The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-19
A LAWYERS STORY.


nightly as though the world came near
having to get along without me. Must
be story here. -
''Of course there is. Don't you know
that an old family lawyer is the greatest
depositary on earth for storiesP He knows
far more about the ms and outs of real
life than either the doctor or the preacher -
'fBut did my parents actually agree to
separate as this document would indicator"
Precisely. Don't you recognize the
signaturesP forgot that the agreement
was there when I allowed you to go
through those old fles. It happened
long time ago, you know. But the facts
are a good deal less serious than your i'm
aginings would probably be-
Because of some memory the old law
yer dropped into reverie and had to be
prompted before proceeding.
''Let's see, where was n Oh, yes
well, they we're married and settled down
to farming When you come to review
the case dispassiOnately, they never had
any real trouble. In my opinion she was
given to talking too much perhaps. On
the other hand, he was too taciturn. She
spoke when silence would have been bet
ter, and he was silent when it would have
been promotive of peace for him to speak.
''When you come to review the bare testi-
mony, it seems almost incredible that
they should have ever thought Of parting.
But what may seem trihes count for
great deal In this world. Besides, words
repeated do not convey the thoughts, the
tones and the looks that accompany them.
lone article Of their household outfit
was a bright tin milking pail with a
strainer attached She liked to see it
hanging up as a kitchen ornament, but
without committing her he appropriated it
to milk in. She sharply told him not to
do SO again ard added quite a volunteer
little discourse on the rights of a woman
in running her household affairs. That
was where she talked too much. He said
nothing by way of explanation or concilia-
ton. That is where he talked too little.
''Later the same evening they disagreed
on the subject of predestination, one
greatly discussed at that time, and next
morning he used the tin milk pail again.
Then she not only reprimanded him, but
laid line upon line and precept upon pre-
cept till he left in silent disgust.
''Your father was very fond of dogs and
had fine one of the Newfoundland breed.
The dog and his master both detested cats.
Your mother was particularly partial to
cats and had no earthly use for dogs. She
could keep no cat because the dog would
not permit it, and this afforded another
bone of contention. They failed to agree
as to the amount of work they should do
on Sunday, and she talked about it while
he declined to talk, and his silence was
construed as sullenness. Meantime the
tin pail was driving them apart. A tin
pail is small thing in itself, but SO is an
apple, and you know how it figured in an
episode that placed the trail of the serpent
over US all.
Zone evening he sat down to mend
some harness in front of the sitting room
CRATE where she was knitting, and she in
formed him that the proper place for such
odOriferous employment was in the kitch-
en-. Then it was that he calmly suggested
that they did not seem adapted to each
other, and that it would probably be best
for them to live apart after dividing their
possessions. She sarcastically stated that
they were at length in accord as to one
thing and dropped stitches while he jam
med the anvil into his thumb.
'fThen she delivered quite an opinion on
the subject of divorce, holding that the
only right thing for them to do was to
separate, the marriage bond remaining IN
impaired. Again they agreed. He said
that they would better proceed with as
little nOtoriety as possible and asked what
she thought of me as a man to divide the
property. She thought would be fair,
and that was all she wanted
both lay awake most Of the night.
Both would have liked to escape the i'm
pending crisis. But both were proud. In
the morning he couldn't go to see me be-
cause there was the balance of the corn to
husk, he said, and then he went to do the
milking in a wooden pail.
She announced the next morning that
it would be impossible for her to leave
home because the cream would spoil If
she did not churn and get the butter ready
for market. Then she patted the dog. He
looking as nlutely surprised as did your
father. The next day they came, for nei-
Their had an excuse for not coming, and
k-Tl
arRtion. I could see that neither wanted
it, but direct interference on my part
would have been fatal, so wrote that pa
per, and they signed it.
"Then came the division of property.
There were five COWS, and each insisted
that the other must have three. This
showed a tenderness that did not comport
with their action, but I kept right on do
ing business. She could outtalk him and
he finally consen ted to take the three
COWS, mentally resolving to drive one over
to her father barn, when she was settled
at home again. They could agree as to
nothing, each wanting the other to have
the lions share, and they really grew
afeCtiOnate in their protests. Then the
iron was hot and I struck, telling them to
go home. adjust their differences and live
happily, as it was meant they should. He
said that they had agreed to take me as
their adviser, and he would not go back
on his word. She looked pretty as a bride
when she smilingly admitted that bar
gain was a bargain with her, and they
went out happier than the day they were
married He made only two purchases
that day One was a tin milk pail with
q polished copper strainer and the other
was big maltese cat.
"There's no nicer or more contented old
couple in the whole state, and If were
you I would just burn that paper and
never say word about it. It records a
tragedy that never came of. "-Detroit
Free Press.
A shrevvd Woman.
When Jernerby comes home late, he re-
ceives a lecture from Mrs J. of such