this wronged husband
arranged for his wife to divorce him, prove desertion and adultery.
There was a slight difficulty because it was the wife who had run away
from home. However, this was easily got over. The wife wrote begging
the husband to allow her to come home, representing that he had sent her
away. He then had to reply refusing her request, and while desiring
nothing on earth so much as her return to him, had to state he would
never live with her again. An act of adultery was then necessary, and as
this good and chivalrous husband was also an exceptionally moral man, he
took his sister to an hotel, and the divorce was granted on this: they,
of course, signing their names in the hotel register as Mr. and Mrs. X._

_Case 3._--_In this case the action of the parties is reversed. The
husband had committed adultery and wished his freedom to re-marry, but
he held a public position, and to be the guilty party in a divorce suit
meant social and financial ruin. The wife was innocent, and still loved
her husband, but because she felt it right to free him, an act of
adultery for her (not committed) was arranged. Both the decree_ nisi
_and the decree absolute were granted. Complications arose from the fact
that there were two children: as the "innocent" party custody was
granted to the father, but he did not want the children. So for the six
probationary months between the two decrees the children were placed
with friends. Afterwards they were given back by the father to the
mother._

When the decree of a divorce has been made absolute, you can fortunately
do what you like. During the six months probationary period, however,
the "innocent" partner (see Case 1) has to be so careful of his or her
conduct, that it is really much more convenient to be the "guilty"
partner. I mention this as a further proof of the absurdity of the law,
and the immoral way in which it acts.

_Case 4._--_This case was even more curious than the three I have given.
A very bad but beautiful woman had married a man younger than herself,
an idealist, chivalrous, and quite unusually moral. After a few years of
hell the marriage had to be ended. In kindness, and because she was a
woman, the man said she had better divorce him. Desertion was proved,
though it had not taken place. Trouble arose from the necessary act of
adultery, as it was against the principles of the husband even to appear
to commit it. The difficulty had, however, to be got over or