The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-02-09
The McGintY Desertion Case.

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trial and Mrs. Farrar had just been
called to the stand.
Counsel-Mrs. Farrar, please state to
the court what you know about this
case.
Mrs. Farrar you see, Mr.. Nc
Glinty wasn't satisfied with Mrs. Nc
Glinty. When he married her she was
a little slim sort of woman and
wouldn't weigh more'n hundred
pounds. Pretty soon afterward she be-
gan to gain flesh, and before ten years
were out she weighed nigh on to 250
pounds.
Counsel-One hundred and fifty
pounds clear gain!
Mrs Fit didn't strike Mr.. McGlin-
ty that way. Mr.. McGlinty is very
conscientious man and he was troubled
in his mind about Mrs. McGlinty. He
often said to me: Louis" first
name is Louisa" Louisa, want to do
right to Mrs. McGlinty, but cannot
see my duty clearly. When married
her l married only 100 pounds of wom-
an. That was all right. l consolidated
with exactly that much of her. But
now Mrs. McGlinty weighs $50 pounds.
There are $50 pounds of her that / never
married and that l don't think have
any right to. In fact | am inclined to
think that those $50 pounds are not
Mrs. McGlinty at all. How can they be
if they were never married to a man
named McGlintyP They must still be
Hannah Brown, which was my wife's
maiden name, or some other person
unknown. Anyhow" he said, "they
don't belong to me and l feel as if it was
wicked for me to pretend to own them"
That's what Mr.. McGlinty said.
Counsel-Did you express an opinionP
Mrs. F.-Well, you see | was both
cred myself, because he kind of stag
gered me with such queer idea, but |
said to him: Mr.. McGlinty, why don't
you take her down to the Mayor or
minister and marry her over again, so
as to include the $50 pounds?" That
is what | said.
Counsel-Did he accept the sugges-
ton?
Mrs. F.-No; he said he'd asked her
to 90, but she considered it was all fool
ishness; that she was married enough.
And he said he didn't think much of
the idea, anyhow, because he really only
loved the original 100 pounds of her.
The rest he had no affection for and he
was afraid it was sinful to marry $50
pounds of woman he couldn't love. So
Mr.. McGlinty said.
COunsel-And then he left her?
Mrs. F.-Well, but Mr.. McGlinty
argued this way to me: Louisa" said
he, one day, Il expect to support my
lawful wife, of course, and do it. But
Hannah, when she eats, feeds $50 pounds
that are not my wife. When she clothes
herself, | have to pay for covering, with
calico and so on, $50 per cent more
woman than has fair claim upon me.
When she faints | have an additional
three-fifths added to the original two
fifths, to hold in my arms. Is it right
is it fair that | should be compelled
to do all this over and above my con-
tract?" That's what Mr.. McGlinty
asked me.
Counsel-He forsook her, then, did
he?
Mrs. FL wanted him to get q di-
vorce, but he said the courts were corr
rupt and wouldn't recognize the great
ness of his wrongs. And so he packed
up his things one day, and gave her no.
tice that she would have to take care of
herself and went and took board all
alone somewhere. He told me he cried
like child to leave his own and legal
share of Mrs. McGlinty, but he couldn't
see any safe way of chopping his 100
pounds out of her and bringing it along
and he said Mrs. McGlinty herself had
a strong prejudice against being split
into fifths and divided. That is what
Mr.. McGlinty said to me IN confidence.
Counsel-That will do, Mrs. Farrar
Go the Cour) We await your decision,
your Honor.
The Court-James McGlinty, your
theory is very ingenious and your scru-
pies show you to be very remarkable
man; but your views are wrong. The
original Mrs. McGlinty was made flesh
of your flesh and bone of your bone.
She was you and you were her. When
she grew fat, it was, in point of law,
you who grew obese. You gained
the $50 pounds, in fact, yourself. They
are yours; they are yours in another
sense. Your wife's property belongs to
you unless it is secured to her in her
own right This extra flesh was not so
secured; therefore it is yours to take
care of and to nourish. McGlinty, all
of Mrs. McGlinty is married to you from
her toe-nails to the top of her head, and
you will have to support her. | make
an order that you shall have to pay her
ten dollars week as long as you live
apart from her. Crier! adjourn the court!
The McGlintys went home arm-in-
arm, with Mrs. Farrar bringing up the
rear.-MdG Adeler.
Wonders Of Greenland.