The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1916-03-25
A Roundabout
Way
By EUNICE BLAKE

Gently married was almost unknown.
Nowadays we heal of these divorces
quite frequently. Amy Goodrich at
eighteen married Samuel Turner, aged
twenty-five. flirted with a former adj
mirer and In three months they sep
arated. Turner, desiring to take all
the blame on himself, permitted the
plea for divorce to go by default and
willingly paid the alimony fixed by the
judge.
One day when a payment for all
mony was due Sam sent the check by
mail with u bit of paper attached stat
ing that he was intending to sail the
next day for Italy, but had left in
structions with his brother to make
the payments regularly for him while
he was absent.
Now, by this time Amy had become
satisfied that she had been very I'M
wise. The man with whom she had
firted was a worthless fellow with
nothing to recommend him but a hand
some, expressionless face and immacu-
late clothes. Her affair with him was
innocent, except that it should not
have occurred at all, and scarcely, If
at all, caused an interruption of her
love for her husband. The domestic
troubles had converted her from a
child into a woman, and for some time
before the receipt of this last alimony
payment she had regretted her action
and desired a reconciliation.
And now when she was getting
tired of a long winter Sam was going
to sail for sunny Italy. while she was
left behind to struggle with the rest
of the cold season. She determined
to make an effort to bring about a
reconciliation and go with him.
But how?
The principal trouble was her pride.
All could be arranged by her confess
ing that she had been a foolish little
woman and asking his pardon for
what she had done.
But this was out of the question.
Amy adopted a method which for
originality and indirectness was quite
astonishing ven for a young person
nineteen years old. She went to her
lawyer and told him that her husband
was about to go abroad and she fear
ed she would not receive her alimony.
What should she do? The attorney
drew up a paper stating what she had
told him and praying for Sans de-
tention till he had given bonds for the
payment of his obligations while in
foreign lands, where United States
law would not reach him. Amy sign
when Sam was arrested he should be
brought to the lawyers Office and there
satisfy her in person that she would
receive the alimony regularly. She
also stipulated that a clergyman be
within call during the interview.
"a Clergyman" exclaimed the aston
ished attorney.
Eyes, a clergyman"
The lawyer looked at her scrutiniz-
ingly for a few moments, then pro-
ceeded to finish drawing the docu-
ment. 1.-THE ways of woman are some
times beyond the ken of the most
crafty lawyer" he muttered to him
self.
The steamer on which Sam was to
sail was scheduled to leave the dock
at II o'clock, and the meeting between
Mr.. and Mrs. Turner, divorced, was
appointed for 10 in the morning. They
were left together in the lawyers pri-
vate Office.
Don't you think" said Amy, that
this running away to get rid of your
obligations to me is very mean?"
"Tell me what security you require,
and l will give it. am to sail at
noon"
"Why should. you who brought about
all the trouble between us have all
this pleasure before you, while 1 re
main at home holding my handsY
81 brought all this trouble about?"
Eyes, by your jealousy of that addle
pated Clarence Barker"
Didn't you tell me that you pre-
ferred him to me and was sorry you
had married meT'
eyes, and you were silly enough to
believe me-"
She stood looking at the ceiling, then
at the floor. then at a picture of a su-
preme court judge on the wall-any-
where. everywhere except at Sam.
Her hand was on a table in the center
of the Office. Sam went to her and
laid his W hand on hers.
AMY" he said, 81 do believe we
have been a couple of fools"
"You mean you have. What time
do you sail?"
"At IL, in two hours from now"
I'D like awfully to go too"
"Do you mean it?"
"Yes. I've always longed to spend
a spring in Italy"
"Pn defer my going till the next
steamer"
'There's no need of that. l can tele-
phone mother to throw what l need
into a trunk" cher trunk was already
packed land bring it In her car to the