New-York tribune., 1922-11-30
CAPTAIN FITzURsE, ANSWERS

Sir: The communication in your
paper yesterday from one Mrs. An
gelina Ackles is sordid statement
by a sordid person Of one side of
beautiful romance. 1t is true that
she is the proprietress of a board
ing house, and it is true that / mar
ried her daughter, Evelina, Of whom
have no recollections that are not
kind and tender. Had it not been
for the unfortunate disposition of
! Mrs. Ackles, Evelina and l might
now be living together in perfect
harmony and affection. Evelina
thoroughly understands my adven-
turous and poetic temperament, and
! always made allowances for any
trifiing deviations from the conven-
tional and any little peccadilloes in
cident to the heyday of the blood.
The charge that owe Mrs. Ackles
money is not true. Mrs. Ackles owes
me money. While / did her the
honor to live in her house, the mere
fact of my presence there attracted
to her establishment more persons of
good social antecedents than she had
ever made contact with before. In
deed. she often told mo herself
Though she phrased it differently
| that l, with my wit and liveliness as
raconteur, lent something to the
dining table that it had not known
previously. In short, to put it vul-
| carly, Mrs. Ackles made her profit
"off of" me.
admit that during my stay at
Mrs. Ackles's and the period of nv
married life with Evelina I was
often short of funds. Due to an un-
fortunate litigation that is now
satisfactorily settled, the rents from
my estates were received infre-
quently and irregularly. One would
expect a woman Of Mrs. Ackles's
limited outlook upon life to consider
poverty a reproach. Did I borrow
OF the other boarders? Perhaps
| :. I seem to remember that
there were a few comprehending
spirits who insisted, from time to
time, in forcing on me certain loans
which enabled me to amuse mvself
and dress myself as gentleman
should.
Mrs. Ackies casts doubt on the
legality of my marriage to her
daughter. can only say that when
married Evelina / married her in
good faith, believing myself to be
Iree. 1t is true that lady to whom
had formerly been married pre-
sInCed nerseif on one occasion and
claimed that she was still my wife
bus l 40 not think she was right
about. 1t. However, the laws in
America with regard to marriage
and divorce differ SO, in different
states, that one can never be o,1ita
certain. All that gentleman can
De absolutely sure about is that hia
intentions are at the same time hon
orable and ardent, and that has
aeen always the case with me when
ever | have married.
MRS. Ackles mentions a child in
her letter. It may very we'll be that
tnere Is child. / am sorry that
tnis has not been brought to NV
attention before-doubly sorry thai
u should have been brought TO NV
attention for the first time in tha
PUBLIC prints. | have always proved
myself, in all my matrimonial ven.
lures, an indulgent father. I have
usually, through my influence with
various governments, apprentieed
my sons to the profession of arms
the only career for gentlemen and l1i
many OF my daughters are hapnily
married to soldiers. If Mrs. AcL1es
shouid eventually discover that fhara
really IS some flaw In the laoal;tv
OF my marriage to her daughter
snall adopt the boy legally, give him
my name and do something hand
some Tor him. The Fitzurses. air
never dodge their responsibilities -
am sorry to be compelled to
MAKE make this public staterent. but the
sssaek sa, tka was q public, and felt obliged
the matter up. With this letter +
trust the whole Ackles episode
closes and will remain closed s'1o
CAPT. PETER FITzuRsm