The morning call., 1893-04-13
ABOUT HER AGE.
A Brides Innocent Fib of
Thirty Years Ago.
SHE SAID SHE WAS NINETEEN
1t Gets James Davidson Into a Peck
of TroubIe-A Doctors Plant
in Justice Cooks Court.

There are several thousand Companions
of the Forest in this city W ho will be inter-
ested in the struggles OF DR.. w. e. Weldon
TO recover his little bill OF S27O against
James Davidson.
The case was tried yesterday before JUS
tice of the Peace CooR, and incidentally the
old story OF the girl who reaches the age of
19 quickest and stays there longest was
developed to the advantage of the plaintiff.
In 1890 James Davidson applied for
admission to Bonita Circle No. 104, Ar
cient Order of American ForesterS. DR..
Weldon, who is court physician of the
circle, assisted him in his yearning to be-
come Forest Companion, and signed his
name at the foot of the application, and SO
impiedly vouched for the truth of the
statements made therein.
One of these statements was that the
applicants wife, Mrs. Davidson, was A
years of age and in good health.
The constitution adopted by all subor-
dinate circles Of the order provides that
persons whose wives are over 45 years of
age or in poor health can only personally
share in the benefits of the fraternity, their
wives having no claim to sick benefits.
as in the case of all men whose better
halves are fortunate enough to be younger
than 45 and in good health at the time their
husbands joined.
AS soon Mr.. Davidson joined the order
his wife began ailing, so DR.. Weldon testi-
fed, and as physician be attended her for
a year or more, paying at least seventy
visits.
All this time the doctor was receiving
compensation from tile order which his
attorney computes as about5 cents visit,
and as DR.. Weldon does not consider HIM
self scent physician, he got little tired
OF this programme. But whatever his pri-
vate Ideas may have been. he sad nothing
and continued treating the woman under
the beneficiary laws of the order until last
September when the patient, Mrs David
son, went where crystal streams through
endless years flow over golden sands.
Then he did little private detective
work. as result of which he announced to
his companion Fnresters that Mrs. David
son had never been entitled tO free medical
attendance at all.
He had written to Scotland and discovered
that she was really several years older than
her husband had represented her to be in
bis application for membership, not to
speak If the suspicion which the doctor en-
tertained that she WAS ailing at the time
her husband Joined.
Not being able TO call her from the high
court of heaven TO that of the Ancient
Foresters. and ask her that most delicate of
all questions TO put TO woman. How old
are yOu?" the disgusted physician did the
next best thing, acted on the theory that
the Scotland information was true. and
send a polite billet to the widower inform
ing him that be owed the doctor S270 for
professional services. etc, aud suggesting
| an early "reply."
Mr.. Davidson treated the communication
| from his Forest companion with what
| naughty folks call silent contempt" and
| hence the suit.
When Mr.. Davidson was called to the
| stand and asked to explain the matter he
| politely asked permission TO start from the
| beginning.
Very we'll" said Attorney Bodfsh. "tell
| US all you know"
We were boy and girl together in Scot
| land before we were married 1t was in
! 1863 She was just the prettiest, bonniest
| lass you ever saw. and she said she was 49,"
The girls used to hang on 10 the 10 place
| even IN those early days, MIR. Davidson ?"
We'll, l was only n myself, and l sup
| pose she thought it would be very nice to be
| just on the sunny side of 20. At any rate l
| was too happy To bother myself about a lit
| tie matter like that, so | have always re-
garded her AS two years younger than my
| self.
80 when put her age as Al on nv ar
| plcation for membership l stated what l
| believed to be true"
| And the 50-year-Old laddie sighed as he
| thought OF all the Trouble his blooming
| bride OF thirty years ago had got him into
by her harmless little deception.
The court did not thereupon admonish all
| the fa;hers and brothers in the courtroom
to go straight home and caution the young
ladies' Of the family to always tell the truth
| about their ages. no matter what happens.
INDEED, the court seemed to be entirely
absorbed in the nice legal propositions in
| v0lved.
So he asked for more witnesses on the
| question of age, but only one res ponded.
| That one was Mrs. Reynnldson. ruddy-
| faced old ScOtchw0mAn. who came from
the same village as Mrs. Davidson.
She had known the deceased woman in
! tlmately, altho ongh she had missed the
| dance at the 'weddin," which she had
| always regretted.
She confessed that she thought Mrs.
Davidson was year OF two older than her
| husband had supposed But she was moi
| sure, and being conscientious old soul she
would not cnmmit herself. After argument
| Justice Cook retired to his chambers, aud
will announce his decision in a few days