The age-herald., 1897-10-13

had brought into his life most of its sunshine and all its overwhelming dark ness of sin and sorrow. Mrs. Atkinson is said to be a very superior woman, mentally and morally, and yet she has unwittingly woven about her distin- guislled husband a network of troubles and dramatic incidents scarcely less sur prising than those related by Hal Caine of far different woman The following extracts from the constitution of West Virginia give Gov. Atkinson authority 10 exercise the pardoning power in case dlis wife is convicted by the jury and sentsnced by Judge Blizzard:
 Extract from the state constitution of West Virginia, anticle vii, section 2:
 The governor shall have power to re- init fines and penalties in such cases and under such regulations as may be pre- scribed by the law; to commute capital punishment, and except Where the prosecution has been carried on by the house of delegates, to grant reprieves and psrdons after conviction; but he slhall communicate to the Legislature at each session the particulars of every case of fine or penalty remittel or pun ishment commuted and of repriave or pardon granted, with his reasons there for.
 Chapter IA, section 20 of the code, after quoting the above section of the con- stitution, says:
 In any case wherein the governor has power to grant a pardon, instead of granting the same internationally he may after sentence, grant it upon such conditions as may be deemed proper by him and be assented to by the person sentenced
 Gov. Atkinson is described as a man of unusual height, more than six feet tall; rather thin than otherwise; 56 years old ard With black hair nlostache and eyes. He is a Sunday school teacher and consistent member of the Method ist church. His affection for his wife is said to be as fresh and ardent as that of a youth of 16 Such man can be relied upon to do the proper and chivalric thing, when the right time arrives.
 
 A philosophical woman-for women can be as profound philosophers anI as subtle reasoners as their husbands, sons and brothers-has thus expr: ssed some intereting views in terse language:
 If woman be selfish her selfishness is of the ntellect-de,iberate We de- sire happiness mere passonately than men, yet, knowing our weakness amid the general forces, wle shrink into a cor mgr and weave plcts. Men want the qualification of the moment they rarely create, as we do, out of the golden mists of young dreaming an ideal of happi- ness to be sighed for throughout a Mfe- time. WhIsn man wants a seemingly unaittainable thing he chafes and raves impotently, Romeo-lil1e, until duty or a new fancy compel him to turn h.s at tentton elsewhere. A woman in like circumstances Mes awake at night to plan and contrive means which will bend Fate to her will It was Juliet who carried out the bold scheme that made a Montsgu and a Capulet man and wife. Even rigid Justice has a tear of pity for the false view of life taken by eyes half blirlied by great love; and it will be found that-paradoxteal though the statement seenls-the selfishness of most women has it's origin in their strength Of affection.
 How many ars unselfish to the point of sejf-imnIolaitton, towards their own beloved, and calmly indifferent ito the existence of all.other creatures? Yet even in this utt;r devotion .tihe1Ie is selfshness. We will do everything that can be done-sacrifce everything for our dear ones; butt we must have the deed recognized and known for ours. We may, however, comfort ourselves with the thought that-be the proposi- tion of sslfishness between the sexss s what it may-our special form of that vice is, for the most part, bred of the virtue that is in us, and fed by flame not all impure. But alas. truth com pels us ito look at the exceptions that prove the rule" What of the hard old maids with cold hearts and marrow brains? We'll, they are rapidly dying out, and, let us hope, wlll leave no sue cessors. One other type will be quoted against us-the midd.e-ag5d woman whose whole horizon is bounded by her own kitchen If that temple be peaceful and fourisihing, empires may go to ruin for all that she cares; ard If any domes- tic contretemps be impending, all the wrecked lives and broken hearts in the world weigh not as a grain of sand in the balance. Selfish she is. this worthy. | Let us not prejudice our case by argu- l ment on her behalf, but set against her