4 _ - . _ _ : : - : . SAD YEAR FOR CUPID WAS ONE JUST PAST I " DOMESTIC JARS FREQUENT AND SEVERE - Matrimonial Wrecks Almost Bcyond Counting Halle Strewn the Shores of Life-- West Far Ahead of the East in the Numbcr of Divorces Tlrat Have Been Ashed F r and Granted. - Chlcngo.-Suroly Now Year's dny bust hnvo boon the snddest that Cu , ld over hns SPOilt. When the lIltlo tad balances his books for 1JOG ! ho " ' 111 he compelled to sll down nnd treop , for the list oC lha matrimonial wreckH oC the year ahow an awful lIumber of dlanslors. 'I'horo have .beon enough domostlc jnrs to shako lho conUnont worse than lho earlh- , kuake shoole Snn Francisco , If they all i bad occurred at ono Instant. The leal's lhat have boon shed would make . . Saa ) ' sea IC they could bo collected In lho desert IJllsin of Salmrn. Indeed , It hns boon a bad year for Oupld. Divorces have been 1I10re numorouB than In any othOl' twelve , Inonlha ! ! Inco marrlago becnme an Ini i atllutlon. Princes , dulwf1 , couut ! ! , alnlosl1lon , magnates , and m1l11011111ros , butchers , doctors , grocera , lawyel'll , and laborers have como to grler In Lhelr love affairs. In the good old days llcoillo mat'l'led knd "lIvor ! happily ever after. " Now 1.110 problem of the novel begins lu. tend oC ending at lho altar. People tot married aud then got lvorced. Chicago still lonlls the world In dl- \'orco 1101\11atlon , and perhallS In lho faclllt ) ' with which dlvorco Is ranl- lid , due cause being shown. 'I'ho hearIng - Ing or testimony and the granting or decree In doCuult cases In thlB city lalces only n few minutes , aud the II.verngo lenglh of time consumed Is cstimatcll at ten mlnutoa hy pcople \vho study dlvorco methods. 'l'hl1t Is wlJ.t the locnl courts lLl'O known as 'dlvorco mlllls. " They work with the BlIce'd of 11 sleam buzz saw as they go . lhrough the Imots oC matrimony. Your tawyor nIes the papora , your carlo Is cnlled , and hurr.r.r-yoll are dl- tOl'ced. It Is 'tile ' women who Iteol ( the bun Saw working In th3 dlvorco 111l11s In Dhlcngo. FOllr out of five suits are brollsht by the wives. The men arc tncaner than the women , perhaps ; br else the husbands arc moro willing ' 0 tough It out without appeals to the rourt. "Ir of Futlvlty In Courtroom. While Cupid weeps : \l the slghl of divorce court , that Js more than the mplnlna.nt docs. Ono Chicago dl- , orca la1V1er SI\YS t111.\t Olere 15 II. no. ceablc air of festivity In the courtroom - room when cases are being heard. rho average woman who nppoals to 1110 cOllrls fOI' release manifests no kenso of sorrow 01' Immlllntlon. It t a business proposition with her. he sues her husbmd for his crllelly Dr dQserUon and tells the story to the ourt In buslness.lIke way. The .nlnformed stranger , strolling Into the courtroom , easily might think the I1sIluto was OV l' a grocery bill or a ruined gown , raUler than a ruined ( e. 'I'he law says she may have a lhan the losf ! of the man who haf ! heon her hU3band. All thla Is IIko a comic ollom , but It mllkef ! CUIlIl1 weep. lie has heen tollIng - Ing lhe world Cor thouaands or years tlll\t \ marrlnge Is a aacred Institution , IInd now ho first dlfcovors that It If ! n joko. 'l'he proportion of divorces to mnr- ringeR In Now York If ! ono In four. In Chicago It Is on In nine : In San l"rnnclscu It la one In four. 'l'he further west you go the moro Cre. Iluont are dlvorco ! ! . ' 1'ho decro Ropa.I I ration hns hltchod Its wl\gon to the stur or emllire. Kansas City , Los An- goloa , and Seattle are as bad as San Francisco , In each oC these cltleR lhero being ono divorce to every four mar. rlage ! ! . 'rho statlatlca fOI' Sioux Falls are Iteill. locked up In a reporter proof vault. 'J'ho most nolahlo caBO of t.ho year , \ > orhnpR , WIIS the International tragedy of the Castellanes. } ; 'or years the world had wltnelsed the extrava. ganceB and Indlacl'Ctiona or Counl nonl and wondered how much longer the 11001' COllntcHs would endure lhem Cor the salce of her chlldron. Amori. can B'mlmlhy , almost wllhoul. 0.COli' : tlon , has bcon with Anna Gould , for howeyor much Jay Gould. the railroad - road magnate , may have been dls. truated , hlR daughters always were 1I01\llllr. Count Castellano WIlS a 1'1. dlculous jolto to people who took lICe IIghtl ) ' and an exnggol'lIted villain lo lhoso who took It serloualy. Troubles of Heiresses and Titles. When the countess finally 10ft her husband , peolllo on bolh sides or lhe Atlantic said It Iorved : ! him right. 'rho mnttel' of soparatlon has been sel- lIed , but the count BUll Is clamorJng COl' monCy-mllllonl ! of It-to lIay his dehto. Perh\pB : In the final dlBllosl. Uon or the case ho will I'ecelvo an nllowanco oven greater than the all. mony oC Mrs. O. 11. P. Belmont , who draws $260,000 a ye r from her former husband , W. K. Vandorbllt. Count Castellano Is vl1ld to llrlve cost $15. ' 000,000 when the GOllld \l11lly nrst bought his title aUlI It llrobably will take all much more for them to be rid oC their bad bargain. 'I'ho domczUc wreck of the Marlbor. oughs WII.B more of a lIurprlse to the world , There had been rumor or dlanlreements , but these Vlere not lhoulht to be SqrlOUB. The duke or } , f2\rlborou ll , like the count do Cas- tollan , was not able to understand UIO character of American girls. They might be attracted by n title , but they would not submit to the Indiscretions -Jt UI a mild wOl'll-of tholr hus. bands. It was said at the tlmo 1\IIss Consuelo Vanderbilt married the duke UHlt she hml mndo the bCflt : bargain of any American girl tha.t over bougM a foreign lordllng , but her . IIvoree. and Iho proposes to got It. that III all. If her husband has a 00l1 position or II. bit of I1rOllort ) ' , she i.sks Cor alimony. 'I'ho strugslo for mo form of mllintenanco somotlmes , ocomes strenuous , showing that the woman regrets 010 10sI ! of the man , o has been her support rather moro - . . . - IIre Cnt unhappiness proves that th belief was unfol\l\ded. . Among the wrecl < ! i oC the ) 'ear. non haa cauBod moro COlUlllont than th "Pittsburg cas os , " which Include th traglcal unhar1plne98 of the 'l'hnwl the Coroya , aull the BarHes , and co' talnly no other cascs have cause . . . . . , . , f , . . . " , , , J , . grenter dl treRs to CUIid , the deity of nll true lovora. It would Room Ulnt the Jlcnm or RllIldenly acquired mfl- lions , ng soon through the smol < y nt- mosphoro of Plttsburg , Is aumclent lo blind t.bo eyes oC love. Wllllnm IJ. ! Corey was ruined by Mr. Cnrneglo , so Mr. Corey's uncle Is re. Ilorted to have snld. This was ho- cause Mr. Carneglo put Mr. Corey In the wny of becoming rich. 1'ho header or the great steel trust , looking tor plol1lro nnd "thrills" In the byways of lite , found only unhapplnoss. As the familiar saying gees , "ho couldn't Btand prosporlty. " All UIO world la familiar with the story of Mr. Corey's spectacular rlso In the world of finance - nanco and of the alleged eacapades which caused his wlto to leave him. She obtahHJd a divorce last summer after living In the state of Nevada long enough to acqulro citizenship under lho IIbernl laws of that stato. In her bill aho charged 1101' husband with dCBortlon , but II. generally was undoratood that th' ) fnmlly hnpplness waa wrecked by Mr. Corey's p\lbllc at- tontlons to Mabelle Gilman , an act- ross. Conchmnn Figures In Mnny Cnsca. The Hartjo caHe or Pitts burg made the whole clluntry gasp. It Involved I _ _ _ _ < - - raTe ehnrgclI against Mrs. Hal.tje I and bel' coachman anll counter char es on the vut or the wltc that she was the victim of a conspiracy , Invhlch her hUb\nd-the ; : man she hnll loved and with whom she had IIved-soughl to blnsl her reputation I ' by hired and perjurcIl tesllmony. 'fhls was one of the mosl notorlo\ls domestic - tic tragedlos ever nlred In any court of any land. It was worse evan than the 'ragagrt case. Alone It was enough to make the year memorable In the matter of divorce. In contrast wllh this the trouble of Mrs. Charlef1 T. Yerkes and Wilson , I Mizner wore almost farcical. 1\11' . Yerltes , the lractlon magnate , died In Now York In December last under clrc\lmstanceR lhat called the attention - tion of the whole world to his widow. Although they had not been llvlng together - gether harmoniously during the later years of his lito , Mrs , Yerkes declared Ula.t her husband had never ceased to love her , and that she was devoted to his memory. Yet within a month It was announced - nouncod that 1\Irs , Yerkes h:1d I.ar- ried Wilson Mizner. At firllt 016 public - lic refused to believe It. Mizner was not :10 : and the widow of YerltclI was more than liO. He was a gay young soldlor of fortune , and people only laughed when ho smllod and admlttod 01ll.t the marrlago had taken place , especially aB Mrs. Yerkes tearfully and Indignantly declared UlI1t the Idea wns absurll. Dut the news .w s true. : Mlzner aUlI Mrs. Yerkes were mnn and wlCo. De- fore people were through talking about the case the couple quarreled and parted and remained apart. It was said , though not known to hi ) true , that Mr. Mizner hud inslstod upon her giving him $1,000,000 , nnd lhat she had reCused. Arter the sep. amllon Mrs. Yerkes.\lzner ! expllllnClI the marrlago b ) ' sayln ! ; : "Mr. Mizner came to mo at It tlmo wben I was looltlng at lICe through eyes that were filled with te\rs. He was an artist. lIe enchanted mo. 'I'ho1'ay I was aIr 'proachod I1rst startled and amazed mo , then capti\'nted mo. " Dut within a few days she discovered , she says , thal the young man did not love her. 'l'ho case was a nine dn's' joke to the public , but Il was a gront shock lo CUllld , who InslstB thM all mntters portalnlng to love be taken sorlously. Cupid and Senntor Platt. Senntor 'I'homas C. Platt oC Now Yorle Is , 'ollortell as eaylng : "it I bottoI' to bo wlao thnn to bo rich : ' and thal "A good wlCe Js the hest 01 all a man'ft possc8\lons. : " Yet. Sonu' tor Platl was nol wllin enough to get . . . , . , . ' " ' . . , . n. good wife , If wh3t ho says bo truo' Or It his wlfo wns good , as she declares - clares she was , then the aged Now York senator was w > t wise enough to ItCep her. 110 Is nol t110 I1rst man mnrltod by Cupid , however , na bolng unable to 11\0 up to his OWn epigrams , When the soparatlon or the Platts occurrcll n rCw ! monlhs ago Mrs. Platt defied her husband , notwithstanding the charges 11e made , nnd O1renlened to bring ullit agnlnst him. She In. siated lhat ho sl1Ou1l1 give her a share or his riches. She Is quoted I\S say. Ing : "Ho bought my beauty : now let him pay for It. " If the senator did not pay In mone ) ' , at least ho paid In sorrow and Immillatlon and losa at dhnlt-pnld to the last farthing- . Love LeaveG After Many Venrs. It Is small wandel' that Senalor Plalt dcoiarcd In ono of his latest Interviews - . views that his life as ho had lived It "was not worth tbe living , " and that If he had the 'ears haole ho would spend them differently. Rich nnd powerful as he Is he finds nothing In hlB old age to compensate him for the disrupted home. W. .J. White , the ehewlng gum mng , nate of Cleveland , was the central figure In one of the domestic wrecks of the 'ear. Perhaps he was spelled I m ' . . ' . \ P't"'lLJDt ' " by coed fortune , as Jrfr. Corey wn saJd to be. Mr. White lived tor 33 years with the w'ite of hi. youth. To- got.her they had planned and worked to build up the foundaUonll of hili millions. Artor they had OTrn old : \nd rich togelher they found t.hat 10TO 'hld nown out through the window 11.1I 010 millions came pouring In at the door. Mr. White left. home and Mrs. White sued Cor dlvorco. There was no public scandnl in tllG caae , but It certainly was cnough to make Cupid weep. He 1IIi03 to seD the while haired man and wife going down lho hill of 1I 0 hund In hand , IIavlnr ; borne the burden of the day together , they should reconcile themselves to the calm and peace of the evening. W. .T , Lemp , the millionaire brewer of St. Louis , also bad trouble which resulted In his separation from the beautiful Mm. Lemp , known In St. Louis as the "Iavcndar lady" on account - count of the prev3111nc 00101' 8chemo or her many boautlful gowns. , Four ) Imea aa Many Separation. . Among the mal'O famous Chicago CftSOS of the year mlsht be mentioned thl1t of Clarence Eddy , the organist. This was a musical romance , In which the first discord wan struck after nearly - ly :10 : years of married lICo. The "ar- . , tistic temperament. of the great 01" ganlst Is mentioned In connection : with the domestic unhapplncss. Cupid has had trouble from tlmo Immemorial with the artisUc temperament. The seplI.ration of the Eddys occurred In Paris , and Mr. Eddy first brousllt suit In Chicago , but aflerward dismissed his o.\so and secured the dlvorco In Sou01 Dakota last summer. The list of the yonr'B domooUc tragedies - edies might be conttnuoo almost end- loasl1. It Is no wonder that Cupid wcops. Ertorts [ lre being made by dl- vorco congresses and reformers to cure the evil by a national dlvorco law. It Is clll.lmed that It the road to separation were made marc dim. cult lo trll.\"ol there would be fewer dlvorcos anll perhapo less unhappl. noss. In recent years , whllo the popula ; tion was Incron.slng 30 per cent , the number oC divorces has rlson 300 po : cent. The disproportion Is Jncreas- Ing rallidly. If It keeps on Cor anoU1o ronoration there will bo a dlvorco for every marriage. Moantlme dejected Cupid ponders the caao , lie knows bow to make people Call In love and marry , but he can find no way in which they ma ) ' be happy though marrlod. He doubt ! . 11Iuch it legislation against dlvorc would compel them to continue tcJ : love one anothor. ' , , . , , . . . , . . , , . . . 'j - " . . . I " j" A Matrimonial Mishap " . a . BY R. NORMAN SILVER ; Author of "Wonders of the Deep , " 1 ( . . fJ ' " . ( Copyrlht , 1900 , by Joseph D. Dowles. ) "Dear ell' : Having seen and liked II. copy of your paper , The Golden Clr- clot , I venture to trespass a lIttle upon 'our nttentlon. I nm young , only 23- " . Thaddeus Field smllcd when he came to the statement just quoted. He had never In the whole course of his experlenco as a matrlmonlnlagont met a would.bo brldo who owned to .more than 30 summors. Hardly had the smllo dawned upon his lips than It vanished . ; the letter had become In- teresting. -"And have Inherited some money from an aunt , with whom I had 1I\'ed slnco chfidhood , and who has just died. Thanlt to her , I have been fairly well.educated , and I bell"ve I am naturally neither stupid nor awk- ward. Yet I am now allogother alone , and am very , very unhappy. If you could see me , ) 'OU would Imow why ; I am just the ugliest woman In the world. Yet I think If some ono could Imow mo as I am , ho would love me. Can you help mo ? I enclose $25. I nm sure It would never bo worth your whlIo to attend to my case at ) 'our ordlnar ) ' rates. I am so very , very ugly. nellove mo to be , yours very trulY , SLell1Garner. . " A few , days acter Thaddeus Field's receipt of "Stella Garner's" letter ho received an Important visit. The tall footman opened the double doors , and bowed In a handsome man of mlddlo age-a man with blue oyea , crisp , Jron.gray hall' nnd beard , and dazzling whlto teeth. Thaddeus Fjeld was Impressed , aud rose graciously I1S Pierre , the footman , retired , The newcomer held out his hand. "Mr. Thaddeus Field ? " he said. "I am Mr. Thaddeus Field , " answered - swored that gentleman , assuming his official dignity. His vJsltor bowed. "I am Stephen Osborne , " ho ex. plalned. "Stophen 1\Iontgomery Os. borne , at your service. " "Pray bo seated , " said Thaddeus , offering II. chair. Mr. Osborno sat down , and crossed his legs. "In what way , " demanded Thad- deus , "can I have the pleasure of serving you ? " Stephen Osborno laughed out hearUly. "I want a wife. " he answercd. "What kind of a wlfo do you want , 1\11' . Osborno ? " 'I'haddeus asked. Stephen Osborne seemed embarras. sed. sed."To "To be quite honest , Mr.-Mr , FJold , " he roplled , "It Isn't 50 much the kind of a wlfo I want. as the Idnd of wlCe I've got to have , " "Indeed ! " said Thaddeus. puzzled , "Yes , " said his client , Irritably ; "I haven't a grent deal of time , You see , when I was a bit younger I was fool enough to tell my papa , who had mar. rJed agaln-I was the only child of the first marrJage-that I would never marry If I couldn't get some ono a little belter looking than my new step.ma. So we quarreled and parted , &nd when the old boy died last win. tor-thero were no more children , and stop.mn died some years ago-ho left me his money on eondilion that I married a girl uglier than slep.ma , and gave me 12 months to make up my mind , I didn't expect ever to necd the money , and 50 took It easy , but some of my speculallons have done deucedly bad , and I must hnve some cnsh before long 01' go bust. That's why I'm here. " Thaddeus Fjeld's eyes shone-it was just the kind of cnso he lilted , "If you will call to-morrow a out this time , Mr. Osborne. " he said , "I thlnle I shall have something to sa ) ' . Good.day. " With this comforting assurance he rang the bell , and Mr. Osborno de- parted. That afternoon 1\Irs. Chrlsllnl1 Flold left for Doslon. Her Instruc' Uons were not to return without Miss "Stella Gnrner. " On 010 succeeding morning Ohrls tlan , accompanied by a closol-veIlCl : lady , entered the anteroom. Chris tlna left her charge and wont Into hm husband's sanctum. Thaddeus wm standing on the hearth.rug , . chewln his mustaches with Impallence. "Will she do ? " ho asked. Chrlsllan grinned. "As ugly as sin , " she said : "bu smart. " "That's all rIght , " concludcd . Thad deus ; "brlns lieI' in. " Chrlsllna. opened the door anl called. The veiled lady rose anll en I teredo I "Miss Garner , I uDllerstantl , " sali Thaddous , rapidly ; "pleased to mee' you. Miss Gamer , I want you to seE a gentleman ; If you can IIko him , think he can IIko you. It you take I fancy to him I shall bo happ ) ' to asl you to meet him at my house somE , evonlng soon. I can't stop to explain You must just step In there with mJ wife , nnd leave ) 'ourselC In hel' hands You'll bo able to see all rlsht ; 01\1 mnn's almost duo. " No sooner had the two ladles beoI snfely disposed of than 1\11' . OsbornE . was shown In , and was soon In deel converse with Tluuldeus , 1'hnnks to the tact of 1\11' \ . ThnddoUl FIOld , Mr. Osborno laughed and ell1lt tored and looltcd so merr ) ' and hand some that the lady behind the carvel 'screon lost her hearl to him , ani . when Mr. Field ( 'scorted h' , Osborlll lout , and. the dool' closing bolllnd them , the ladles were at IIbort ) ' to comE , 'Corth again , Miss stoll a Game : laughed herself. and chatted. nnl looked not so ugly after aU. And : Mr , , Stephen Osborne , who wllh Thaddeus had gene round another way into the hidden cupboard , tha the former might spy upon Miss Garner os aho had silled upon him , drew a deep brenlh , and whispered to the matrimonial - menial agent , "I SUIlIOSO I cnn'L do I better-ca.Je seems a decent 50rt. " "Qullo the ladY , I assure you , ! Ill' . Osborne , " murmured the wily Thad- deus In his ear ; "nny amount oC ac. compllshments-young , and 1I. liUle bit of money in the banl ( . Will you como up to my house to-night ? I'll ask her round too. " "No , thanks , " said Stepllen O borne , ' "lot It be to.morrow. I'vo somethln else on to.nlght. " "To. morrow , then , " ropllml Thad. deus , "you will mnlto the acqunlnt- anco or the future Mrs. Osborne. " Now , there was ono O1lng In the world for which Christina Field lived and moved aud hnd her bolng , and that was jewelry. In her bedroom at the lIttle uptown house she had a small stmng safe buill Into the wall , and the ltey of that safe never left her possession , Her diamonds were not Imperial , still they were valuable , and had been mounted to her own In. structlons. and she had a ruby braco. let for which many n fairly honest woman would have risked her soul. When an opportunity arose for lta- dame Chrlsllna to don her glittering , lrensures she was happy : when there r were women present to envy them she became posilively radiant , In obedience to tIlls ruling passion , " Chrlsllna-dresslng for 010 early din- uer at which Stephen Osborne was to meet Uss Stella Garner , and which was to bo followed by a visit to the I theater-clasped about her white , \ throat and dainty arms some five . thousand dollars' worth of precious ' I stones. Very well she looked , too. did Christina , when she took her t place at the head of thc table and ; beamcd on the ugly Miss Garner , the ' \ admiring Stephen Osborne and the complacent Thaddeus , It was a. wonderfully merry little party ; each seemed to vlo with each ; . ( In brllllanc ) ' . IC Christina was gay , i , I \ . ) - - . _ , r' It Was a Wonderfully Merry LIttle Party , 1\1lss Garner was brilliant : It "had , I deus was overflowing with good hu , mol' , Stephen Ofborne proved a vrlnco of entertainers , Suddenly upon the mirth of the Darty there descended an nstonl : hlng qolet. I 'l'haddeus , strange to say , fol1 ns p In his chair , and ChrJstlna , aficr a gallant struggle to l\Oe1) awake tel , lowed his example. . Then 1\11' . Stephen Osborne and Miss I Stella Garner Indulged In n very 1'6' I marlmble ) lror-eedlng. They 10SO from their places and calmly llroeced. cd to slrlp their sleeping hosloss of her jewelry , 1\IIss Stella's light nn. gel's unclasllng ) Christina's neck13re I nnd bracelcls , and removing her rings , Stephen Osborno the whllo deCl1y concealing the jewels about hIs person. When Chrlsllna'a sholllders. wrists aud fingers were bared of tholr glittering load , lhe lIalr turned theIr attention to lhe slumbering Thad. delis , relieving him of a diamond slud and ring , worlh together a hun , dred dollars or so. TheIl they paused - and , 1001tlng at one another , laughed sllentl ' . ) t "It.'s fall' 'havo ' " ' i a , Pollle , sahl the man who had called himself "Stephen Osborne. " 1\IIss Stelln Gnrnor nodded , "Arc YOIl sure lhat stutI'l1 only make them aleep ? " she asked , anx. lously , "Cerlaln sure , " said the ot1Or. "Do r ) ' 011 thlnl , I want to swing ? Not milch. Como on , loolt. sllpp ) ' , now ; , r this wny out. " And with that Mr. "Stophen Os- borne , " 1\1lss "Stella Garner" and abollt fi\'o thousnnd ' \ dollars' worth of ) "swag" disappeared througll the . , French window of Mr. Thaddous 3 Field's dining room. Mr. . 'rhaddeus ; ' l'leld novel' Cound a sUfllciently ugh' parlnor Cor Mr. Ste- IIhon Osborne. In fact he novel' Sa\T 1\11' . Osborno again. Nor did ho ever set l' 'cs on I1s Stella Garner , nor . find h < 'I' ' ' S0l110 ono to lovo. 'I'hoy had ) I vanishcli Into the unknown through I 'f' . . . . . r , that Pronch window , and Chrlstln3 'r' < ; I ' still 1I10urns her dlnmonds ,