River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-01-29
A Law Needed for the Protection of
Old Men.
From the Detroit Free Press. !

From the Detroit Free Press.
Yesterday noon man about sixty-iive
years Of age came up stairs into the local
room of this paper and inquired:
"ls this where the legislashur is o.
"No, SIR replied the reporter; "the
legislature is in session at Lansing
"Way off there, eh!'' continued the
man, as he sat down, laid his cane across
the table, and took off his mittens.
YES; trains run twice day. Pretty
good crowd out there by this time
IL don't care about the crowd,'' said
the old man, ii want law "a new law !"
"Ehl"
eyes, sir, ! want a new law-sunthin
to purtect old men like me-"
What's the matter-how do you want
to be protected y
MY names Horner,' replied the man,
as he slowly fumbled inside his coat. "My
names Horner, and I'm an old fool
What do you think did three months
| ago! Went and married girl mir eteen
years old, and red -headed at that Yes,
went and decided her a farm, and gin her
six hundred dollars cash, and married
her ~
"And you do not live happyi'
"Happy Young man, let me show
you suthin'-here, look at that T.
And he unrolled piece Of brown pa
per and displayed handful Of gray hairs,
some Of which were blood-stained
"Pulled right out Of my scalp three
days ago. he went on. And see this
ere leg"
lie pulled up his pants and exhibited
black and blue spot Just above the shin.
"Struck there with fiat ironr' he ex-
planned F; ''meant to hit me in the chest
and kill me to once, but lodged. Aud
sec here"
lie opened his coat and vest and re-
vealed the fact that he had no shirt ON,
and consequently nothing on which to
button a collar.
"Iore it oh"n me two weeks ago." he
whispered, land she burned up my other
one. I've bin around this way for fort.
night, almost dying by inches"
well, she must be regular wildcat"
said the reporter.
"Young man, if / war to sit here and
tell We how that woman conducts herself,
ye'd have TO hold yer ha'r down - ex-
claimed the old man, striking his leg.
mo one knows how she's heayed fiat
irons at me, hit me with clubs, throwed
water over me in bed, pulled hair, jawed
around, and brought my gray hairs in
sorrow to the grave Why, what do
you think she called me this very morn
ing r.
"A cundurango, perhaps"
"Wuss'n that, boy-iar, far wuss; she
called me an ApOtiOf'
Possible 7"
"Yes. she did Think Of that, will
ye--think Of a man Of my age, who has
always paid his debts and been h)nest.
ben' set down with pirates y
ITS bad y sighed the reporter, as a
long pause ensucd.
ATS awiul-the awfulest kind of aw.
ful replied Horner. "Ive got to stand
it, hut | want law 20 protect other old
men. want a law to forbid any man
over sixty from marryin' a girl who isn't
over twenty"
"That might be wise law"
III can't 90 TO Lansin'," he went on,
"but you kin help me. Put it in your
paper-get up an excitement about it,
Will you do this Look at me, boy
look at me all over See how I've suffer
ed See how hot my head is
~'ll help you all can
"Do Write to him Write TO him
five times day "lm goin' hum to
meet her, and be pounded around and
sassed and jawed, but if know you're
gettin' law through I'll 20 to the grave
feelin' good y
And he put on his mittens, took up his
cane, and was gone.