Connecticut western news., 1876-08-18
Singular Legal Document.

A most remarkable legal paper has recently been addressed to one of the district judges of Texas, in which tho petitioner appeals for divorce from his wife in q wholly original manner. It appears that Wm. Akey, widower with seven children, courted for and won the hand of Sarah Jane Maxwell, 8 widow, also having seven children. Alter the con- summation of the bonds which bound them together, they repaired to the fla m of Sarah Jane to reside, which farm was overrun with thickets to such an extent as to preclude the raising of any crops, whereupon William set himstlf to work to clear of the same and make it pro- ductive. After the ground was cleared and in good condition, Sarah Jane's love for her spouse grew less and less, until she finally drove him and his flock from the house: and now William declares his belief that the said Sarah Jane married him solely for the purpose of getting him to clear that farm of thlckets, and thereupon he sues for . divorce in 0 strangely constructed petition, in which he says: Petitioner would further state that the said Sarah Jane was woman of mighty winning ways before we were married, and one of the mildest marnered women he ever saw. Peti- tioner would further state that the said Sarah Jane told him that all of her children were angels, and that she be- lieved petitioners children were angels, for they looked just like their dad. Sarah Jane told petitioner that she was raising up her cLIldren in the fear and admonition of the Lord, and that she required her children 10 repeat the Lords prayer every night; all of which petitioner believed, for the said Sarah Jane repeated to the petitioner the said prayer, which begins: 'Now lay me down to sleep,' etc.
 "Petitioner soon discovered that when he went to the home of the said Sarah Jane his Dorcas was gone, and that he had Mary Magdalene with her seven devils-for soon the Maxwells wanted to know if the Akpys would mix; and it is we'll known that when the Akey blood IS up they will not be imposed upon-and so mix it was. Your petitioner jumped upon the head of barrel, and, ill the language of our President, cried out: Let us have peaoo r But about tlat time Sarah Jane motioned stick at pe- titioner-and here petitioner makes his head exhibit A, to show the result of that fight.
 "Petitiouer would further state that he had lived with his former wives in perfect peace and harmony, for he was always repeating those beautiful lines from Ingomar to Parthenia, two souls with but single thought, two hearts that beat as one.' But petitioner states that since he married Sarah Jane he has not repeated those lines much. Peti- tioner always believed that matches were made in heaven until he marTi d Sarah Jane; but he now doubts that thevlogi. cal dogma.
 "Petitioner states that the said Sarah Jane kept up continual clatter about her Gear, dead husband, and what he did and could do; and how much better her dead husband was than petitioner, and that her children were so much bet ter than the petitioners children; and petitioner states what he well knows, that for scientific aggravation Sarah Jane has no equal in these parts. Peti. tioner is now fully convinced that mar riage is nothing but civil contract, and that when & cu1tGact is broken on the one part it Is br ken upon the other; and as Sarah Jane drove petitioner away from her homo, and refused to live with him or to have anything to do with him., he is certainly entitled to have the con tract abrogated.