The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-03-26

| was shown 10 the door, which was
closed behind me with a bang by my
beloved mother-in-law.
My first act after my marriage am
going TO state without any explana-
ton. Eos such things there Is no ex-
PLANTATION that can he expressed in
words. went straight 10 jewellery
store, bought Il solitaire diamond ring.
for which | paid exactly $1,000 and
sent it by express 10 my wife.
Since the package was addressed T.
her there was chance that she would
open il 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 a receipt signed by my bride,
and after week had elapsed and ms
gift had not been returned cOnclulel
that it had been retained without Mrs.
Tiverton's knowledge. | was in hopes
that | would receive note from the
recipient expressing her thanks, bat
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 di-
vorce. At the same time ] learned
that proofs that the soldier in Belgium
who would have inherited the carldom
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.
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 a
divorce When | saw that her mother
was managing her matrimonial affairs
for her | resolved that when called
upon TO act in the matter | would fol-
low the letter of the agreement ana
refuse to act except on the request or
my wife.
When | received notification that ]
was expected 10 fufin my promise |
called on my uncle and told him that |
was ready to do So provided the re-
quest was made by my wife and that
| might he sure size and not another
was making il. required that she
tell me In person Furthermore, that
| might be sure she was making 1t
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 he looked at me curiously
for a few moments without speaking,
then asked me IL was sure l had the
right to insist upon what l proposed.
l gave him the reading of the docu-
ment as | remembered It. He simply
said that il was correct In quoting 1t
l had the right to what | claimed. l
saw at glance that he sympathized
with me In the matter, though he
would not countenance my taking
dishonorable stand. ! asked him to
convey my demand to the Tivertons,
which he promised to do.
\ 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 been received by either, but
said that he had nothing further TO do
with the matter and would be dealt
with directly by Mrs. Tiyerton.
4 SSnI mud I hon rH nothing
from my mother-in-law. OF course
was in the dark why no action had
been taken Then | saw "A notice in a
newspaper that the Earl of Arras-
killing was in America and being
sought after by society. determined
to get view OF his lordship, and. hav-
ing friend who was a member Of a
club at which the earl had been put
up" | arranged to see him there One
day when he was at the club | was
telephoned by my friend to come
around at once | did so. and the earl
was pointed out to me. A single
glance at him convinced me that, bar
ring his title. would not be egotistical
in assuming that could win any wo-
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 Tiver-
tons maid" She told me that her
mistress was bitterly opposed TO mar
rying title with an apology for a
man attached. and it was intimated to
me 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 that
had taken place in her since our mar
riage. At that time she had been
something of a child: now she was