Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-17
ThG Evil Genius.
A DOMESTIC STORY.
by wITHJE .pTrINc
by wILKIE
I THE STORY.
THE Lotcucr's Apology.

platy husbands that the records of matri-
hiony can produce is. 10 say the least OF il, a
ilscotraging circumstance. a man iorgets
Hat virtue is It's own reward, and asks what
is the Use OF c]onjuGal fidelity.
However, the motto OF married life is (Or
ought 90 ba): Peace at any price. ! have
been tG5> day relieved from the condition of
secrecy that has been imposed on me. You
Insisted on an explanation some time since.
Here it i, 1T last.
For Tie ten thouSandth time. my dear, in
our JOINT lives YOU are again right. That
letter, marked private, which | received at
The domestic tea-tiblc, Was What you posi-
lively declared II to be, Il letter from a lady
~ charming lady-plungcd in the deepest
pcrpic\l,y. We had been well known 20
each other for many years rs lawyer and
client She wanted advice on this occasion
also, ana wanted il in the s~trictcSt confidence.
Was 1t consistent with my professional duty
10 Snow her letter tO my wife? Mrs Sara
I'm SAYS Yes. Mrs. SarrdZin's husband saws
no.
Let me add that the lady was a person OF
uhbicn3l,uci reputation, and that she was
placed IN Il false position through no fault of
her uHn. In plain English, she was di-
vofccd. An, my dear Ito speak the strong
anSu1-o OF the people,, DO you smell a rat
Yes; my client was Mrs. Omond; and TO
her pretty cottage in the country | hctook
myself the next day. There | found my cX-
celicnt friend, Randall Linlcy, present by
special invitation.
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 ilulstriuuS family; you honorcd me
when you married me; and y0u have (as
your father tod me on our w~edding-day) the
hlgII and naughty temper OF your race. |
iureSec an explosion of this temper, and |
would rather have my writing paper blown
up than be blown up myself. j. this a COW
ardly confession on my part? All courage,
Mrs. SarraZln, is relative; the braycSt man
living has a Cuwardly side 10 his character,
though it may not always be found out. Some
years ago, at Il public dinner, | sat next to an
officer In the British army. AT one time in
his life he had led a iorlOrn hope. At am
other time he had picked up n wounded sol
dicr and had carried him to the care of the
surgeons through a hailsturm of the cncmy's
bullets. Hot courage and cool courage, this
true hero possessed both. | saw the cow
ardly side Of his character. lie lost his
color; peIspiration broke ont on his fore
head; he trelnbicd; he talked nonsense; he
was frightened out OF his wits. And all Tor
what? Because he had to get on his legs
and make a speech.
Wen; Mrs. Ormond and Randall Linley
and | sat down TO our consultation at the
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
t]iculars. Mrs. Ormond became drcadfully
embarrassed, and said: IL refer you to my
brotlcr.in law"
/ looked at Randall, "Oncc her brother
in.law, no doubt" | said; but after the di-
vorcc--' My friend stopped me there.
after the divorce he remarked, 81 may
be her bruthcr-in-law again"
If this meant anything, il meant that she
was actually going to marry Herbert Linley
again. | told him plainly that | could not
believe il.
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" | yenturcd to Sug.
geSt.
Don't expect me to sympathize with di
vorcc,' Randall said.
! answered that smartly. mo, I'll wal
till you are married"
lie ,oOk it seriously. Don't miSundcr
stand me-" he replied. "Where there is alb
solutc cruelty, or where there is deliberate
dcscltion on the husbands part, | see tn,
Use and the reason for divorce. Ii the IN
h&ppy wife can find an honorable man VIII,
viii protect her, on an honorable man whC
will Utlyr her Il home. society and law, whicl
are responsible for the institution of mar
riagc. a" bound TO allow Il wOman out
ragged lmGCr the shelter OF their institution L
marry again. Bal where the husbands taul
is sexual trailty, | shy the English law whicl
refuses divorce on that ground alone is right
{ and the Scotch law which grants il is wrong
4, Religion which rightly condemns the sin
parlOus it on the condition of true peni.cnce
, why Isl vii not 70 pardon it for the sam
+ reason? Why are the lives of a father,
+, mother. ana n child to be wrecked, Whcl
t, those lives may be saved by the exercise o
+, the first OF Christian virtues forgiveness o
injuries? In such Il ease as this | regret Ina
divorce exists; and | rejoice when husban,
, and wife and child are one flesh again, IL
/. united by the law Of nature, which is the Law
OF God.
? / might have disputed with him; bit
thought he was right, and ! wanted TO MAX
I Sure of IN" facts.
5 cam / really TO understand" | asked
chat Mr.. Herbert LinlCy Is to be the lady
husband tor the second timer
"lf there is no lawful objection to Il,
2 Randall said, "dcridedly yes"
My good wife, in all your experience 80
/. never saw your husband stare as he stared
that moment. Here was a lady divorce
/ from her husband, by her own lawful dcsii
D and at her W personal expense, thinkin
better Of it after no very long interval, all
proposing to marry the man again. Som'
|, thing to wonder at, surely! How did il ent
Z Ii ended in my admitting my ignorance
9 hlawyer, and Offering my encouragement Z
8 n friend. The ease being without prccedei
I in my experience, ! dropped my profession
. character at the outset. Speaking next as
friend, ] had only to say to Mrs. Ormon'
''The law has declared you and Mr.. Herbe
Linley to be single people. Do what oth'
4 single people do. Buy a license, and civ
8 notice at Il church, and by all means sen
webbing cards TO the judge who divorce
you"
c Said; and, in another fortnight done. NJ
/ and Mrs. Herbert l.inley were married aga
this morning, and Randall and | were Il
only Witnesses present at the ccrcmon
which was strictly private.
l. --