The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1916-05-11
A Double
Secret
By EUNlCE BLAKE

nSdlhSb HtI pdTclIS W isles. Seventeen
is tender age for a woman 10 he
placed in antagonism with her mother
and a husband who under such circuIn.
stances attempts to contend with q
mother-in-law is quite likely to get
the worst Of it. One day, but month
after his wedding at the end Of the
honeymoon-Mr. Smith went home
from business TO find the newly built
nest deserted. His wifeS mother had
swooped down on her and carried off
her chick
1t was six months before the be
reaved husband could discover where
his wife had been taken. Then he
also learned that she was dead. At
any rate, his mOther-in-law wrote him
to that effect. But whether the lady
did SO that she might cause him TO
cease TO pursue her daughter or wheth-
er she wrote the truth he was not
quite certain.
But now, twenty years from the
| date Of his marriage, he met a maiden
| lady verging on to forty with whom
| he was very Companionable. He never
| told her about his marriage, for he
made up his mind to win her If posi-
bic and feared that If he admitted any
| doubt as to his being free to marry
she would not take the risk. When he
proposed to her she surprised him with
confession. She informed him that
the name she bore was not hers legal
ly. There was long story to tell in
connection with the matter Of her pass
ing under an assumed name that she
would tell him If he cared to hear II.
after which he might judge for him
Self II he wished TO marry her
Smith after a few moments OF
thought replied that there was a mat
rimonial hitch in his own case. If he
told her what it was 1t would ALWAYS
worry her; if he knew what hers was
1t would worry him. Would II not be
well for him to keep his secret and |
vice versa? In his own case there was |
not one chance in a thousand of there |
being any trouble. She said that the \
same was true in her own case. She
would take the risk if he would After
awhile they concluded that what had |
been proposed was the sensible thing
TO do, and they were married.
Things don't always turn out as ex-
pected. Instead of there now being
two causes for worry there were four.
Mr.. Smith in addition to having his
own affair to trouble him had that of
his wife. Mrs. Smith also had two
cares of worry where she had had one.
Then. too, curiosity came in to make
matters worse.
The prime difficulty in their now I'M
themselves TO each other
was that fearing they would not adj
here TO their resolution Of keeping
their secret they had each registered
a vow to maintain it inviOlate. Mr. |
Smith, who was engroSsed in business.
lid not find it difficult to keep his VOW.
but Mrs. Smith, who had little to oc-
'upy her mind, dwelt upon her hus-
bands secret continually. One day
she said TO him:
Dear, have concluded that | must
Know your secret. True, you have
made VOW not to reveal It, but that
row was made to me. and l release
'ou."
why cannot you dismiss this mat
err from your mindT' he asked. IF
tell you my secret / am entitled to
now yours. l don't wish to know it
POSSIBLY if did l might feel some
hing, do something. say something to
poll our happiness. AS it is, we are
assing on without anything to mar
Why not let the matter rest as 1t
)? Remember Pandora and the box
t troubles she opened"
This was all very well. but the curl
US bee had been buzzing in Mrs.
mith's bonnet so long that she could
ndure it no longer However, some
hing occurred to bring about a revela-
on of both mysteries. One morning
he postman delivered the mail while
he Smiths were at breakfast Mrs.
NTH opened letter addressed to her
nd turned pale. Seeing that she was
bout to faint, her husband ran to her
nd caught her In his arms. She came
} herself in few moments.
What is it, darling?" cried her hus-
and.
Read it,
Taking up the letter, he read: II
When your mother died she left 1t dis
etionary with me to make a confession O.
r her. / have not long to live and have a
included to make IL before / die. Your
other spoke falsely when she told you
ur husband was dead. She also wrote
m that you were dead.
glimmered upon George
NTH. An idea was trying to perme-
e his brain.
What was your maiden name? he
sped
Stacey"
Throwing his arms about her, he
ueezed her till she cried out.
Thank heavenw he cried.
What for?
Il am your first as well as your Sec
d husband. You are my first and
cond wife"
How do you know"
1 married Arietta Stacey when she
IS seventeen years old. Why did you
ange your name?'
Mother forced me to do so to keep
froY en-