The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-22
SIMPLE JUSTICE.

osnua ETerItte was very just man.
He prlded 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 indiscriminately and with
justice. 1t was his pride and the boast OF
his neighbors that he had never in the 62
years of his residence in Blankville failed
to show the utmost justice in each and
every particular. But there came a time
when justice and Joshua Everitte refused
to acknowledge each other. This was when
his young and only daughter wished &c
wed. Jenny Everitte was a very sweet
and pretty girl, and it was not surprising
that Harry Eldridge, young, handsome
and appreciative of feminine beauty,
should fall in love with her or that she
should reciprocate his affection. Now,
among Deacon Everitte's other qualities
and peculiarities, which were not few, he
like other men, having his full share OF
these latter, were an uncomfortably strong
will and still stronger dislike to city PEG
pie in general and city young men in par
ticular. Harry Eldridge was from the
city. That, therefore, was sufficient Gauss
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 fine girl to throw herself away upon
a city whippersnapper? Decidedly not
That was injustice-rank injustice. He
would never be guilty of such an act
But father, l love him." pleaded the
girl as with clasped hands and wet eyes
she stood before this arbiter.ef 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, fevered imagination, excited by
something pleasing to the eye, a delusion
which soon vanished when the object
which occasioned it departed; sheer non
sense, of which young people were prone
to be guilty once in their lives, but which,
when they grew older and therefore more
sensible, they would scorn to indulge ilA.
Thus reasoned the stern old deacon, send
ing the young lovers to the depths of WOO
by his set refusal to their pleas. But Glove
will find way and laughs mockingly at
1ocksmiths, even though they be in the
form of stern deacon. In this case love
cunningly turned the tables against this
autocrat 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 his
defeat, he having expressed himself very
strongly on the subject in the presence OF
the lovers, maintaining it an outrage and
declaring that a man savings were his
own, be the accumuIation an honest one,
and which any man with a spark of jus
tice would acknowledge
You, then, believe that what a man
saves is his own?' questioned Harry FL
bridge, while a CLEAN of triumph bright
ened his eye.
Most certainly, sir; most certainly
replied the deacon. 'tWhat a man saves
is his own decidedly, and no man, sir, no
man has right to believe otherwise. :"
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
f1oated about as light and graceful as a
swan.
Suddenly she threw up her arms, and
struggling for 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 wrung his hands in de-
spair, but 10 one was in sight, and he was
on the point of going into the water him
self, despite his 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
Lveritte, 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, sir How soY'' de-
manded the deacon, himself again at these
words.
Did you not say this morning that
what a man saves is his owpY' 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 1 saved her life,
she rightly belongs to meS' And Joshua
Everitte, with his love of justice, was
forced to acknowledge that she did--New
York Press.
What Is Electricity
An anonymous writer in The New Sci
ence Review offers the following definition
for criticism: 1T would appear that cleo
tricity is simply a form or manifestation