The sun., 1919-06-20
STEFANSSON QUITS
HIS MYTHICAL WIFE
Issues Divorce Decree, Effec-
tive at Once, From White
Eskimo. !.
NooKIE OGL0o HIS CURSE
Canadian Pacific's Offer Of
Honeymoon Car Last Straw
to Explorer.

vilhjalmur Stefansson. Arctic explorer
and discoverer of white Eskimos, made
formal announcement OF his divorce last
night
The decree, he said. was issued by
himself and not by any court in New
York State or elsewhere, for the reason
that the wife he was putting from him
thus publicly was one who had been
thrust upon him by oversealous news
paper correspondents at Lenox. Mass.-
a dream woman. he declared, VINO had
never actually existed, despite the em-
bsrrassing publicity which his supposed
marriage has attained.
Mr.. Stefansson IL starting for the
Canadian Rockies next Wednesday to
pass the summer working on his forth
coming book, which win tell OF hss most
recent trip TO the Arctic. He explained
that he was anxious to have the mis-
understanding regarding Mrs. .Stefans-
son cleared up before he left town, be-
cause he was daily growing TO detest
the mythical wife the world seemed de-
termined TO settle Upon him.
II appears that early In May Mr..
stefansson went to the Berltshires, where
NO passed several days at the Lenox
Club May he left for Ottawa, where
he remained until May 10 as the guest Of
G. j. Desbarats, the Canadian Minister
Of Naval Service, under whose auspicee
his last Arctic expedition was conducted.
In the meantime another man whose
name Is pronounced the same, although
it Is spelled "StephenDon." CHANGED to
arrive at Lenox. accompanied by Mrs.
STEPHENSON. The newspaper corre-
spondents there confused the explorer
with the later arrival, and on May IL
they included In their news budgets from
the Berkshire resort the well meant but
mistaken item that ''Vilhjalmur Stefans-
son. the Arctic explorer, and MIRA Ste
fansson are at the xenox Club"
II appeared In New York and Boston
newspapers the next day and the SUP
posed fact that Mr.. Stefanseon had at
last acquired q wife-he 10 t0--attracted
attention from society editors on news
papers in Canada, where he comes from.
and they wrote complimentary pieces
about his marriage. One Of them espe-
cially gifted with the Imaginative quali-
ties without which no writing can be
truly great. explained that the bride
was the youngest daughter OF the chief
Of the tribe Of blond Esitimos which
Mr. stefansson had discovered. It was
said that she was q strikingiy beautiful
girl who before her romantic marriage
On May 10. entirely unaware Of the
blond bride and Of the Arctic romance Of
which he was tho supposed hero. Mr..
Stefansson arrived In New York. and. as
Is his custom. went to the Harvard Club.
He has an once in the American
Geographic Sooiety's building. at Broad
way and 156th' street, and when he ap-
peared there the next morning the gig
giles Of his gtenographer. he explained
last night. seemed Q tribe moro pro-
nounced than the mere fact Of his ar
rival would warrant.
Opening his desk he found an envelope
containing clippings from newspapers all
over the country regarding his wedding.
He was first stunned. and then, as his
telephone bell commenced juggling and
friends commenced calling up to extend
congratulations and invitations for him
self and his wife to take dinner and to
pass week ends at country places, he be-
gan to get vexed. ..t
The browning event came yesterday.
when Mr.. Stefansson received from the
Canadian Pacific Railroad a generous
offer Of q private car In which to honey
moon with his golden haired bride all
along the continent for as many weeks
do his fancy might suggest. II was this
proposal, Mr.. Stefansson says. which
finally decided him to issue his decree Of
absolute divorce