South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-04

"Puppy Love-
Eloping Ring
Is Broken Up

=
Alice Morehouse. &c and pretty. one
OF the principals In the Lafayette
puppy love- trial marriage circle
which already has involved SIX
school children in opponents and
(which is declared 20 involve others.
today told her own story Of the ar
feir.
Mary Alice has returned home 10
the farm; ner Ideal romance" is
shattered; her man" has been sent
away
Those already involved in the un-
usual burst OF romance include:
Levan Cunningham, 10, and Alice
Morehouse. Is, arrested in a hotel in
Bloomington. Ill.
Glen Cunningham, Il, brother Of
Levan. and May Zufau, 8, cousin OF
Alice MorehOuse. arrested in St.
Louis and will be brought back to
Lafayette
Leonard Johnston. 16. arrested
! in Kansas City, Mo. and Mabel Cart
wright, Il, arrested in St. Louis with
Levan Cunningham and May Zufau.
It was reported in Lafayette today
( that seven other couples. believing
Lafayette too tame" were in the
agreement to elope.
Girl Tells Story.
Mary Alice, back home. her hair
down and wearing a Bingham apron
told the story of the triple romance
in these words.
Mary Francis Zufail. who "a my
cousin, and I. go to Jefferson school
together. We chummed with Glen
and Levan Cunningham; with
Lsvan. Mary Francis with Glen. We
/ had decided to get married and so
wa started TO Kansas City where the
boys had JOBS waiting as clerks in
hotel All four Of us were TO go
but Glen and Mary Frances backed
out at the last minute and so on IN
til Tuesday Afternoon, about o'clock,
Bevan and left for Bloomington.
We thought we would get married
there and then go on 20 Kansas City.
AT first there was TO be no one
in the plan but the four OF US. I
don't know how Leonard Johnson
and Mabel Cartwright joined in. We
girls didn't know either Of them very
well. But I guess Glen and Leonard
were friends
Anyway Mary Frances and Glen
evidently decided TO risk it after all
We didn't expect to meet them in
Bloomington at all. But we did
rather think we'd see them in Kan
sas City" -
Mary's mother interrupts. 1T
must have been that Cunningham
boys impetuosity. Il was. wasn't it.
/ Mary Alice?"
He just carried me away. 7 have
only known him about a month"
Mary replie1.
Mrs. Morehouse sobs Historically.
Il can't bear it; can't bear it."
Mary Alice comforts her She
looks like a grave-faced baby.
That's all there's to it," she
said. I'VE signed the marriage con-
tract that we'd live together for six
months and then get a divorce If
we wanted 10. and registered at the
! hotel in Bloomington And now I'm
back. Levan went to Kansas City
from Bloomington And if he makes
. SOoO-
And Mary Alice's eyes took
dreamy look-and she looked
strangely grown up.
! The remarkable pact in which the
/ couples were pledged to a trial
marriage" was made some time ago.
| according to the girls. If the idea
\ didn't pan out-well they'd just go
I back TO school.
When. on Wednesday morning. il
was found that SIX were missing.
/ mothers and fathers began making
a frenzied search and finally com
/ municated with the police Word
I was flashed TO nearby towns for the
young couples. The arrests resulted.
Several other couples. who agreed
/ 10 the pact, backed down at the last
+ minute, IL was said
/ Il was reported that James Sting
I ley, another school boy. was original
1 ~ Mabel Cartwright's partner. His
father, according to the story told
here went hunting for him Tuesday
/ night, found him and ordered him
post haste 10 bed