Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-21

6& 3>IsTS band and wife are so
M S%IE.f MI absolutely one that
a woman might be ar
rested for transferring 500 from one pocket
to lhe other. But the so-called reform spirit
of the age, especially in the great State OF
New York, has gone far toward destroying
this oneness of the domestic relation. A
married woman may now perform almost
any act possible to an unmarried one. She
may have her own real or personal estate
and control it absolutely; 60 into business
on her own account, or take her husband In
as her partner; will her property away to
friend and leave her husband penniless;
and SO distinct and separate are man and
wife nowadays that well-known ex-rall-
way President lately arrested his wife for
larceny because, upon leaving his bed and
board, she had carried away valuable turnl-
ture and refused to return it.
"I'm sorry this case never was allowed to
reach the Court of Appeals" said lawyer
to me, "for would like to have decision
to guide me in case which came into my
Office last week. Briefly, the facts are these:
For several years an old client of mine,
whom I'll call Gibbons, has had trouble
with his wife. He wanted me to draw up
articles OF separation, but counselled for
bearance on account of the children. Glib
bons is a wealthy man, has an elegant resi-
dence on upper Fifth avenue, host of
charming friends and, according to my
thinking, a charming wife. But in spite of
my wholesome advice to both sides, things
have been going from bad to worse lately,
until Mrs. Gibbons returned to her family,
the daughter following her, and the son
sticking to his father. The day after her
fight Gibbons rushed inuo my office sshen
pale and too agitated to speak. l gave him
a glass of brandy and water and waited for
him to pull himself together.
"'Would you believe it, he calculated,
she has robbed me?'
"'Robbed you?' repeated.
"'Yes, he whispered hoarsely, of SIC, 900
in bank notesl The money was in my pri-
vate safe in the dining room-you know
keys out of my trousers pocket while was
asleep. 1 want you to arrest her for larceny
this very morning.
"'I don't think I can do it, I said
quietly.
"'Can't do it?' he almost shrieked. is
there no law-no Justice in the land?'
"'Calm yourself, Gibbons I mads an
swer; You must look at this matter in the
proper light. A wife can't steal from her
husband. Get that into your head at once.
I'il try to reach this money by replevin.
That's all can do, and don't believe that
will be effectual, for it will not be found in
her possession.
"'This is Infamous he blurted out.
"I'li say this, however," continued;
'if you can prove-miud what say-that
she took the $4,000, it will be charged
against her in providing for her support;
but don't believe you can prove she took
it. 1t is hard, admit, but the world is full
of just such hard things. am afraid you
are SIC, 900 out, and I'm almost ready to say
you deserve to be. ."
Christmas in the Shops.
Christmas shopping has been the feminine
pursuit in town during the past week, OF
course, and have kept my eyes and ears
receptive to its peculiar phases. 1t was in
one of those huge emporiums where you
may purchase anything from a sealskin
jacket to dictionary. The young lady in
the rich furs and with such fresh red cheeks,
who had Just hustled in from the cold street,
sat down on a revolving stool at the first
counter she came to, and said to one of the
salesgirls that she desired to make a great
many purchases and did not wish to run
about from counter to counter, One of the
floor walkers sauntered up and said be
would take her orders if she desired to en-.
trust them to him. Accordingly she drew
a slip of paper from her portmonnaie and
/ proceeded to read from it.
~ want" said she, 'six yards of your
very best black cashmere, three of the pref
tiest lamp shades that you have, all blue; a
bootjack for man, six pairs of your best
black silk stockings, No. 4-not Tor man
a pair of scissors, crockery coffee pot FOL
the kitchen, box of gold-colored hairpins
bottle of lavender water, q bath sponge Of
huge dimensions, pack of playing cards, q
crystal inkstand, dozen linen collars fol
myself, No. 13, and half dozen pairs OF
oh, I'll get those OF this young lady,"
The foorwalker assured the young lady
that he would personally perform her com
mission so that she needn't wait. Sht
thanked him, and then, before handing tc
him the card containing the orders, shs
erased the last item and put in its place
zone copy of Milton's Paradise Lost,
bound in half calf"
When the foorwalker had disappeared
the young lady turned to the salesgirl anc
made her quiet purchase, after which sh,
|
what different from the old maid at a neigh
boring counter who had been trying K
select pair of mittens for the greater par
of an hour, and was not then decided
whether she wanted them blue or brown.
| S$
The Magic Of Mirror.
ST have always attracted attention to my
window" said Broadway merchant, "b,
means of a very simple and commonplace
device that should think would be utilized
by more men dealing in wares such as mine
In my window is mirror, as you have, o
course, noticed. 1t is the only mirror TO b.
seen from the sidewalk between Madison
Square and Thirty-third street. There il
not regular promenader in the neighbor
hood who doesn't know my mirror. Womel
anticipate it block away. and when the,
arrive opposite to it they take quick glanc
to see ii they are looking well. 1t is jus
here that l catch them. That is peculia
mirror. 1t lends fresh color to nearl
every face. 1t refuses to reflect sallowness
and at the same time it softens the tip of
too red nose. The men and women hav
grown to love me and my store, simply be
cause every time they pass it they get sue
picture of themselves that they are mad
happy.
ga woman who has been up late the nigh