The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-22
SIMPLE JUSTICE.

Joshua Everitte was very just nan.
He prided himself upon it and carried
himself accordingly. If there were dis
pute between his neighbors, he, like Solo
mon, was always called in to settle it,
which he did Unfortunately and with
Justice. 1t was his pride and the boast of
his neighbors that he had never In the 81
years of his residence in Blankville failed
to show the utmost justice in each and
every particular. But there came time
when Justice and Joshua Everitte refused
to acknowledge each other. This was when
bis young and only daughter wished TO
wed. Jenny Everitte was very sweet
and pretty girl, and it was not surprising
that Harry EIdridge, young, handsome
and appreciatiye Of feminine beauty,
should fall in love with her or that she
should reciprocate his affection Now,
among Deacon Eyeritte's other qualities
and pcculiarities. which were not few, he,
like other men, having his full share Of
these latter, were an uncomfortably strong
will and a still stronger dislike to city peo-
pie in general and city young men in par
ticular. Harry Eldridge was from the
city. That, therefore, was sufficient cause
in the deacon's opinion for his refusal to
sanction a marriage between him and
Jenny. In vain did the young girl beseech
and entreat her stern sire to relent, ap-
pealing at last to his love Of justice in
hopes that the quality upon which he
prided himself might win him over. But
here the deacon was more memorable than
ever. Justice. Was he not exercising it
now in its fullest degree? Was it justice to
allow a fine girl to throw herself away upon
city whippersnapperf Decidedly not.
That was injustice-rank injustice. He
would never be guilty of such an act.
but, father, / love him. pleaded the
girl as with clasped hands and wet eyes
abe stood before this arbiter of justice,
seeing no signs OF relenting in the hard,
set face before her and which grew harder
still at these words.
Lovel What was love, A hallucina-
ton, mere idiosyncrasy of the human
mind, feyered imagination, excited by
something pleasing to the eye, delusion
which soon vanished when the object
which occasioned IL departed; sheer non
sense, of which young people were promo
to be guilty once In their lives, but which,
when they grew older and therefore more
sensible, they would scorn to indulge in.
Thus reasoned the stern old deacon, send
ing the young lovers to the depths Of woe
by his set refusal TO their pleas. But love
will find way and laughs mockingly at
locksmiths even though they be in the
form of stern deacon. In this case love
cunningly turned the tables against this
hutocrat and used his argument to its own
advantage The attempted assassination
of a millionaire by an anarchist, his
ownership OF vast wealth being the cause,
gave love its victory and the deacon hix
defeat, he having expressed himself very
strongly on the subject in the presence Of
the lovers. maintaining it an outrage and
declaring that a mans savings were his
own, be the accumulation an honest one,
and which any man with q spark of JUS
tice would acknowledge.
You, then, believe that what a man
saves is his own?' questioned Harry Ell
bridge, while CLEAN Of triumph bright
ened his eye.
Most certainly, sir; most certainly"
replied the deacon. What a man saves
Is his own decidedly, and no man, sir, no
man has a right to believe otherwise q"
The lovers exchanged glances, and few
minutes later were deep in a whispered
converse behind the barn.
That afternoon Joshua Everitte and his
daughter drove down to the sound, she
with the intention Of taking dip and he
of watching her. Scarcely had she donned
her bathing suit when Harry Eldridge ap-
peared upon the scene similarly attired.
He, however, did not go into the water,
but, seating himself some little distance
away and out of sight of the deacon
watched his sweetheart as she swan and
floated about as light and graceful as a
swan.
Suddenly she threw up her arms and
struggling for a moment sank beneath the
water Deacon Everitte shouted and rush
ed forward as fast as he could, just as she
rose a second time, struggling as before.
The poor old man wrunS his hands in de-
spair, but no one was in sight, and he was
on the point of going into the water him
self, despite bis rheumatism, when Harry
Eldridge dashed by, and plunging in
reached her just as she rose for the last
time and amid the cries of her father
brought her safely to the shore. Joshua
Everitte, after assuring himself that she
still lived, grasped the young mans hand,
begging to know what he could do to re-
pay him for his noble act.
Give your consent to our marriage, as
your daughter now belongs TO me, was
the answer.
Belongs to you, sirl How so'" de-
manded the deacon, himself again at these
words
Did you not say this morning that
what man saves is his OWN" a reply
which caused the deacon's face to grow
purple as he heard his own argument thus
turned against him, but he had to answer
Yes"
Then" wickedly continued the young
man, don't you think, as i saved her life
she rightly belongs to me?" And Joshua
Everitte, with his love of justice, was
forced to acknowledge that she did.-New
York Press.