Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19

old and illustriouS family; you honored me
when you married me; and YOU have las
your father tod me on our wedding-dav) the
high and naughty temper OF your race
fOresee an explosion of this temper, and [
would rather have my writing paper blown
up than be blown up myself. Is this q cow
ardly confession on my part? All courage,
Mrs. SarraZln, is relative; the braveSt man
living has coWardly size to his character,
though ltmay not always be found out Some
years ago, at public dinner, sat next to an
officer III the British army. At one time in
MS lie he had led a forlorn hope. At an
other time he had picked up wounded SOL
der and had carried him TO the care of the
surgeons through a hailStOrm Of the enemy'S
bullets. Hot courage and cool courage, this
true hero possessed both. I saw the cow
ardly side of his character. He lost his
color; perspiration broke out on his fore
head; he trembled; he talked nonsense: he
was frightened out of his wits And all for
what? Because he had to get on his legs
and make speech
Well; Mrs. Ormond and Randall Linley
and l sat down to our consultation at the
cottage.
What did my fair client want?
She contemplated marrying for the second
time, and she wanted my advice as a lawyer,
and my encouragement as an old friend. 7
was quite ready; [ only waited for the par
tlcularS. Mrs. OrmOnd became dreadfully
embarrassed, and said: Il refer YOU to nv
brOther-in.law."
L looked at Randall. "Once her brother
in-laW, no doubt" | said: but after the di-
vOrce-" My friend stopped me there.
AFTER the divorce" he remarked, Il NAV
be her brOther-in-law again."
If this meant anything it meant that she
was actually going to marry Herbert Lnley
again. told him plainly that l could not
believe it.
'Why not?" Randall asked.
Saying l do want you in one breath. and
/ don't want you III another, seems to be a
little hard on divorce" [ ventured to sug-
gest.
Don't expect me to sympathize with di-
yorce," Randall said.
answered that smartly. mo, III wait
till you are married"
He took it seriously. Don't misunder-
stand me-" he replied. ''Where there is alb
s0lute cruelty, or where there is deliberate
deSertiOn on the husbands part [ see the
use and the reason for divorce II the I'M
happy wife can find an honorable man who
will protect her, or an honorable man who
will offer her a home. society and law. which
are responsible for the institution of mar
rage, are bound to allow a woman out
ragged under the shelter of their institution to
marry again. But where the husbands fault
is sexual frailty, say the English law which
refuses divorce on that ground alone is right
and the Scotch law which grants it is wrong.
Religion which rightly condemns the sin,
pardOnS it OH the condition OF true peDitence
Why is wife not to pardon it for the same
reason? Why are the lives of father, a
mother, and a child to be wrecked, when
those lives may be saved by the exercise of
the first OF Christian virtueS-forgiveneSs Of
injuries? In such a case as this l regret that
divorce exists; and | rejoice when husband
and wife and child are one flesh again, re-
united by the law Of nature, which is the Law
of Cod
L might have disputed with him; but
thought he was right, and l wanted to make
sure Of the facts.
Gam L really to understand" I asked.
shat Mr.. Herbert LinIey is to be the lady's
husband for the second tIme!?' !
eff there is no lawful objection to it,
Randall said, ''decidedIy yes"
My good wife, in all your experience you
never saw your husband stare as he stared at
that moment. Here was a lady divorced
from her husband, by her own lawful desire
and at her own personal expense, thinking
better of it after no very long interval, and
proposing to marry the man again. Some
thing to wonder at, surely! How did it end?
1t ended in my admitting my ignorance as
lawyer and offering my encouragement as
a friend. The case being without precedent
in my experience i dropped my professional
character at the outset. Speaking next as
friend, had only to say to Mrs. Ormond:
''The law has declared you and Mr.. Herbert
Linley to be single people. Do what other
single people do. Buy Il license, and give
notice at q church, and by all means send
wedding cards to the judge who divorced
YOU"
Said; and, in another fortnight done. Mr..
and Mrs. Herbert Linley were married again
this morning, and Randall and L were the
only witnesses present at the ceremony,
which was strictly private.