Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-03-02
BETTER TItAT DIVORCE.

Wiiiiarn B',.hr. II" Superintendent of
ulttJnr poor. ever day. As Il tail.
,rr:i ~iou!drra,: n:itn rcachcd the
~i1acH II front Of tie ,i, < one mnrn-
~ Il day or two ago. he laid down
Icw silver dollars and walked away
without saying anything The
Superintendent took them up and
dropped them into a box. An hour
later a drmure little woman came in
tinidly. and when she presented her
self. the four silver dollars were
placed in her oUtstretched hand
With nod Of acknowledgment. but
without speaking. she went out.
This is curious phase of life
said Mr. Blake The man who left
the money and the woman to whom
l gave it are husband and wife, but
they do not live together. 1 am a
mediator between Them
How is this brought about?'
asked the reporter
Z" y wife whose husband is cruel to
her or has deserted her comes here
and states her case to Inc; | then send
for her husband. He is told that he
must leave SO much money here every
week for the support of his family.
Usually he Is frightened into promis
ing that he will pay the alimony."
How is this amount of the ali
mony tixed?"
:" / lind out how much his weekly
earnings are and tell him he must
set aside a certain proportion Of
Them
What Is done if the man refuses p"
HE is told that it is much better to
pay the money through me than to
have the case 80 before Il Judge. 10
have the case tried would cost money.
The most ignorant man sees that he
would lose i'll the end by refusing t.
make this agreement. Persuasion
has more to do with this class of men.
some Of whom appear to be merely
animal in their nature, than you
would think"
Have you any legal authority"
No. But they know l can take
steps to have the law enforced"
DO husband and wife often come
together aSain?"
Il take every opportunity to induce
them to become reconciled to each
other; sometimes l succeed. A few
days ago induced Il man and wife
to live together again who separated
III 1872. They were both moral and
intelligent. When the husband came
told him that there We're differences
i'll every family. and that it would be
more economical if he and his wife
should agree to travel the same road
again, and that both would be hap
pier. So one day he says. Tell Mary
I'll talk ii over with her. The wife
was willing they always are-and l
arranged IL meeting to take place at
my house. They met. and both cried
like children. 1t was so touching l
fled to another room. Well, it ended
by their going away hand in hand.
| smiling and happy, A week ago 1
received an invitation to visit them.
which | did. l found them living as
snugly and contentedly as if the
cricket had always chirped merrily
| on tntlT Hcartn.
Here is another romance that
didn't end So we'll A woman came
to lac and complained that her hus-
band would not provide for her, but
| spent his money for drink. She was
as iine-looking IA woman as you would
see in a days journey. The husband
admitted that he spent his money.
| bat he said he didn't want all of his
wifes people quartered in his house
as they were. L am keeping her
whole family said he. Il didn't
marry the whole family But after
several talks he said he would have a
meeting with his WIFE, 1t was ar
ranged that she should come for her
allowance at the same time he called
to leave it. They went home together
and at the end of two years the hus-
band came here total wreck and had
to be sent to the Aims House. His
appetite for drink had been too strong
for him, he said, and he laid the
blame on his wife's relatives. l don't
know what became of his handsome
| wife. Another case was that OF &
husband and wife who were separated
by the dissolute habits of the hus
band. The wife said that hen
husband was all the time trying tc
steal her child from her. The child
was beautiful. l told her to let hin
have the child and it might induce
him TO go home with it. Sure enough
when he became sober he went home
with the child in his arms and prom
ised that be- would give up his cups.
He kept his promise.
Not long ago there was another
case i'll which the child was instru
mental in bringing its father ant
mother together again. Through
some mistake, the wife came for he
allowance just as the husband wa
handing it to me at the desk. Sh
was carrying baby in her arms
When the husband saw her he brushe.
a tear from his eyes with his sleeve
and, taking up the child from he
arms, kissed it. Coming up to me h
said, Would you mind, Mr.. Blake, i
L pay the money to my wife mysel
after this
You had better go home and liv
with her. l said.
"'Wcll, l believe l will he replied
So he did.'-lN. Y. Sun.