New-York tribune., 1903-04-12

two years has been paying s. a week to his wife
Of sixty-fve mature years. He married her.
spent what she had and deserted her She saw
him Broadway month afterward threw
her arms around his neck and held him in siren
embrace until policeman came His sis
ter gave a bond for him. and he is paying back
at the rate of $50 month the few hundreds he
got by marrying a woman old enough to be his
grandmother
Two letter carriers attached to the same up
town sub-station in the books of the ali
mony department One has been paying his
wife $50 month for more than year. The
second carrier recently hauled into court
by his wife. The magistrate ordered him to pay
$40 a month The wife of the first carrier heard
of it and went into rage
How is it." she demanded, that Mrs
gets $40 month and I only get $40? It's a
shame and I'm not going to stand being
cheated
She brought her husband before the magistrate
and her alimony increased to IS week
The two mail carriers have formed mutual
consolation society
A few days ago a business who has been
assessed $S week for some time surprised the
clerk by leaving $40 for his wife.
I've been thinking over this thing" he said
in explanation. land 1 reckon L can give the
| little woman more money She's not bit q
bad SORT you know"
The clerk congratulated him, and a day or
| two later had the pleasure of breaking the news
| to the wife Seems if there might be 4
chance for you two to together again." he
ventured.
I'm afraid there's joker hidden away IN
this somewhere" said the wife. tapping the roll
| of bills Anyway. III think it over week or
| two before l send for him
She was far and away the test looking woman,
in the morning grist She knew how to dress,
| and her troubles if she had any, neither sal
lowed furrowed her complexion Yes. I'll
wait Bit she said. smiling cynlcally, as she
| went
| 1t was noon and the alimony line had dwindIed
| to nothing, when a large man hurried up to
| the window He a WOrkingman, evidently,
| and his face serious with the sad serious
ness that never smiles. 4 am a little late this
week." he said Has she been here YETI"
| Not yet" answered the clerk, "but-but here
| she comes now"
| Where can I go?" cried the man. his face
! flushing with excitement L haven't seen her
| in nine years.
Better stay and talk it over" advised the
| sage.
| AS he hesitated the little girl who accom-
panied his wife caught sight of him. and with
a shrfl Papa. Papar' ran toward him She
was pretty child of twelve or thirteen
| The mother came slowly. why. Charley.
| said when near. You haven't changed mucn
| these years"
| You look well. little woman" he began Are
! you happy"
It's little hard sometimes" she returned.
| but I've conquered 1.-THE taste, l mean
| Yes, she has, papa" said the girl "She does
| not drink a drop any more Why don't you
| come home?'
He had left her because of her intemPerate
! habits, and he still loved her. in spite OF the
| years of absence He took them out to dinner
and when they came back it was to say that
| they had made it up and would go to house
keeping that very afternoon The sun broke out
! of the clouds as they left the alrnony office ana
| it followed them up the street
The number of alimony cases is increasing all
| the time, as the msused wives of the city learn
| how easy il is to force q derelict husband to
| do his duty-at least, the financial part The
! fact that the city has taken charge of the cOi
| Iectfng and paying of alimony is another cause
of the increase 1t really is not difficult to bring
| a husband to time, the women with legitt-
| mate cases who have tried it have discovered
In the first place. the woman who wants TO
| pIt her husband in the clutches Of the alimony