The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-18

Rich Fiance What She Preferred
Not to Write in a Letter.
UTHEN girl gets ready to jill the
M man she has promised to marry
she usually feels rather embar-
raised and is glad to escape an unpleasant
personal discussion by writing to him the
news in 3 letter. But when the charming
Mrs. Marion Manners decided that she
would not under any circumstances be-
come the bride of Paul J.. Rainey. Ameri-
cas- richest bachelor, she made up her
mind that she was going to find Mr..
Rainey and tell him what she had to say,
face to face.
Mr.. Rainey is young man of complete
leisure and very great wealth, and he
anuses himself by travelling all over the
world from the frozen Arctic to the Afri-
can tropics, hunting and photographing
big game. Mrs. Manners is an English
woman Of excellent social standing and
she, too, is distinguished, especially as .
lion hunter.
Mr.. Rainey and Mrs. Manners met and
hunted together in Africa and fell in
love. The engagement was announced
and both the big game hunters seemed
very happy.
And then an unexpected thing hap
pened.
Mrs. Manners and her sister, Mrs. Ann
Elliot, stepped off steamer from Eng
land the other day and went to the
Hotel Plaza, in New York, and sent for
Mr.. Rainey. Mr.. Rainey gayly made
haste to obey the summons, but when he
left the Plaza Hotel that day he walked
out thoughtfully-an disappeared.
What did Mrs. Manners say to Paul
Rainey?
What could it have been which could
not or must not be told in letter?
Why did Mrs. Manners and her sister
buy steamship passage and come to New
York to meet Mr.. Rainey, face to face,
tell him what was on her mind and then
step on the steamer and return to Eng
land?
Mr.. Rainey is a member of fashionable
New York society and the members of
the "400' now recall that this is the sixth
time rich Mr.. Rainey is reported to have
been thrown over by the girl he wanted
to make his wife.
What is the matter?
Mr.. Rainey is very rich, is young, and
keeps himself in ft physical condition.
He would seem to be a very eligible per-
son.
He has never been mixed UP in any
unpleasant affair so far as the public is
informed. What then could have been
the powerful reason which persuaded Mrs
Manners to change her mind?
If it is true that Mr.. Rainey has been
Tilted five times before it is certainly ex-
traordinary in view of Mr.. Rainey's wealth
and social position.
Is there some mystery about Paul
Rainey which makes women break their
engagements when they discover it?
1t is reported that Mr.. Rainey was for
merly engaged TO Miss Nathalie Schenck-
but she dropped him. 1t is said that he
was to marty The beautiful Mrs. George
Law-but she broke the engagement. He
is reported to have won the hand of Miss
Marion Fish-only to lose it. And it
was understood that he had won the heart
of Miss Gladys Mills-but failed to keep
it. In fact, Miss Gwendolyn Burden was
reported to have accepted him as her hus-
band-and then changed her mind. Five
promised brides there were who each
found a reason for slipping out Of the
matrimonial net before they had been
fully enmeshed.
This, of course, Is quite q remarkable
record. What was it that each one Of
these girls saw or heard or discovered
which induced them to change their
minds, il, indeed, all these young women
had promised TO be his bride?