A Baby From The "Strangest Romance" of World War I

March 1920

EMILY KNOWLES SPIKER GIVES BABY TO FATHER

Baby That Figured in strangest Romance of War is Given to Legal Father by Voluntary Act of the Mother

By Lorry A. Jacobs

New York—Emily Knowles Spiker has decided to give up her war romance baby, Albert Ray Spiker, to the father, Perley M. Spiker.

Albert, who is six months old, is to be adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Perley Spiker and in that way gain a legal name. It was the father's brother, Guy, that Emily Knowles married shortly after her arrival, with the baby, in this country.

"Emily alone must decide what is to be the fate of her baby," Perley Spiker told me when he recently recounted his side of the overseas romance. "My wife and I feel we should take the baby and allow Emily and Guy to live their early married life unhampered by the care of a youngster. But Emily must finally decide." And Emily has!

Today I received the following letter in response to my request to the Spikers that they notify me immediately when they reached a decision in regard to the baby:

"Out of gratitude we feel duty bound to give you the first story of our decision as to the adoption of Alfred Ray. We have received papers printed from coast to coast, and in these stories you have shown us consideration that not all reporters were kind enough to give."

So ends the last chapter of the "strangest romance of the war." Perley Spiker met Emily Knowles in France. They fell in love. A baby was born. Perley returned to his wife in America. Emily Knowles and the baby followed. Mrs. Perley Spiker remained loyal to her husband and offered to take Emily and the baby into their home. Guy Spiker, brother of Perley, married Emily, and gave her a home of her own.