The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-24
TIE EVENING STOR Y
An Automobile Widow.
(By Helena Smith Dayton.)


Mrs. Bradbury. You see when one is
married one has ones favorite clergy
man-so when one is unmarried why
not ones pet lawyer? It seems kinder
Kinder? Going to make it a func-
ton with caterers and fiumadiddles p
demanded the judge.
At least you will inform Ned of my
decision?" ignoring the hippancy.
Why, Bess, surely you've no
grounds for a divorce. You can't
| wheedle your freedom out of a court
because Ned perhaps forgot to give
you yiolets on your birthday, or -
Il have a reason!" icily.
"Oh, ho!" exclaimed the Judge.
May ask her name"
TITS an automobile!" explained
| automobile widow -
"A new one to me- commented the
judge, musingly.
We've quarreled ever since he
| bought that big circus chariot of his.
wanted horses instead-Im original
| " from Kentucky you know, and I
vowed I'd never step foot in that car
and L haven't He spends all his time
| In it-he says I'm unreasonab le-and
=" Elizabeth broke down.
Proceed" prompted the Judge.
THE last two days he hasn't even
gone through the Formally of asking
course I wouldn't have gone! Yester-
| day he Whizzed by with that blonde
johnson girl, and today with Mrs
| Wheeler. However, I'm not jealous
| of mere woman. It's the carl
Med probably wanted to show you
| If you wouldn't motor with hin=oth-
ers would suggested the listener.
Shows how demoralizing the craze
is, stormed Elizabeth. Recall the
fuss there was when women first took
to cycling? Well since men have tax
en- to motoring the reformers ought"
You aspire to start a reform by
Ixfva
a photo all ready for the newspapers %
I'm not seeking notoriety," she
snapped. II simply want a nice quiet
divorce. I may as well be a grass
widow as an automobile widow"
Come, Bess, you can't be serious.
Go home=but stop en- route and buy
some ripping motor toys. Get red silk
TO show you are enthusiastic and
then
I'm not here to consult you about
toilettes," she cut in. Il came to APP
ply for a divorce. What's more
fancy red with my hairi"
Titan in my presence! But seriously
you will go home and make peace with
IF you wish to communicate with
me further-I shall be at Clara Lin
coins. Good afternoon She swept
out and into the elevator. but / mean
business"
"Bess will purchase motor toys yeti"
L
expert advice to Ned-surely ones pet
lawyer can be kinder!'
Mrs. Bradbury went directly to an
attorney who knew neither herself nor
her husband. She decided it poor pol
icy to do business with friends. Young
Lawyers Elkins, she found, had no
Scruples.
HAS the defendant any property we
could attach ?" asked the splinter o.
the bar pompously-
81 wouldn't take a penny from him!-
protested Elizabeth.
I'VE could worry him lott" tempt
ed the legal adviser.
could 1 attach his automobile ?"
cried Elizabeth eagerly.
Il shall get out the writ at oncei"
he said decisively.
II suppose it is a clever way for an
automobi widow to avenge herself
sighed Eliza BETH Then briskly, "Y on
will find the car at the Westminster
garage"
joicing at her coup d'etat. Clara be-
ing of the Miss Hobbs type, congrat-
ulated her on her admirable spirit.
Clara was propping up the admirable
spirit" when Elizabeth's lawyer called
her to the telephone.
Hello. -. Yes. this is she. The
car is not there?. A sheriff and two
detectives searching? My goodness
Necessary? -. Ohm, very we'll"
Later another call came
"Yes=Located the car at the Apple
by Coach Company? Bring it away at
once. On the third floor? Well, |
bring it down the way it went up. -.
Man refuses to operate the elevator?
Can't you force him to? Then get a |
trained elevator man and I'll pay for
his time. They refuse to allow the
elevator to be operated. Ridiculous! |
Equipped with a writ to seize property |
but baked because there's no law to
force them to help you get IT'LL.
Take 1t out a window! The wall must /
be full of windows. Windows too |
sman?. :. Take the machine apart.
Gracious! Five hundred dollars to put |
it together again? You suggest leav- |
ing it there with a sheriff to guard it ?
Very WE'LL
Elizabeth passed an unhappy night |
What would Ned do? She speculated |
worried about the sheriff sitting alone
the long night on the third /
floor of the Appleby repository with |
Ned's big cream-colored motor car /
like a ghost out of the gloom. |
She feared she was Furnishing the |
sheriff more than Ned.
Next morning a strange lawyer /
called Ned's lawyer! She shuddered- /
Mrs. Bradbury" began Lawyer |
Snyder. "how much will you take for
your interest In the carp
IT'S not money I want" she ex-
planned loftily. But the car
This is certainly the motoring sea-
son." he agreed. "And the dealers
can't deliver a car under six weeks.
That's why the other two ladies were
so anxious to secure this one
What two ladies?7 Elizabeth de-
why, few days ago Mr.. Bradbury
advertised his car for sale. and he gave
dem constructions to two lady prospects
1.-THE blonde and Mrs. Wheeler
gasped Elizabeth. light dawning. "He
was selling to please me. What mess
[ have made of everything."
ANY message TO send my client?"