The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-08-02
How He Got
Even With Her
BY BARBARA PHIPPS


when his friend said 10 him:
"Why not make n matrimonial trade
Paul? Marry some woman who ha,
inherited a fortune made IN trade
There are many such who would b,
glad 10 exchange a part OF n forum,
for n title"
81 don't wish TO marry. and II mar
ried commoner II would avail moth
ing. My wife would not be received al
court, and that would ostraeise me so,
cially."
But you need be her husband only
by law. You need not live with her;
you need not see her"
Converted TO the idea, Paul adver.
tlsed for a wife who would exchange
part of her fortune for his title, speci-
flying that 1t was to be a purely com
mercial transaction. The only draw
back was that neither party could
marry another; they must remain sin
gle.
He received several replies. one OF
which he accepted. Bertha Stair
whose father had made an enormous
fortune in trade, agreed to exchange
what would be 100000 in American
money for the privilege of being
Countess Wendalen. She expressed
herself content with the. title and will
ling to dispense with the husband.
They were married by proxy, the
wife's solicitor paying the money at
the time of the ceremony.
The count had not been married long
before he heard that the Countess Wen.
dalin, a very beautiful woman living
In the northern part of Sweden, or
Norland, had received the thanks OF
the king for charities she had bestow.
ed ON the poor and had been invited
to one Of the balls given at the palace
at Stockholm. The count pricked up
his ears. He attended the ball, but
kept out of his wife's way, seeing her,
yet taking care that she did not see
him. Being very much struck with
her, he wrote her a letter proposing
that they make their marriage real
connubial union. The reply he received
was that she had married him for his
title and had no use for him personally
whatever.
"Ill make her pay for that saio
Paul
Not long after the countess had re-
turned to her home valet cane one
evening to her residence and said that
his master who had been hunting in
the vicinity, had been injured by a
fall from his horse. Would the count |
ess give him shelter till the next day? |
The countess gave orders that he WIS
to be brought 10 the house and treated |
with every consideration. She receiv-
ed him herself and sent for her physi-
clan to attend him.
The invalid proved to be a handsome
enlist sympathy. The countess at
once became much Interested In him,
and since he did not seem well enough
TO depart on the following morning she
Insisted that he should not attempt to
do so. The countess being a woman
who could not possibly marry and the
invalid being an attractive man, the
most natural thing in the world was
that she should fall in love with him.
She read to the poor fellow and talk
I'd with him and made nice things with
ler own hands for him to eat In re-
urn he listened to whatever she said
with rapt attention, having the good
interesting than talker.
Several weeks passed before the in
yalid was able to be moved, and then
le told the countess that he might
better have been killed by his fall, for
he should die of grief for love Of her
lie was but a poor young man with
tut fortune, and, Of course, union
With her was impossible. She told him
hat his poverty would not keep them
part, but she confessed that she was
lready married. At this he bemoan-
d his fate and departed.
One day Count Wendalen received a
proposition from his wife through her
olicitor to pay him an additional $50
90 provided he would consent to d.
orce He declined the offer. An adj
itional $4,000 was offered, but the
cunt was not tempted. The negota-
ions were broken Off for brief inter
al when another $4,000 was offered.
When the amount of the offer reached
100000 the count consented, but slip
lated that the money should be paid
i'm personally by the countess.
To this his wife consented and on
n appointed day the count set out {
or Norland. He was not received at I
be porte-cochere by the countess, as I
he injured huhtsman had been vel
omed, but was shown into a reception I
pom to await her coming When she ,
ntered the room, whom should she
ee but the man who had won her {
cart as an invalid. '
Excuse me- she said. drawing a r
eep breath Il expected not you, but
my husband"
HE is here"
What do you mean?" b
81 am Count Wendalen. | have come
exchange n divorce for gold
The lady was not in a condition to
AXE reply.
81 wrote You suggesting that we live
gether as man and wife and you re- i
led that. having my title. you had v
, use for me personally. You have d
to pay me for my consent d
a divorce that you may marry {
The rOunfpSS ShOwnd sfcuS of col I I.