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

CHAPTER xxx.
Mrs. Linley's application for a divorce was
',card in the first division OF the Court Of SEES
ial at Edinburgh, the lord president being
The jud ..
10 the disappointment of the large audi
riice 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. Bot one ex-
citing incident occurred toward the close of
the proceedings. Sudden illness made Mrs.
Linley's eploy necessary, at the moment
of all others most interesting TO herself--the
moment before the judges decision was an
neuncel.
But, as the event proved. the poor iady's
Withdrawal was the most fortunate circum-
stance that could have occurred. IN her own
interests. After cOndemning the husbands
conduct with unsparing severity the lord
president surprised most OF the persons pres
eIt by speaking OF the wife in these terms:
Generously as Mrs. LinIey has been In
jured, the evidence shows that she was her
self by no means free from blame. She has
been guilty, to say the least of IL, OF acts of
fndlscretion. When the criminal attachment
which had grown up between Mr.. Herbert
Linley and Miss Westerfield had been on
fessed to her, she appears to have most UNI
reasonably oyerrated whatever merit there
might have been in their resistance to the
final temptation. She was indeed so inpul-
sively ready TO forgive without waiting to
see If the event justified the exercise of
mercy that she owns to having given her
hand to Miss Westerield at parting, not half
an hour after that young persons shameless
forgetfulness of the claims OF modesty, duty,
and gratitude had been first communicated
to her. To say that this was the act of an
ineonsiderate woman, culpably indiscrnet,
and, | had almost added, culpably In !.
cate, Is Only to say what she has deserved.
On the next occasion to which / feel bound
~ advert her conduct was even more deserv-
ing of censure. She herself appears to have
placed the temptation under which he fell In
her husbands way. and SO Gin some degree
at least) To have provoked the catastrophe
which has brought her before this court. /
alllde, il is needless to say, to her having In
ylted the goyerness-then out OF harms way
then employed elsewheTe-to return 10 her
house, and to risk what actually occurred}
a meeting with MI. Herbert Linley Nhen no
third person happened 10 be present know
that the maternal motive which animated
Mrs. LiRley Is considered, by many persons,
to excuse and even TO Justify that most re-
grettabie act: and | have myself allowed q
fear weakly allowed more than due weight
10 this consideration in pronouncing for the
divorce. Let me express the earnest hope
that Mrs. Iinley 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 find in a young girl, but which
are neither natural nor excusabie 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 to tell her that the one
great object of securing her right to her child
had been achieved.
Al 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 to com
municate the good news to his patient, He
had been waiting to administer a composing
drauglt until the suspense from which Mrs.
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 Own conclusions from a
close scrutiny OF Mr.. SarTazin's face.
II am going TO make "A disagreeable re-
mark" she announced. You look ten years
older. sir, than you did when You left us this
morning to go 10 the court. Do me a favor
come to the sideboard." The lawyer having
obeyed. she poured out a glass of wine.
There is the remedy" she resumed. when
something has happened to worry you"
Worry isn't the right word Mr.. Sar-
rain declared. Pm furious! It's a most
improper thing for a 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 p Mrs. Presty
exclaimed. What has he doneg'
Mr.. Sarrazin repeated what the Judge had
said Of Mrs. Linley. I'm my opinion" he
added, ''such language as that Is an insult TO
your daughter"
And yet" Mrs. Presty repeated, ''he has
given us our divorce" She returned to the
sideboard, poured out a second dose of the
remedy agains: worry, and took it 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 to put under the circumstances. Mr..
Sarrazin answered il, however, to the best OF
his ability. AN excellent character" he
said; that's the unaccountable part Of II. ]
hear that he is one OF the most careful and
considerable men who ever 50. on the bench.
Excuse me. Mrs. Presty. l didn't intend tc
produce that impression on you"
What impression, Mr.. Sarrazing'
You look as if you thought there was
some excuse Tor the judge"
That's exactly what i do think"
Y on find an excuse for him?'
Il do"
What is it, ma'amg'
Constitutional intifmity, sir"
May ask OF what natute?'
You may. Gout."
Mr.. Sarrazin thought he understood her at
last. You know the lord president he
said.
Mrs. Plesty denied il positively. mo. Mr..
Sarrazin, | don't get at it in that way. /
merely consult my experience Of another
official person of high rank, and apply it to
the lord president. You know that my first
husband was q cabinet minister
Il have heard you say so, Mrs. Presty, OF
more than one OCCASION
Very we'll. You may also laws heard
that the late Mr.. Ormond was a remarkably
well-bred man. In and out of the house of
commons, courteous almost to a fault. One
day l happened TO interrupt him when he
was absorbed over an act of parliament. Be
fore l could apologize tell you this in the
~strictest conference.-the threw the act of par.
lament Mt 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 anticlpations were realized. Mr.. Or
mondis great toe was as big rs my fiat, and
rs red as a lobster; he apologized for the ACT
OF parliament with tears in his eyes. Sup.
pressed gont in Mr.. Ormond's temper. Sup
pressed govt In the lord presidents temper.
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