Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-09-01
II thought you hated all men,"
Mary slvlv


Her mother ignored her. 81 went
to his room. There he was, sitting
all huddled up by the window. I
asked him IL he minded my doing up
the room while he was there, and he
said he didn't. he had a telegram
clutched In his hand. could see that
he was troubled. By and by couldn't
stand 1t any longer. / forgot my own
troubles. I'd never been so sorry for
anyone In my life. went up to him,
and quite forgetting I was a servant,
said:
'Mr. Dabbs = Claude = what's
wrongY"
"Claudep Mary exclaimed. Claude
Dabbsf What funny namel Why,
it's the same as"
Her mother stopped her with a
quick: "It was funnier than that. I
discovered afterward 1t was Claude
Melnotte Dabbs."
Mary's soft laugh rang out, and
then she checked 1t.
"Oh Mother, I'm sorry. I'm so in
terested. Hurry and tell"
Her daughters mirth was not the
pleasantest sound In Mrs. Johnston's
ears just then. IT discovered that
this young man, with the funny name,
was in great trouble. His father was
dying and the boy had no money to
go home with, and his mother was
quite too poor to send him any,"
ooh, poor thing OF course you
loaned him your savings"
81 didn't. l told him my troubles,
and offered him five hundred dollars
If he would marry me-"
Mother! You didn't"
"Sorry dear, but l can't stop to
make this romantic. I'm telling you
the plain, unvarnished truth. !
thought his troubles and mine showed
me a way out. I said if he would
marry me and show himself, to my
uncle, l would give him five hundred
dollars He was to promise to go
away and never try to see me again.
He was to leave me to go my way
alone, while he went his"
'But Mother! What a cold-blooded
thing to dol"
Wasn't it?' agreed Mrs. Johnston,
much embarrassed. "But you see it
didn't seem like that to me, Mary.
Please remember that he was only
my door of escape and it was abso-
lutely business proposition"
"Oh Mother!"
II can't help it, Mary That's what
offered him, and after the first mo-
ment Of establishment, and when he
was convinced that l was not fooling
him and would actually have the
money! had two hundred and fifty
dollars of my own savings to show
him-he agreed"
"Oh DEAR" groaned Mary, then he
was just as bad!"
II don't know" Mrs. Johnston said
thoughtfully. 1--WE often wondered.
You see, his father was dying"
That's so, I'd forgotten"
Mrs. Johnston looked as though she
was about to say something in her
own defense, thought better Of 1t, and
went on, doggedly: Uncle wasn't told
anything about the agreement. Both
my uncle and his lawyer were favor
ably impressed with Claude.
Uncle insisted that we have the
ceremony performed at once, and that
suited both of us. Claude looked sick
with anxiety, and was eager to get 1t
over and start home. We were mar
ried before justice Of the peace, who
knew neither Of us. Right after the
ceremony Claude went home with half
Of the five hundred In his pocket. The
other half was to be his when he
signed the papers agreeing to leave
me alone, and not to block any petit
ton I might make for divorce, on the
grounds of desertion, later. The law
yer had to have time to draw the
documents up"
"Mother, I simply can't recognize
you as the calculating girl who mar
ried that wayw
you'll have to, Mary. I did it.
Just in time, too, for-my uncle died
that night. I was free and the money
was mine. left the boarding house
and went to quiet little hotel.
never told the people at the boarding
house anything about the money, or
the marriage.
"The lawyer was kind. He made
arrangements for me to go to France
and live with some friends of his sis
ter who would finish my education. /
was supposed to be young widow
(Continued)