The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-09
An Episode
In the Smart Sci
How a Divorced Couple
Met and Mingled.
Blu F. A. Mitchell

If there is anything that especially
marks the smart set Of New York or
london 1t is the mixing of families by
livorce. Indeed, within either Of these
harmed circles to have been divorced
3 quite feather in ones social cap.
7 One day Mr.. Richard Pulsifer, gen
tleman whose clothes were cut In the
latest London fashion, turned of OF
Fifth avenue, New York, and entered
q restaurant frequented by the creme
de la creme of society. Handing his
hat and cane to the attendant Of the
coat room, he entered the dining room
and was shown a table, at which, hav.
ing seated himself, he ordered lunch.
con.
At q table near him sat lady the
brim of whose, hat encircling her head
presented a fine representation of the
planet Saturn. The rest Of her costume
was In keeping and especially adapted
for the noon hour. She was about to
raise little neck clam to her lips on
the prongs of tiny fork when the
motion was arrested by her eyes hav-
ing lighted on the gentleman at the
neighboring table. At the same mo-
ment, while dipping a radish in salt.
the gentleman espied the lady.
These two had been married five
years before, when Mr. Pulsifer was
twenty-three and the lady nineteen.
Two years later they were divorced.
On the day the decree was granted the
sx-wife married Everett Quimby. Pull
sifer went abroad and spent the most
Of his time hobnobbing with the smart
ret Of London.
1t may seem singular that these two
should thus meet on the first day after
Pulsifer's return to America. and yet 1t
u not 30 strange after all. Both need
Cd refreshments, and there was but
one place in the city worthy Of their
patronage. Under the circumstances
their meeting was quite natural
Mrs. Quimby on seeing her former
husband changed color. lowered her
fork, and to conceal her embarrass-
ment raised glass Of wine to her lips,
slipped the wine. set down the glass
and drew q napkin across her mouth
Mr.. Pulsifer on seeing his former wife
left the radish on the table, drew back
slightly, then resorted to the same
means of relieving his emotions as
his former wife. raising his wine glass
to his lips.
Mrs. Quimby's embarrassment die
not compel her to leave the restau
rant. That she should thus be con
fronted by the man she had divorced
was certainly contretemps. Whethe
1t was painful or pleasing, she alon'
knew. As for Mr.. Pulsifer, his coun
tenance as he continued to cast glance
at Mrs. Quimby indicated admiration
Each took care that their eyes shoul'
not meet, for they had not made u
their minds what course to adopt wit
reference to recognition or ignorin
each other. Finally Mr.. Pulsifer dc
cided the question by directing tn
waiter to Ill a glass from his bottle
the wine was champagne-for Mrs
Quimby.
The lady. though she kept her eye
before her, saw enough of this act I
understand 1t, especially when tn
waiter set a glass near her on the Ia
BILE and, filling 1t, said:
"Mr. Pulsifer's compliments"
Mrs. Quimby looked at the win,
then turned her head at her forme
husband, faint smile stealing owe
her pretty lips.
These two had both been brought u
AS are persons usually in societ
where alliances were formed to Ell
nance estates-to consider that the
must marry, first in their own set, an
In the second, money. The match ha
been made principally on the latte
consideration. Pulsifer's estate wa
worth three millions, and the lady
more than equaled 1t. Both were fon
Of what in America Is called flirting
there is no corresponding word In an
lther language-and since they wei
marrying merely to unite two forum,
here was no reason why after ma
hage they should not indulge in sue
pastime. At any rate, that Is Il
way they looked at 1t.
Mrs. Pulsifer had not objected to b
husbands attentions to other wome
nor had he objected to her receiviI
the attentions of other men until
took up with bitter enemy Of heI
when there was trouble at once. MI
Pulsifer did not act through jealous
for she was not In love with her hr
band, and there was no marriage
tween them except legal union. B
she was scandalized that her eneu
should have the name of taking fro
her the attentions of any man whf
ever. The consequence was a divor
between Mr.. and Mrs. Pulsifer. n
having been really married. they HI
no children. and there was nothing hi
rowing to any one In their separate
Both had improved during the int,
val that they had been apart and sin
they had seen each other. Pulsifer b.
developed both mentally and phys
ally. Though he had been for sever
years London swell, he had been
terested In intellectual pursuits. al
intellect very soon gives cast to on,
countenance. His ex-wife's beauty b.
grown from a maidenly excellence
that Of mature woman.