The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-09-29
An Episode
In the Smart Sci
How a Divorced Couple
Net and Mingled.
By F. A. Mitchell

II there is anything that especially
marks the smart set OF New York or
London 1t is the mixing Of families by
divorce. Indeed, within either of these
charmed circles to have been divorced
6 quite feather in ones social cap.
One day Mr.. Richard Pulsifer a gen.
tleman whose clothes were cut I'm the
latest London fashion, turned off Of
Fifth avenue, New York, and entered
a 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 a table near him sat a 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 u 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 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
ex-wife married Everett Quimby. Pull.
sifer went abroad and spent the most
Of his time hObnobbing with the smart
set 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
is not so strange after all. Both need
ed 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 a 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 embara.. :Irent did
not compel her to leave the restau-
rant. That she should thus be con.
fronted by the man she had divorced
was certainly contretemps. Whether
1t was painful or pleasing, she alone
knew. As for Mr.. Pulsifer, his coun-
tenance as he continued to cast glances
at Mrs. Quimby indicated admiration.
Each took care that their eyes should
not meet, for they had not made up
their minds what course to adopt with
reference 70 recognition or ignoring
each other. Finally Mr.. Pulsifer de-
cided the question by directing the
waiter to ill glass from his bottle
the wine was champagne-for Mrs
Quimby.
The lady. though she kept her eyes
before her, saw enough Of this act to
understand 1t. especially when the
waiter set a glass near her on the ia.
BILE and. filing it, said:
COLupllneuts.
Mrs Quimby looked at the wine.
then turned her head at her former
husband. a faint smile stealing over
her pretty lips.
These two had both been brought up
AS are persons usually in a society
where alliances were formed to en-
nance estates-to consider that they
must marry. first in their own set. and
in the second. money. The match had
been made principally on the latter
consideration. Pulsifer's estate was
worth three millions. and the lady's
more than equaled It. Both were fond
Of what in America Is called flirting
there is no corresponding word In any
other language-and since they were
marrying merely to unite two fortunes
there was no reason why after mar
rage they should not indulge in such
a pastime. At any rate. that Is the
way they looked at 1t.
Mrs. Pulsifer had not objected to her
husbands attentions to other women.
nor had he objected to her receiving
the attentions Of other men until he
took up with a bitter enemy Of hers,
when there was trouble at once. Mrs.
Pulsifer did not act through jealousy.
for she was not In love with her hus.
band, and there was no marriage be-
tween them except a legal union. But
she was scandalized that her enemy
should have the name Of taking from
her the attentions Of any man what
ever. The consequence was a divorce
between Mr.. and Mrs. Pulsifer. Not
having been really married. they had
no children, and there was nothing har.
rowing to any one In their separation.
Both had improved during the inter
val that they had beer apart and since
they had seen each other. Pulsifer had
developed both mentally and physic-
ally. Though he had been for several
years a London swell. he had been In
terested In intellectual pursuits. and
intellect very soon gives cast to ones
countenance. His ex-wifes beauty had
grown from a maidenly excellence to
that Of mature woman.
Such were the conditions between
Mr.. Pulsifer and Mrs. Quimby when
fate brought them together again In
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