Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-01-27
HOW A LAWSUIT WAS ENDED.

Mr.. Popkins was bachelor l
meptions this fact with all due rev.
erence for the name--and sympathy
for the condition. He was well-to-
do in the world, if owning fine
farm and being plaintiff in a law suit
is any criterion. Aside from Mr..
Popkins' misfortune in being bach
elor, he had one fault--a general
aversion to female society and a par
ticnlar aversion to Miss Sallie Hop
kins. the defendant in the above
named law suit.
Now. be it known, that though
Miss Sallie's name was put down in
the list Of o. Ms (Old Maids. she
was the roundest. cosiest, dimpled-
checked spinster that ever lived in
Lincoln. She had the sottest brown
eyes, with trick of looking down
and peepine under the iashes, per-
fectly bewildering, and her hair
waved and shone in the sunlight in
such manner that a susceptible
lady, like you and |, would have felt
an Irresistible desire to have sole own
erslip of the nut brown locks"
But however fascinating Miss Sal
lie was to the sex in general. rs |
have said, between her and Mr.. Pop
kins there was a deadly fcud; and
the cause of all the trouble was 4
meadow, spreading fair and wide and
unconscious between Miss Sallie's
and Mr.. Popkins' farm.
Now. the truth OF the matter was
this: The meadow justly belonged
to Mr.. Popkins, bnt instead of going
to Miss Sallie and frankly stating the
case he must serve process of law.
Miss Sallie flew all to pieces, and de-
clared she would maintain her ri2 hts
at any cost.
am confident from the manner in
which the whole thing ended, that
had Mr.. POpkins gone TO her himself,
she would have relinquishcdit it grace
fully, but n woman has mortal hor-
ror of being forced to do anything.
Tie thread around their necks. feed
them with sugar plums, and you can
lead them to the dumping off place"
90 to drive them, and for obstinacy,
they will beat Mark Twain's mule in
the Holy Land all to pieces.
When Miss Sallie met Mr.. Papkins
on the street, her nose was decidedly
''retrouesse," and Mr.. Popkins looked
like an automaton Cardiff giant. The
neighbOrs were forced to take part in
this case, for when invitations were
issued for the regular tea-parties
those who invited Mr.. Popkins were
compelled to omit Miss Sallie, and
| vice-verSa.
In the meantime the law sui,
dragged its slow length along,
from session to session, from term t.
term, until Popkins VS.. Hopkins was
as familiar as A, b, C. But fate hat
taken In hands the destiny of thest
two obstinate individuals, and soor
brought matters to a most satisfac
tory conclusion, although the uncon
scious mediator was rather a bur
lesque on the "high tragedy" daily
enacted.
There lived close to these bellig
erents good-natured old man, near
ly as deaf as post, who had th
greatest faculty of laundering on un
fortunate facts Of any individual
known either in ancient or moderI
history.
He never heard anything correctly
and it was an utter impossibility +
try and explain; you would certainl.
find yourself fioundering about in
perfect slough of despair.
Miss Sallie and Mr.. Popkins ha
received notice that their case woul
come up for final hearing, in Harrow
on the Tuesday of next week. Mis-
Sallie concluded to take the stage
Uncle Ben DrOpper, our deaf friend
had business little distance on th
road, and he would take the stage toe
and Mr.. Popkins' saddle horse fe
sick just as he was needed, and IL
time for any other arrangements, s
he must take the same conveyance
Miss Sallie came floating down
the gate with white ribbons an
bows, and dainty dress, sufficient
a bewilder man with as stony a heal
as the Sphinx, and saw, approachin
from the opposite side, her foe,
Immaculate brosdcloth and shir