Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-04-03
CHATTER XXX

Xxx.
Mr.. Linley's application for n divorce was
,card III the first division OF the Court OF SEES
iai at + linburgh, the lord president being
The iuG q.
10 the disappointment Of the large audi
tiiee assembled. no defense was attempted
On the part Of the h~usband-a wise decision,
seeing that the evidence Of the wife and her
witnesses was beyond dispute. nut one ex-
citing incident occurred toward the close OF
tile proceedings. Sudden illness made Mrs.
Linley's remora necessary, at the moment
% all others most interesting 10 herself-the
moment before the judges decision was An
H0unceI.
But. As the event proved. the poor lady's
Withdrawal was the most fortunate circum-
stance that could have occurred, In her wi
Interests. After condemning the husbands
with unsparing severity the lord
president surprised most of the persons pres
ent by speaking OF the wife in these terms:
''Grleycusly as Mrs. Linley has been in
jured, the evidence shows that she was her
self by no means free from blame. She has
been guilty, 10 say the least of II, OF acts of
indlscretiOn. When the criminal attachment
which had grown up between Mr.. Herbert
Linley and Miss Westerfeld had been con-
fessed to her, she appears TO have most un-
reasonably oyerTated whatever merit there
might have been In their resistance to the
final temptation. She was indeed so impul-
sively ready 10 forgive without waiting TO
see If the event justified the exercise OF
mercy that she owns TO having given her
10 Miss Westertield at parting, not half
an hour after that young persons shameless
torgetfulness OF the claims of modesty, duty,
and gratitude had been first communicated
to her. To say that this was the act Of an
inconsiderate woman. c~ulpably indiscr"et,
and, | had almost added, ~culpably ia ..
cate, Is Only To say what she has deserved.
On the next occasion 10 which l feel bound
80 advert her conduct was even more desery-
ing OF censure. She herself appears 70 have
placed the temptation under which he fell In
her husbands way. and so Cn some degree
at least ~ have provoked the catastrophe
which has brought her before this court. j
allude, il Is needless to say, 20 her having In
yited the goyerness-then out Of harms way
then employed elsewheTe-to return 70 her
house. and 10 risk twhat actually occurred)
q meeting with Mr.. Herbert Linley when no
third person happened 10 be present. know
that the maternal motive which animated
Mrs. Linley Is considered, by many persons,
TO excuse and even TO justify that most re-
grettable act; and | have myself allowed Il
fear weakly allowed more than due weight
10 this consideration in p~ronouneing for the
divorce. Let me express the earnest hope
that Mrs. Linley will take warning by what
has happened; and, il she finds herself here.
after placed in other circumstances Of diff
Guilty, let me advise her 10 exercise more con-
troll over impulses which one might expect
perhaps TO lind in a young girl, but which
are neither natural nor excusable in a woman
OF her age"
His lOrdship then decreed the divorce in the
customary form, giving the custody of the
child To the mother.
As fast as a hired carriage could take him
Mr.. Sarrazin drove from the court 10 Mrs.
Linley's lodgings 10 tell her that the one
great object of securing her right to her child
had been achieved.
At the door he was met By Mrs. Presty.
She was accompanied by a stranger, whose
medical services had been required. Inter
ested professionally in hearing the result Of
the trial this gentleman volunteered 10 com
municate the good news, to hts patient, he
had been waiting to administer a composing
draught until the suspenSe from which Mr..
Linley was suffering might be relieved and
n reasonable hope be entertained that the
medicine would produce the right effect.
With that explanation he left the room.
While the doctor was speaking Mrs. PreSty
was drawing her WI conclusions from a
close scrutiny OF Nj. SarIaZin's face.
II am going 10 make a disagreeable re-
mark. - she announced. You look ten years
older. sir, than you did when YOU left US this
morning to 20 10 the court. Do me a favor
come Ia the sideboard." The lawyer having
obeyed, she poured out a glass of wine.
There is tile remedy she resumed. when
something has happened 10 worry you
Worry isn't the right word" Mr.. Sar-
rain declared. I'm furious, It's a most
improper thing for q person IN my position
TO say of a person in the lord presidents po-
sition: bat | do say 1.-THE ought TO be
ashamed of himself"
After giving us our divorce. Mrs. Presty
exclaimed. What has he donee'
Mr.. Sarrazin repeated what the judge had
said of Mrs. Limley. In my opinion" he
added. 'such language as that Is an insult 10
your daughter"
"And yet" Mrs. Presty repeated, "hc has
given us our divorce" She returned to the
s~ideboard, pouIed out a second dose OF the
remedy agains: worry, n took 1t herself.
What sort of character does the lord presi.
dent bear?:' she asked, when she had emptied
her glass.
This seemed to be an extraordinary ques.
ton 10 put under the circumstances. Mr..
SarraZin answered IL, however, to the best OF
his ability. AN excellent character" he
said; that's the un~aecoantable part of L. ]
hear that he is one OF the most careful and
considerate men who ever sat on the bench.
Excuse me, Mrs. Presty, dldi.'t intend &c
produce that impression Oh you"
what impression, Mr.. Sarrszin?
You look as il you thought there wal
some excuse for the Judge"
That's exactly what do think"
you find an excuse for him?"
IL do"
What is ii, ma'am?'
Constitutional iniinnity, SIR"
May | ask or what nature?"
You may. Govt"
Mr.. Sarrazin thought he understood her at
last. You know the lord president he
said.
Mrs. Presty denied it positively. NO. Mr..
Sarrazin, 1 don't get at it in that way. !
merely consult my experience a another
oAhtitA lNANph VI Ht<h AdAihs aiN apRAs ~ W
the lord president. You know that my first
husband was a cabinet minister"
Il have heard YOU say so, Mrs. Presty, on
more than one occasion"
Very we'll. You may also haVs heard
that the lete Mr.. Ormond was a remarkably
weli-bred man. In and out Of the house OF
commons, courteous almost to a fault. One
day I happened to interrupt him when he
was absorbed over an act of parliament. Be
fore l could APOLOGIZE tell you this in the
~strictest c~onfidence-he threw the act OF par
lament ut my head. Ninety-nine women
out OF a hundred would have thrown 1t back
again. Knowing his constitution, l decided
on waiting a day or two. On the second day
my antieipations were realized. Mr.. Of.
mond's great toe was as big as my nat, and
as red as a lobster; he apologized for the act
of parliament with tears in his eyes. Sup.
pressed govt in Mr.. Ormond's temper. Sup
pressed govt In the lord presidents temper.
He will nave a toe; and, i'll can prevail up
on my daughter to call upon him, i have not