Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-05-09
SOCIETY SURPRISED
 1T ENDING or THE
 PERFECT ROMANCE
Parting of the Ways Comes
 After Four Years of < Bliss

New York, May S.-In December. 1Sl6, appeared little volume of po- < etry under the name of "Michael @ Strange" It was collection of mis- cellaneous verse of no great import, and not until it became known as the work of a prominent society wo-
 man did it receive attention But K Mlchael Strange proved to be Mrs. Leonard M. Thomas, formerly Miss Blanche Oelrichs, of New York, and Newport, and the volume excited eomment because it recalled the bril- Sltant marriage of the beautiful and glfted society girl to Leonard Moor head Thomas, scion of riches and aristocracy. Their marriage had often been called "ideal.' They had known true romance in their court
 ship; they were said to be very happy. So the world applauded and thought how idealistic marriage could be even among the very rich. It is curious how the world over looked one little poem in Michael Str1nge's" book. It read it, of course, and thought nothing of it, ex- cept that it was rather good. They knew that Blanche Thomas was
 happy with her husband and children
 and that was sufficient. But read
 again it now has a meaning unsus- pected then. There is haunting phase in it that begins
 There is, no happiness of content
 ment in my heart,
 And laugh,
 Only because tragedy is beautiful; Neither do I cry because life is ugly; And again I do not live at all be-
 cause life is possible,
 But merely because dreams are true. Oh, there is no happiness of content
 ment in my heart,
 And laugh
 Hecause tragedy is beautiful.
 Doubtless Mrs. Thomas foresaw what was coming, she felt the trag- edy approaching. For the ideal mar riaGe has come to grief; MT. and
 Hrs. Leonard M. Thomas are di- |S&x0rced.
 Mrs. Thomas Admits Divorce.
 There was no intimation that the B two had contemplated divorce; no scandal, no publicity, and until Mrs.
 Thomas admitted to newspaper re E porters few days ago that "the d- sVorce was granted many, many
 months ago" the fact was unsus pected. And even yet the grounds Tor the divorce are unknown, and all
 
 When questioned she said:
 Yes, it is true that we are di- @vorced. But the divorce was granted
 many, many months ago. I am sure kouf friends would not be interested in anything of the kind. You should k talk to Mr. Thomas about this," she added. sI am sure he should be con- 8tilted, as it is of quite as much in
 terestsato him as to me- |4 At the home of Thomas servant after asking who was calling, said: |E Are you looking for information! 5 II you are you'd better try to get it Ion the outside. MT. Thomas has } nothing to say,v
 Mrs. Thomas was asked if it were s true that action had been taken by x hcr former husband to obtain the S custody of one of her children.
 M children?' she repeated Why, they are both right here in # the house with me" So far as she E knew they would remain with her. $ sihe said. Concerning the divorce. she E declared that she did not feel in clihed to object to the publishing of E the fact, but implied that her hus- D band might think differently about
 Called Ideal Couple.
 To those who remember the splen- *dor of the preparation for and car xyinn out of the marriage of Leon $Ard Moorhead Thomas, son of one &nf the wealthiest families of Phila- 6clp1ia, Yale graduate, member of A ddEen clubs and at one time sec E ond Ssecretary to the United States | EmbSssy at Rome, later first sccre- tafy sof the legation at Madrid, and