worry before there was now
misery.
1t happened soon after this that my
aunt's divorced husband attempted by
process of law to get possession of n
certain piece of property she owned by
means of a paper he had induced her to
sign when they were living together,
or, rather. the attempt was TO levy
blackmail, since he offered to with
draw the suit IL she would pay him n
stipulated sum This act so Infatuated
her, so filled her with horror Mt what
she called the iron chains of matrimony
that she sent for her attorney and made
new will, which prevented my get
ting possession of her estate after her
death In case | was then married. Her
object was to save me from the iron
chains, and this was the only way she
could effect that object.
No sooner had she made this new
will than she Informed me of the fact
Imagine my astonlshment and my cha
grin. My first impulse was to throw
myself into her arms and confess. bit
remembered that | had husband
with whom TO consult, so only said
well, aunty. suppose that makes
me an old maid
Rather say 1t insures you from the
persecution of some demon OF man"
When told Charlie of what had
happened he was sick at heart. blam
ing himself for having deprived me OF
n fortune. But we were both young
and full Of vigor. and before the end
OF our interview we agreed that we
would rather have each other than the
fortune, and since we couldn't have
both we We're satisfied. Our financial
outlook was not pleasing, but there Is
more zest in having world to con
Quer than having conquered world.
Our chief concern was what to do
In the immediate future. Ii ! con
fessed 10 my aunt what l bad done
she might tell me to 30 to my husband
and suffer the consequences of my de-
ception. We are all prone to put OFF
an evil day, and Charlie and / con-
cluded TO keep our secret and live the
lives we We're living apart till such
time as we could see our way to set
up housekeeping In its simplest form.
1t was a long while before my aunt
recovered from the effects OF her hus-
bands attempt sufficiently to cease
talking about 1t, inveighing against
matrimony and an occasional remark
to me:
IF ever l catch you listening to the
poisoned words of any young rascal
III turn you out of the house." But
after awhile she ceased to get wrought