The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-09-22

SHOW, Mrs. Jordan" He Said Cas-
uaIIy, "TelI Me Of Your Romance
With Stuart"
Stuart, SO I can understand the cir
cumstances that led to your marriage
How did you become acquainted with
the boy in the first placer
Willingly, the actress complied with
a statement in some detail. She first
met Stuart, she related, slightly over
a year ago, at party held in private
rooms at one of st. Louis most ex-
elusive hotels. She was playing at the
Forrest theater there. The party. a
gay, rather abandoned affair, was ar
ranged by Aberdeen students on a
lark. The preponderance of young
men had necessitated the presence of
a few extra girls; and though unac-
quainted with any of them, Laura Du-
mont had, at the invitation of several
of the chorus, attended to fill in. And
there she was paired off with Stuart
Jordan, reckless under the influence
of liquor and participating in the gen.
.eral revelry.
She fascinated the boy and he
monopolized her the entire evening.
And, when the party was over, he oc-
companied her to the rooms she shared
with another member of the cast. He
made date for dinner the following
day. Subsequently, he became in
ereasingly enamored; with weeks
vacation in which to entertain her,
they were together constantly at
dances and suppers after the show.
Naturally she was not insensible, she
admitted, to his looks or position-as
the heir of fortune and young man
of breeding and social standing.
Their courtship, if such it could be
called, was thus short and tempestu-
GUS. On the day before he returned
to school, while moody and impetuous
at the prospect of leaving her, Stuart
proposed that they elope. In anticipa-
ton, he had already obtained the mar
rage license. They were on their way
to late dance, and Laura consented
She understood that the nuptials must
be kept secret, at least until the boy
completed his school year; meanwhile,
she was to quit the show and settle
in luxurious quarters. But she dis
covered the real reason for this ar
rangement, concealing the wedding
until her husband reached twenty-five,
only afterward.
Laura Dumont and the student were
married at midnight on Saturday, Feb
ruary eighth. a year ago, in East st.
Louis. across the Mississippi river.
And they spent their first night to-
gether in neighboring hotel.
"Your marriage, Mrs. Jordan" Ran
kin spoke more gravely than his query
warranted, "was 1t happy one? You
had no serious differences with
Stuart?"
According to Mr.. Fletcher's interpre-
tation, she had written her husband
placatingly, as if following some dis
agreement. Her letters, he thought,
conveyed the impression Of attempting
to effect a reconciliation.
The actress was suddenly anxious
Mt the question; her effort to appear
puzzled falle0 TO ring true anu She
answered more vehemently than nee
essary.
"Happy, Mr.. Rankin OF course it
was. else would never have come
east to join him."
aAre you certain about that?" Ran
kin insisted. unimpressed. you had
NO ouarrels important enough to cause
separation-or even a di-
yorce?"
.sNo. the notion is absurd She
hesitated nervously; 1t was her evil
dent apprehension of his curiosity that
prompted her to ask, "Why you sure,
ly had no reason to think there was
trouble between us. Mr.. Rankin"
"None particularly, except that