The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-04
ON THE WITNESS STAND.

'Yes, doctor. I am afraid shall have to let or sell the farm; my wife is so mis- erable. can not carry 1t on without hiring and hiring eats up all the profits"
 looked at the speaker admiringiy. He was about 50 years old. and a robust as |a man of 90. His whiskers were neatly trimmed. showing a full rcd cheek, He wore a jaunty hat, and natty cut-away coat, and below his vest hung a single fob and heavy gold seal. I was proud of him. He was such a good specimen of the country gentleman that wanted to imprint picture of him on my mem- ory.
 .'so your wife is niserableT'
 ''Yes. Always dooping. with c dry cough and no ambition. She drags round gives me the blues"
 Naturally weakly, wasn't she?"
 "She? Oh, no! When I married her she was the smartest girl in the neigh borhood. She used to do the dairy work for my father and the way she made the maids move took my eye. She was a poor girl and her industry got a rich husband"
 Here he took out gold watch. looked at the time. put it back. and adjusted the fob on the front of his nicely fitting | trousers. .4 fss. s-.--.ss..
 "so she did well, getting married on account of her industryT" "why, of course. She was a poor girl and she became mistress of a farm."
 Excuse me, how much are you worth, now-conhdentially. you know? I am a professional man and will never use such facts to your injury"
 Well. doctor. $500o0 down would not buy me, to put 1t low"
 That is good. How long have you been married?"
 "Thirty years, come Christmas"
 How much do you suppose you have made in these thirty yearsr'
 "Hum-um. let me see. I got the Davis farm the first ten years. then ran in debt for the Simmons place.. got good prices for my cheese and crops for two or three years, and squared up both places. Well, I think have made quite twenty-five or thirty thousand dollars"
 "Very good, indeed. And your wife hes been a great help all this timer
 "Oh, yes! She used to be a rattler! She took care of and looked after the milk of twenty cows st least. and overlooked all the house and dairy work"
 Splendid, and you have cleared thirty thousand in that timer ''Yes. easy"
 "Now, how much has your wife madc?"
 "She? Why, hang 1t. doctor, she is my wife,"
 "I know 1t. But what has she made: You say she was poor when you married her. Now. what has she made?'
 Why, you beat all! Why, she Is my wife, and we own 1t all together"
 Do you? Then she can draw on your bank account7 Then she has horse and carriage when she wants them7 Then she has what help at home she wants Then she rides out for her health, and wears a watch and gold chain as you do7 Is that so?'
 Doctor, you must be crazy. Nobody's wife Is master in that shape. Who ever heard of such a thing? ...
 Now look here. You say she did we'll in marrying rich, and I can not see 1t. If she was getting good wages when you married her. and had saved her surplus pay she would have been we'll off now. Now you tell me she is broken down, used up. and miserable, and looks so badly she makes you sick; she has no money, no help, and will probably get nothing but granite gravestone when she dies"
 Doctor, if you were a younger man I would not allow you to speak like that ] to me for a minute" "Why not? am stating this case fair | ly. am I not? Your wife is no longer young. She is no longer handsome. Her hands are hard and she Is breaking up. " "Doctor!"