The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-07-30
ALL IN THREE
WORDS
By ALLAN C. LAMOND

While scanning 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.
cut the ad. out Of the newspaper
and put it in my pocketbook. About
once an hour l read it over. Won
dcred If Nine. Durant could help me-
wanted some one to go to Della and
show her how unreasonable she had
been. At last started for the address
given, with no definite purpose.
expected to find Nine. Durant In 4.
dingy apartment, with worn furniture
and not overcleanly. Madame herself
would doubtless be either French, ltal-
fan, 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 doorbell of a neat little house, and
a tidy young woman answered the
summons. She was Nine. Durant,
only she was an American and Du-
rant was not her name. She had
adopted it because she considered ID
more attractive than her own, Ida
Smith. She invited me into a neatly
furnished living room, and after hem
ming and having and stammering ]
finally got out what I wanted to ten
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 wrong while the position had
taken was unimpeachabIe. She would
engage to settle the matter between
us for S1OO, half of which was to be
paid in advance and the other hale
after the reconciliation. If there was
no reconciliation I was not to pay the
remainder OF the fee She was to-
make the acquaintance Of my Ell
fancee, and without letting her know
her mission gain her confidence and
convince her that she owed me hum
BILE apology.
This was heads I win. tails you
lose in favor of Miss Smith. But she
seemed very confident Of being able to
bring Della and me together and had
an honest countenance. This and my
desire for makeup decided me, and
drawing a check for $50 l gave it to
her. sat some time after this listen
ing to the cures she had effected. She
had brought together father and
daughter. the latter having been turn
ed out of doors for marrying man
the father did not like. She had re-
united no end of divorced couples and
parted lovers. She did it all on prin-
cipe which could be stated in three
words. When l asked her to give me
these words she laughed and said.
SHOULD l do so you would expect me
to hand you back the retaining fee you
have given me, and there would be no
reconciliation"
heard from Nine Durant, or Miss
Smith. as l prefer to call her. within
two days. During this time she had
managed to make Delia's acquaintance
and learned about our separation. Inc
! following was the letter received
from the woman l had hired to con-
vince Della that she had i'll treated me:
Dear Sir-I suppose you were giving me
a correct version of the disa greement be-
tween you and your fiancee | am con-
vinced from what Miss Douglas has told
me that you are entirely unworthy OF SO
estimable a young lady. return your
check since I find that the conditions I'M
der which 1 accepted it are entirely at
variance with the facts Yours truly.
NINE. DURANT.
P. S.-Should you desire any further in
| formation in the matter you are at hber-
| ty to call at my house, and will give 1t
| to you.
Astonished, chagrined, mortified.
began to consider what had done to
bring about such result. | spent
week thinking upon my own share in
the quarrel At the end Of that time
l had made up my mind that | was as
much to blame as Della. Then it &C.
cured to me that if was as much to
blame as she the fault was all mine,
for q man should have more control
over himself than woman whose ma
ture is supposed to be more volatile.
could not doubt Miss Smiths sin
certify, for she had returned my fee
and had no interest in deceiving me-.
l went to see her and had talk with
her, but gained no information. I
confessed the result Of my delibera-
tons and told her preferred that she
should be paid for her trouble. So I
handed her the check she had re-
turned to me. Before accepting it she
asked me what l was going to do.
told her l would 90 to Della and take
all the blame for our disa greement.
As soon as I said this Miss Smith
put the check in her povtmanteau and.
taking note from desk. handed it =
me. Immediately recognized Delis's
handwriting. 1t read:
| Dearest George-Miss Smith has con-
WINGED me that it was all my fault. Fos.
! give me. Your loving DELLA
| I looked I'D at Miss Smith and saw