The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-07-24
The Evil Genius.
A DOMESTIC STORY.

luU IIll UUuluD.
"A DOMESTIC STORY.
By WILKlE COLLINS.
FrI THE STORY,
1.-The Ld,Dycr's -ApologM
That a woman of my wifc's mature years
should be jealous of one of the most exem-
plary husbands that the records of matri-
mouy can produce is, to say the least OF it, n
tliscouraging circumstance. A mai, torgets
That virtue is its own reward, and asks what
is the use of conjugal fidelity.
However, the motto of married life is Tor
ought to be-: Peace at any price. | have
sccn this day relieved from the condition of
,1crecy that has been imposed on me-. You
Insisted OH an explanation some time since.
Here it is at last.
For the ten thousandt. time, my dear, in
our joint lives You are again right. That
letter, marked private, which / received at
the domestic tea-tablc, was what you posi-
lively declared it to be, a letter from n lady
"a charming lady-plungcd in the deepest
perpleXity. We had been well known to
sNsi 'ehNi w h'u'y sNoto 60 ihNSSi NIo
client. She wanted advice on this occasion
also, and wanted it in the strictest confidence.
Was it consistent with my professional duty
to show her letter to my Wife? Mrs Sara
Yin says yes. Mrs. Sarlazin's husband says
no.
Let me add that the lady was a person of
n~nblemished reputation, and that she was
placed in n false position through no fault of
| her own In ptain.- Epplisb cha >yoS li,
vorccd. All, my dear Ito speak the strong
language of the peoplel, do you smell a rat9
Yes; my client was Mrs. Ormond; and to
her pretty cottage in the country l betook
myself the next day. There | found my ex-
ccllent friend, Rtndal Linley, present by
special7invitation.
Stop a minute. Why do | write all this,
instead of explaining myself by word of
mouth? My dear, you are a member OF an
old and illustrious family; you honorcd me
when you married me; and you have (as
your father told me on our w~edding-day) the
high and naughty temper of your race. l
foresee All explosion of this temper, and |
would rather have my writing paper blown
up than be blown up myself. Is this a cow
ardly confession on my part? All courage,
Mrs. Salrazin, is relative; the bravest man
living has a cowardly SHE to his character,
though ltmay not always be found out. Some
years ago, at a public dinner, | sat next to an
officer in the British army. AT one time in
his life he had led a torlon hope. AT an
other time lie had picked up a wounded sol
der and had carried him to the care of the
surgeons through a lailstorm of the enemy's
bullets. Hot courage and cool courage, this
true hero possessed both. l saw the cow
ardly side of his character. He lost his
color; pelspiration broke out on his fore
head; he trelnbied; he talked nor,sanse; he
was frightened out of his wits. III all for
what? Because he had to get on his legs
and make a speech!
Well; Mrs. Ormond md Randall Linley
md | sat dow to our consultation at tho
cottage.
What did my fair client want?
She contemplated marrying for the second
time, and she wanted my advice as a lawyer,
and my encouragement as an old friend. I
was quite ready; / only waited for the par
%ticulars. Mrs. Ormond became dreadfully
embarrassed, and said: 81 refer you to my
brother-in law"
in-law, no doubt" / said; "but after the di-
vorce-" NV friend stopped me there,
after the DIVORCE he remarked, 81 NAV
be her brotlier-inlaw again."
If this meant anything, it meant that she
was actually going to marry Herbert Linley
again. | told him plainly that l could not
believe it.
why not?" Randall asked.
Saying ] do want you in one breath, and
! don't want you In another, seems to be a
little hard on divorce" | ventured to sug-
gest.
Don't expect me to sympathize with di-
vorce," Randall said.
l answered that slnartly. mo, rll wait
till you are married."
He took it seriously. Don't misunder-
stand me-" he replied. "Where there is alb
sointe cruelty, or where there is deliberate
dcseltion on the husbands part, | see the
use and the reason for divorce. Ii the un.
happy wife can find an honorable man who
will protect her, or All honorable man who
will offer her Il home. society and law, which
are responsible FOR the institution of mar.
riage, are bound to allow n woman out,
ragged under the shelter OF their institution to
marry again. But where the husbands fault
is sexual f%railty, | say the English law which.
refuses divorce on that ground alone is right,
andtle Scotch law which grants it is wrong.
Religion which rightly condemns the sin,
parlons it on the condition OF true p%eni.ence.
Why is a VIII not to pardon it for the same
reason? Why are the lives of a father, a
mother, and n child to be wrecked, when
those lives may be saved by the exercise OF
the first of Christian virtues-forgiveness OF
iniuriesp. In such a case as this l regret thai
divorce exists; and l rejoice when husbanc
and wife and child are one flesh again, re
united By the law of nature, which is the law
OF God"
| might have disputed with him; but
thought he was right, and | wanted to make
sure of the facts.
"Am ! really to understand 1 asked
"tliat Mr.. Herbert Linley is to be the lady's
husband for the second t'mc?"
IF there is no lawful objection to it
Randall said, decidedly yes"
My good wife, in all your experience 20,
never saw your husband stare as he stared a
that moment. Here was q lady divorced
from her husband, by her own lawful desir,
and at her own personal expense, thinkint
better of 1t after no very long interval, ant
proposing to marry the man again. Some
thing to wonder at, surely! How did it end
1t ended in my admitting my ignorance a
Alawyer, and Offering my encouragement a
a friend. The case being without precedcn
In my experience, ] dropped my professions
character at the outset. Speaking next as
friend, | had only to say to Mrs. Ormond
''Ihe law has declared you and Mr.. Herber
Ilinley to be single people. DO what othe
single people do. Buy a license, and Civ
notice at II church, and by all means scn'
wedding cards to the judge who divorces
YOU"
Said; and, In another fortnight done. MI
and Mrs. Herbert Linley We're married agail
this morning, and Randall and l were til
only witnesses present at the eremon
Which was strictly private.
2.-The LaWyer's Defense.