The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-02
An Episode
In the Smart SET
How a Divorced Couple
Met and Mingled.
Blu F. A. Mitchell

London 1t is the mixing Of families by
divorce. Indeed, within either Of these
charmed circles to have been divorced
II quite feather in ones social cap.
One day Mr.. Richard Pulsifer, gen
tleman whose clothes were cut In the
latest London fashion, turned off Of
Fifth avenue, New York, and entered
4 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 lady the
brim of whose hat encircling her head
presented fine representation Of the
was in keeping and especially adapted
for the noon hour. She was about tu
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 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
Pulsifers 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 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 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 to recognition or ignoring
each other. Finally Mr.. Pulsifer de.
cided the question by directing the
waiter to fill 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 it, especially when the
walter set glass near her on the ia.
BILE and filing it, said:
MIR. Pufsifers compliments"
Mrs. Quimby looked at the wine.
then turned her head at her former
husband. faint smile stealing over
her pretty lips.
These two had both been brought up
AS are persons usually in a society
where alliances We're 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 It.
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 bitter enemy of hers.
when there was trouble at once. Mrs.
Pulsifer did not act through jealousy.
Tor she was not In love with her hus-
band, and there was no marriage he.
tween them except 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 been apart and since
they had seen each other Pulsifer had
developed both mentally and physic
ally. Though he had been for severa
years 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 maidenly excellence e
that of a mature woman.
Such were the conditions between
Mr.. Pulsifer and Mrs. Quimby wher