Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-03-08

beloved mother-in-law.
My first act after my marriage ann
going to state without any explana-
ton. For such things there is no ex-
PLANTATION that can be expressed iaa
words. | went straight to q jewellery
store, bought solitaire diamond ring
for which | paid exactly $1,000, and
sent it by express to my WIFE
Since the package was addressed to
her there was chance that she would
open 1T without her mothers knowing
of its reception, and if she did was
curious to learn whether she would.
return it or not. The express agent
gave me receipt signed by my bride.
and after a week had elapsed and my
gift had not been returned concluded
that it had been retained without Mrs.
Tiverton's knowledge. | was in hopes
that | would receive a note from the.
recipient expressing her thanks. but Z
did not.
A year passed before was informed
that ! was expected to take certain
steps that | had agreed to take which
would enable my wife to secure a di-
vorce. At the same time | learned
that proofs that the soldier in Belgium
who would have inherited the earldom
of Arraskilling was dead had been Of
fered in England and his younger
brother had inherited the title and es-
tates. This fact explained my being
called upon in the matter of the di--
vorce.
l had noticed when reading the doc
ument given me to sign Immediately
before my marriage that my pledge
read that "on being called upon by
the said Bertha Tiverton" was to
take certain steps in the matter of g.
divorce. When | saw that her mother
was managing her matrimonial affairs
for her 1 resolved that when called
upon to act in the matter | would fol-
low the letter of the agreement and
refuse to act except on the request OF
my wife.
When 1 received notification that I
was expected TO fulfill my promise I
called ON my uncle and told him that I
was ready to do so provided the re-
quest was made by my wife and that
I might be sure she and not another
was making It. | required that she
tell me in person. Furthermore. that
| might be SIRE she was making it
without duress. | required that she
make the request without any person
except herself and myself being pres
ent
When my uncle heard me make this
statement be looked at me curiously
for few moments without speaking,
then asked me if was sure had the
right to insist upon what proposed
| gave him the reading of the docu-
ment as | remembered it. He simply
said that if l was correct in quoting ft
I had the right to what l claimed I
saw at glance that he sympathized
with me in the matter. though he
would not countenance my taking a
dishonorable stand. asked him to-
convey my demand to the Tivertons,
which he promised to do.
A few days later my uncle informed
me that he had transmitted what had
said to Mrs. Tiverton and her daugh-
ter. He did not tell me how the mes
sage had beer received by either. but
said that he bad nothing further to do
with the matter and | would be dealt
with directly by Mrs. Tiverton.
week passed, and heard nothing
from my mother-inlaw. Of course
was in the dark why no action had
been taken. Then 1 saw a notice. In
newspaper that the Earl of Arras-
killing was in America and being
sought after by society. determined
to get view OF his lordship. and, hay
ing friend who was member Of a
club at which the earl had been put
up ! arranged to see him there. One
da. when he was at the club was
tele phoned by my friend to come
around at once | did So and the carl
was pointed out to me. A single
glance at him convinced me that, bar
ring his title, would not be egotisticaI
in assuming that | could win any wc--
man from him. His lordship was posi-
lively insignificant in looks. and | was
assured that his intellect was no bet
ter.
Soon after this a woman came to-
see me who said she was Miss liver
tons maid" She told me that beg
mistress was bitterly opposed to mar
rying title with an apology for o.
man attached. and it was intimated to-
HE that my wife favored my maintain
Ing the point | had taken in acting
only on her request, Through the maid
| begged my wife to grant me an in
terview. She consented. and we met
at the house of friend of hers who
was in her confidence
l was astonished at the change thae
had taken place in her since our maS--
riage. AT that time she had been
something of a child; now she was
woman. Without knowing it I had
launched coup d'etat in expendfng
the fee | had received for marrying:
her for wedding gift My uncle has14