The Washington times., 1919-04-02
Betrayed Bride Tells
OF Tinsel and Sawdust
Of Marriage to ''HerO''

With far sadder experience than
any girl whose husband or sweet
heart lies in his grave in France,
Florence Brainerd Grimwood, who has
sued for the annulment Of her mar
riage to the British officer who proved
an imposter OF the first water, is to-
Cay seeking only to forget and to
reconstruct the ideals and illusions
shattered by the man who wOoed and
won her by falseness and lies.
Not yet twenty-five. this charming
Chevy Chase girl has come bravely
through an experience that might
have broken even an older and
stronger woman. Her only desire is
to end the marriage bond that proved
so disastrous and to have undisturb-
ed possession OF her little two-year-
old Rosemary.
Envies Real widows.
''The girl who lost her husband or
sweetheart in the war probably
thinks her lot an unhappy one" said
Mrs. GrimwoOd, but those girls know
that at least their romance was real,
that their men were good and true,
and even the separation OF death can
not wipe cut all the happy expert
ences Of loving and having been
loved"
My unfortunate experience has no
such compensation. 1t was all tinsel
and sawdust-the shadow for the
substance. The man l married was
not even a soldier-let alone q hero.
II have often wondered, in the last
80 III
sion why fate selected me for this
particular role-why I, ont Of the
hundreds Of girls and women the
spurious Captain GTlmwood met in
New York, SHOULD have been the VIC
tim Of his false representations.
DepIOres Publicity.
And not the least unpleasant Of the
whole sorry business is the publicity
which has. come to me with the hIing
of this suit for the annulment Of the
marriage.
Il feared the suit would cause a
sensation. and for that reason I de-
layed filing IT. It was only when I
came 10 realize that must write fnis
to this chapter OF life that 1 entered
the suit and prepared to endure what
ever came
Il have been trying to forget the
thing for nearly two years, Today,
as II is all repeated in the news
papers, ! am living IL all over again.
Il shall be glad when the court has
said its last word and I am free OF
everything pertaining to the case"
Florence Brainerd was a girl Of
twenty-five when fate began to play
tricks with her life. A thoroughbred
A
taneity and enthusiastic outlook on
life OF healthy young American wom-
anhood, she had no reason to believe
that life would ever be unkind and
that the cruel experiences she read
CT happening to other girls would
never be hers. She went on a visit to
young matron in New York. From
that moment her life seemed to be
drawn into other channels.
Under the best auspices and spon-
sorship possible she met the charming
Captain Grimwood." He was quite a
favorite. His modesty and retirement
won him many admirers, and women
twice the age Of Florence Brainery
were quite as easily duped by him as
she was.
Played Game Perfectly.
In fact, so perfect was the British
er's game, that not even the slightest
suspicion was ever felt toward him
Everyone thought he looked Older
than the thirty-one years he claimed.
but they attributed this s9I. detach-
ed manner to the awful experiences
he had been through. He had served.
he explained with engaging modesty
| with the First Hundred Thousand
He had received nearly mortal ab.
dOminal wound. He still suffered in
tenscly.
In a word. lac was the perfect war
| hero, in day and hour when war
heroes were the rage. when old and
young, regardless of sex, bowed down
and worshiped. and paid homage.
Small wonder that what followed
was possible.
81 realize it all now" the girl who
was Florence ETaincrd says. lit was
! heTOworship, pur" and simple. II
was the sympathy, and the emotion.
the reading Of war horrors had pro-
duced in me. Everyone was torn by
! the sufferings of the allies None Of
us could do enough, in contributions
or war work. Captain Grimw ood' :
Disguise was perfect. He fooled ev-
cryOne from beginning to end. There
fore il isn't strange that, as young
! as ! was, ] was completely deceived
( by him. a perfect glamour OF ro-
I nance and tragedy hung over the
| man. / know now that what felt
! for him was only sympathy. He cpit-
/ Omized the agony the war had caused.
! such was his appeal that ! con-